Page 102 of Charming Like Us
Must be why he answered the paparazzi too honestly and not jokingly. Farrow whispers something softly, his hand on the back of Maximoff’s skull, and then their lips meet in a tender kiss.
A pang thumps against my chest.
I’m not a bitter guy, and I hate wading in these shitty emotions for even half-a-second.
I’m about 99% positive it’s what Charlie has felt ever since Maximoff got a boyfriend. Seeing the cousin he hates receive the love he wants has caused more jealousy. But I’m not a twenty-one-year-old genius who can’t control my base impulses. And Ineverwant to be bitterat the sight of someone else’s happiness or love. Especially a friend’s.
I look around the gym.
And I just wish Charlie were next to me so Highland would be here too. I’d turn my head and see his focus behind a camera. He’d notice me and smile that hundred-watt smile, and maybe he’d even redirect his lens my way.
“Oliveira,” Farrow says, snapping me out of a bad daze.
“Yeah?”
Our heads turn when Ripley drops his stuffed pirate parrot. I pick up the toy that I bought him and rattle it. “No doubt, you love Uncle Oscar the best.”
Ripley hugs onto the toy with a giggle. He’s a cute baby.
“Thanks,” Maximoff says to me, his sincerity soulful. “You know where my brother might’ve left his phone?”
My brows knot. “Xander left his phone at the gym?”
Farrow explains, “After a boxing lesson this morning. I didn’t want to announce that shit over comms.” Yeah because Donnelly would be reamed out by the boss for that security mistake. Xander Hale is his client, and a missing phone is a heartbeat from a security leak.
Donnelly isn’t usually that careless.
“I haven’t seen it,” I tell them, “but I’d check the lockers.”
Holding Ripley, Maximoff leaves the mats and searches the wall of lockers.
Farrow sticks around me. “You okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You tell me,” he says, concern in his pierced brows.
All I’ve really expressed lately to Farrow is that Jack and I are better. We’re cool.No more awkwardness.Pretty true.But I can’t explain anything further without telling him Jack’s not straight.
I already promised I wouldn’t do that to Jack.
“I’m good,” I nod a few times. “When’s theOut Loudmagazinephotoshoot? I heard it’s soon.”
“Next week.” He skims my eyes.
I hang onto a feeling I love.
Pride.
I’m proud of my best friend for agreeing to be on the cover ofOut Loud.It took him a while to sayyes.And now here I am, unable to talk about the guy I’m kissing and falling for.
Unable to even hug him in public.
I don’t love it, but I have to be okay with it.
For me, pride is best felt embracing the people I love. And I just wish I could embrace Highland.
I’m so fucking far gone.
