Page 39 of Before It's Too Late
“Yes, but no. I’m telling you though, you need to. Tonight. I guarantee he’s ready to hear it. Hewantsto hear it.”
Wants? “How do you know?”
“You’ll see when he gets there. Oh myGod!” Chloe squealed in his ear, so loud Cael had to pull the phone away a little. “This is your chance, bro. Don’t blow it. I’ve got Taylor, and I’ll stay with her all night if you guys need me to.”
All night? His pulse quickened. She couldn’t possibly be right about any of this, could she?
“Are you sure? I can’t afford to mess up, Chloe. Zach’s my best friend. I don’t want things getting all weird between us.”
“Screw the bet. Sorry, Abs,” she mumbled. “Take your blinders off, Cael. Zach’s been in love with you for years, and he’s finally figured it out. He was so nervous before he left here, it was the cutest freakin’ thing. I think he’s hoping tonight ends up more like a date or something, and if you don’t man up, you’re gonna end up disappointing him. So grow some balls and tell him, or, I don’t know, at least kiss him or something, before it’s too late.”
Cael opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.This can’t be possible. “But… Zach isn’t gay.”
“Well, duh. But there is such a thing as bisexual and pansexual. Or did you forget about that?”
He sucked in a sharp breath. She did have a point, but Zach had never shown any indication that he was anything other than straight. Then again, he did let him jerk him off a few weeks ago, plus there was the night Zach had kept asking Cael to kiss him when he was drunk, and the way Zach would sometimes look at him lately…
Maybe Cael had been looking at everything all wrong.
“Chloe. If you’re wrong about this—”
“I’m totally right. Just open your eyes, bro. You’ll see it.”
Cael caught a glimpse out his bedroom window of Zach’s Edge pulling into the single-car driveway. “Okay, fine. Whatever. Zach’s here. I gotta go.”
“Do it.”
“Bye.”
Cael disconnected the call and shoved his phone in his pocket, his heart racing. A date? He had not prepared for anything like that. He’d freakin’ planned for classic arcade games and pizza and beer, and maybe they’d catch a movie on Netflix, because that’s what Zach liked when he was depressed.
Fresh out of the shower, still barefoot and wearing grungy jeans and a T-shirt, Cael did a quick check in the mirror, combing his fingers through his short damp hair. Taking a calming breath, he headed down to meet Zach. He paused at the top of the stairs at the sound of the double knock on the door followed by the key twisting in the lock. The door clicked open, then closed. The clack and jingle of keys falling in the wooden bowl signaled Zach’s routine entrance, setting Cael at ease a little.
After a few seconds, Cael jogged down the stairs and found Zach still standing by the door. Damn, he looked good. Better than good. But that’s not what sent Cael’s heart into overdrive, aching in his chest. It was thewayZach stood. His shoulders slumped forward, Zach stared down at his phone, his eyes narrowed and mouth pressed into thin line, bordering on a frown. Cael hoped it wasn’t more bad news.
“Hey, Zach. Everything okay?”
Zach looked up at him. Cael closed the space between them. Zach’s eyes strained, and he took a deep breath.
“Just my dad, letting me know he found some paperwork Abbey had filled out last year naming me as Taylor’s guardian should anything ever happen to her.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, right? Just means you won’t have to fight the state for custody.” Cael cringed the moment the words fell out.
“Yeah,” Zach whispered hoarsely. He blew out a long, heavy breath.
“Sorry. Anything I can do?”
“I, uh…” Zach stared at him, thinking hard on something. He shook his head, barely. “I don’t know.”
Cael wished Zach would give him some tangible clue so he could know for certain whether Chloe was right or not.
“Well, if you think of anything, you know all you have to do is ask. For now, how ‘bout a beer?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Cael went to the kitchen, trusting Zach would follow, and he did.
“How’d Taylor’s appointment go?”