Page 4 of Afterglow
“You could make it happen, Donny.” Wade claps a hand on my back. “We’ve been trying to introduce you two properly for years.”
Believe me, buddy, it isn’t for lack of trying. Any time I breathe the same air as her, I seize up like Jell-O in a bundt pan. I can’t get a single word out. My brain short-circuits. Blood rushes to the surface of every inch of my skin in an offensive blush. And don’t get me started on my face. I think about acknowledging her with a smile, but fear it appears as something else entirely. A leer, a sneer? Disgust? What if she takes it the wrong way? What if she thinks I’m stroking out?
What if I’m a loser?
Who am I kidding? Iama loser.
Behraz is a perfect, joyous goddess with a blindingly beautiful smile and a laugh that is nothing short of sunshine on a clear day. And unsurprisingly, for a pale ginger like me, it burns. Too long in her presence and I’ll be cooked like a deep-sea lobster.
She’s a social butterfly. I’m practically a pariah.
Wade’s voice reaches my ears once more.
“…And, like, what’s the worst that could happen? Bea’s alreadysuperinto you.”
Yeah, right.
I reject the possibility. “You thinkeveryoneissuperintoeveryone. She doesn’t know I exist.”
“Uh, yeah, she does. She used to come to games with your jersey on.”
Oh, I remember. It had me bricked up during multiple games and drove me fucking insane.
“That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe she got it on sale or something.”
Why else would anyone want a loser’s jersey?
Landon coughs out a laugh. “On…sale?”
“Hate to break it to ya, Donny, but you’re an idiot.” Wade runs a hand through his sweaty hair. “I mean, listen, you could continue as you have been.”
“It’s not so bad,” I lie.
“Or you could quit hiding in books and fictional worlds all the time and start living out the life you dream about.”
He’s right, of course, but reality sucks. Reality is my social anxiety being so bad I don’t have any friends except for these guys. Reality is my career taking a nosedive, and I have no idea what to do about it. Reality is—well,shit.
“I’m all for escapism, okay? This world is too fucked up not to want to. But don’t do it because you’re afraid.” Wade toys with his wedding ring, revealing Hindi script inked underneath. He catches me staring again. “It says Gargi, Gabe’s birth name.”
Damn. The woman owns him in every way.
What I would do to belong to someone like that.
Landon picks up his phone and continues to undress. “Hi, baby. You’re on speaker.”
A coo echoes behind Indi’s voice. “You almost done?”
“Not even close. I need to shower.”
“Well, hurry up, Princess. I’ve gotta get Akhila to sleep in the car seat on the way to Bea’s.”
The three of us exchange surprised glances.
“We’re going to Bea’s?”
“Yeah, we promised to help her move.”
“We did?” Landon’s face cringes in Wade’s direction. He exaggeratedly mouths,Did you know about this?
