Page 75 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

“There’s this burger joint on the edge of town I’m craving,” Bailey answered. “Neither of us have a class until two, so we’re going to hit it up for lunch.”

“Oh, my God. Greasy food sounds so good.” Paige moaned and rubbed her flat stomach.

After smiling indulgently at her, Logan took her hand and turned back to Bailey and Tess. “Mind if we tag along?”

“Sure. The more the merrier.” But Bailey no sooner answered them than she glanced hesitantly at Tess. “Right?”

She did that more often lately—making a decision for both of them, only to realize what she’d just done and try to correct her mistake.

Appreciating how hard Bailey was trying, Tess hooked her arm through her friend’s and grinned at Paige and Logan. “Right. We’d love to have you.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

AUBREY ST. JOSEPH WAS AS VERBOSE and dramatic as Jonah had feared the kid would be when Sean had firs

t told him about the actor. But strangely enough, he was infectious. A freshman and into all things theatrical and dramatic, Aubrey had a freshness that managed to keep Jonah from the edge of depression.

After the day they’d met and shared their grief together, neither of them had left Sean’s apartment. Jonah bunked on Sean’s old couch, and Aubrey stayed in the bedroom. The next night, they did it all over again. When utility and rent bills began to show up, they paid them. And before they knew it, they were roommates.

The two of them had absolutely nothing in common, but strangely enough, they got along. Jonah totally blamed the link on Sean. The grief they shared drew them together with an unbreakable kind of bond. But at other times, Jonah had to admit the boy was damned entertaining, especially when something worried him.

As he finished a bowl of cereal before he had to head out to work, he watched Aubrey pace the length of the kitchen and wring his hands repeatedly. “Maybe this is wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this.” Rubbing his palms over his face, he turned and marched to the other end of the cramped room. Then he bit his lip and glanced at Jonah for reassurance.

“Of course you should.” Jonah snorted and rolled his eyes. “This is the reason you’re attending this college. To learn the fine art of dramatic performance. So, what’s the point of continuing an education here if you don’t perform anything?”

“But people are already protesting the play, saying it’s too soon after—”

“And they’re idiots,” Jonah said sternly. He tipped his bowl up and drained the rest of the milk inside. Grabbing his cane, he began to stand, but Aubrey waved him back into his seat, grabbing the dirty dish from him and taking it to the sink so he could wash it instead.

It hadn’t taken him long to realize Aubrey liked to stress clean. It was kind of comical, but this issue was really getting to him, so he didn’t laugh.

Other students were protesting the end-of-the-year play, saying anything of such entertainment value shouldn’t take place after the tragedy that had happened so recently on campus.

“I get that people are mourning,” Jonah said, massaging cramped muscles in his leg before he had to stand again. “But you lost someone too. And you’re not disrespecting Sean in any way by continuing your life and living it to the fullest.” That was one detail Samantha had drummed into his head during their sessions. “Shit, you’d be disrespecting him if you didn’t, if you curled up and died right along with him.”

After Aubrey cleaned and put the bowl away, he returned to the table to wipe off the spot where Jonah was sitting. Grasping his arm to get his attention, Jonah waited until his friend looked at him.

“You know he’d want you to do this.”

Eyes going moist, Aubrey managed a nod as he sniffed. “Yeah,” he said and closed his eyes. “He would, wouldn’t he?”

“Damn right, he would.” Pulling his best friend’s boyfriend in closer, he patted Aubrey’s back heartily, proud of him. “I think you have to stick with this play…in honor of him.”

“You know,” Aubrey mumbled, glancing at him with puppy dog eyes. “If you weren’t straight, I’d probably totally hit on you.”

With a scowl, Jonah shoved him back. “Whatever. Cut that out.”

Aubrey laughed, clutching his stomach. “Oh, my God. You should see the look on your face right now. You’d think I just grabbed your ass.”

Glare only deepening, Jonah shoved to his feet. It was time to go anyway. “Don’t say shit like that to me. You know it skeeves me out.”

“Oh, come on.” Aubrey playfully punched his arm. “You know I’m still hung up on Sean. And I would never risk our friendship by seriously coming onto you. I just…” He shrugged. “I thought we could use a little comedic relief. They do it in plays all the time when the angst begins to get a little too over—”

“Okay, okay.” Jonah waved a hand to shut the guy up. “I get it. Next time, just…wait until after I’m done touching you before pulling out the gay humor, ’kay?”

Aubrey grinned but rolled his eyes. “Sure thing, sweetie. You know, I think there’s still a little bit of homophobe left in you. But you’re working through it very well. I must say, the way Sean talked about you, I never—ever—thought you’d even acknowledge me as a human being, much less pat me on the back with sympathy.”

“Well.” Jonah glanced away and shifted his weight more fully to his cane, uncomfortable with the conversation. “I guess I’m just a barrel of surprises.”

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