Page 78

“Do you want to try it?” I had asked him, fixing my glasses with a teasing grin, but I didn’t know he’d take me seriously and kiss me.

We were shocked, but that had turned into curiosity as we ended up making out on the couch until we fell asleep. Next morning, I was giddy showering in his bathroom and thought that maybe… just maybe I was bisexual, and I could date him.

Until Jacob told me to get out and not to talk about that with anyone.

A week later, Marissa and I were back together, and I never thought about it until I bumped into Caleb that night and kissed him.

I swallowed and got out of the car, fixing the cuff of my shirt. I had packed a small wedding gift of two tickets to his favorite concert. His wedding was taking place at his house, and I wondered if he ever thought about that kiss whenever he went into the basement.

Getting the familiar faces of old friends, I made my way to the groom’s room. The entire place was covered in flowers, champagne flowing as people laughed and talked to each other.

“Kyle,” I paused and turned around to see him. Jacob. He was a few inches shorter than me, his shoulders broad and light beard shaved to accentuate his sharp cheekbones. His deep brown skin glowed in the sunlight falling through the vast windows as he smiled at me, his teeth pearly white. “It’s been a while, man.”

I gave him a small smile as we gave a light hug to each other. “Yeah, it has been,” I said. “You look good.”

He did. The last time we had seen each other was at my wedding. I had been an awkward stuttering mess in front of him when he had come to wish me luck before the wedding. I was ashamed of how I felt with kissing boys, guilty even.

But now, I didn’t care. I liked men and women. It wasn’t that complicated.

“Thanks man,” he smiled and said, “It’s good to see you. You didn’t bring any plus one?”

I blinked and decided to be true to my feelings for once. “I didn’t think it’d be right to bring my boyfriend and girlfriend to a straight wedding.”

His eyes widened. “Boyfriend and girlfriend?”

I nodded, bracing myself for whatever he would say.

“Good for you, man.” He slapped my shoulder, my nerves relaxing. “It’s hard to keep my fiancée—soon to be my wife happy. I don’t know how you can keep two of ‘em happy.”

I thought back to that morning and how Caleb would keep her warm and said, “It’s easy when there are three of us.”

He laughed, handing me a glass of champagne as we made our way to the room where our friends were laughing and joking around, sharing embarrassing stories from our high school.

“Do you have nerves?” I asked, but I knew my answer by the way he tugged at his shirt and slight perspiration at the temple.

“You need something stronger, Jacob,” I said.

“You think?” He chuckled as we met our old friends, catching up and making him drink a glass of whiskey.

I wished I had brought Caleb and Anna with me. I would have loved to show them off.

One day I would.

I hoped that day came soon.

PART IV

“I love you both.”

41

BRAT

ANNA

I hummed, admiring the view of shirtless Caleb making a quick lunch for us. He had locked me up in my room the entire morning, giving me endless pleasure, and only stopped once my stomach growled for some fuel.

He was younger than me, but I didn’t know that he had a stamina of a horse and a refractory period of a best-selling toy.