Page 46 of Promise Yule Be Mine
"He?" I asked.
He opened his mouth but stopped before anything came out, then licked his lip and glanced at me. "I'm bi," he said, his voice barely a whisper.
"Oh."
Really, Nova? ‘Oh’? That's all you can say?
Although, what could I say to that? I'd made an assumption about him as if only straight people could be in straight relationships, but then again I'd tried not to ponder over his sexuality that much. Not when it was a hopeless endeavor that could only lead to more embarrassment and obsession.
"Is that…is that okay?" he asked.
"Why wouldn't it be?" I looked at him properly for what felt like the first time, and he stole my breath away.
The sunlight hit the side of his face, making him look like an angel, casting a glow that made his gray eyes brighter than they'd ever been and all the more enchanting.
It might have only lasted for a second, but it imprinted on my mind like a life-changing memory almost immediately.
"I don't know. A lot of people can be weird about bi people," he said.
"Well, a lot of people are assholes with a helmet. Doesn't mean they're right."
Kody blinked. "‘Assholes with a helmet’?"
I couldn’t hold my laughter in at his confusion that made mouth and 'stache curve comically to the side.
"Yeah. Assholes with a helmet. It's like an honorary asshole. A master of all assholes. Achampionasshole."
Kody burst out in laughter and the sound gave me goosebumps, wrapping around me like a ghostly hug.
"I've never heard that before. That's hilarious," he wheezed, trying to compose himself.
"It's a Greek phrase. I learned it after doing a Greek wedding. It stuck." I shrugged.
That wedding had been all sorts of epic. A perfect marriage of tradition, Mediterranean stereotypes, and drama galore worthy of a telenovela. I really should send a message to Chris and Nikos, see how they're getting on.
"Well, I think it might stick with me, too."
"Happy to be of service." I flashed him my smile and he kept glancing from me to the road as if…as if he couldn't look away from me.
Wait.
All this time I thought I was projecting, but what if…what if he actually liked me? What if hehadbeen flirting with me like I'd tried avoiding doing with him?
I tried to read his mind, his heart, his very soul. But seeing as I wasn't a mutant nor had magical powers, I couldn't do any of that. And yet I was convinced it wasn't all in my head.
Does Kody Campbelllikelike me?
“Silent Night” turned to “All I want for Christmas” and it shook me from my self-induced stupor.
"How do we feel about Mariah? Yay or nay? Did the ex ruin her too for you?"
It didn't matter if helikedliked me. He couldn't act on it and even if he could I wouldn't. I would never betray my best friend like that.
"He did, but this is a classic. I can't hate on it even if I tried," he said.
For a second I forgot what he was talking about, but when I remembered I blurted a "thank God" and turned up the volume.
"So you like Christmas then?" he asked when the song finished and another holiday song started.
