Page 77 of Storm Bound
“What about your birthday party? Your family is going to be there,” I said.
“That’s not a dinner. That’s a party. That’ll be fine, although I can uninvite them if it means they don’t prod,” he said.
I laughed.
“Honey, you can’t uninvite your family from your thirtieth birthday party. It’s a milestone, and I’m sure they want to be there, and you’ll regret it if they aren’t.”
“Hm,” he grumbled but didn’t say anything further.
As he pulled in my driveway next to his car, I noticed a shadow on my porch. It stood up as Charlie turned off the engine, and he turned to me.
“Who is that?” he asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I answered, and we came out of the car, wary of the unfamiliar figure.
Was it a patient with an emergency? Surely they’d ring my cell if there had been one, not wait outside my house on the off-chance I arrived on time.
I took Charlie’s hand like an extra shield of protection from whoever was waiting.
As we approached the shadow, their features came to focus, and I realized I needed the extra shield now more than ever.
Because the person waiting on my porch was Justin.
“Baby, where did you go?” he said, making my insides turn.
Twenty-One
Charlie
“Baby?” I said, looking at Adam.
Had he said baby? And what did he mean by “where did you go?” When was the last time they had seen each other? Had this guy been here all along?
There were so many questions in my head and so much that didn’t make sense, but I also didn’t have the energy or the clarity to put them in order.
Especially when the man, tall, broad-shouldered, brown hair—curly on the top, shaved on the sides—walked up to us and kissed Adam on the lips.
MyAdam.
Or was he even mine?
“Why didn’t you say we were moving to Virginia? Who’s that? Did you get yourself a boy toy while you’ve been waiting for me?”
What the fuck was going on? And why was this dick bag talking to Adam like they were together?
“Uhm… I didn’t,” Adam started, his eyes pinned on the stranger.
“Adam, who the fuck is this?” I asked.
He didn’t turn to me. Instead, the stranger did and extended his hand.
“Justin Baker. Nice to meet you. I’m Adam’s boyfriend, of course. Has he not mentioned me?” he said.
“No, he hasn’t,” I replied with a loose jaw and a racing heartbeat.
“You’re not my boyfriend,” Adam said under his breath.
Justin stretched his fingers since I hadn’t bothered shaking his hand and moved to touch Adam, to caress his cheek like I did when we were together.
