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Chapter Twelve

Cameron

Our rooms are all on the same floor, with two to a room. Of course Austen and I are sharing one, because I wouldn’t have come otherwise. I don’t miss the snickers from his teammates as they realize that, as if they didn’t know it would be the case, anyway.

Honestly, I have no idea why the hell I’m here.

Yeah, normally, Vegas is totally for me. The clubbing, the partying, the guys… but I don’t act like that when I’m with Austen because I can’t be that way with him. That’s what I do when he’s off doing whatever he’s doing. So basically, I’m in Vegas right now and not at all able to enjoy it the way I would typically.

It’s bad enough I’m his best man in his wedding, pretty much agreeing to give him away to fucking Savannah. I mean, I know that’s not really what it means, but it’s what it feels like.

Though, I guess all big changes elicit big feelings. It’s exactly how I felt when I found out Austen was going to Brighton Falls because I wasn’t. I’d been accepted to RISD and had full intentions of going. It’s not that our current school is terrible, but the other option was better. Yet, the idea of being so far from my best friend was too much to handle. So, I decided to come with him to BF. And that’s just one more secret I keep from him. How much of an asshole am I?

“Ten minutes, then we’re going for dinner, assholes!” Alex shouts just before the door heavily snaps shut. I raise a brow at Austen, who shrugs, giving me a small smile, then drops his bag by the first bed.

With a roll of my eyes, I move to the second one, drop my bag on the floor, then fall face first onto the bouncy mattress.

“Don’t be like that, Cam. We’re in Vegas!”

I let out a firm sigh, turning on my side.

“You’re lucky I love you,” I tell him.

He grins, eyes shining brightly.

“I know.” He hops onto the bed I’m on, making it bounce, and I lose my balance. I fall onto my back and he looks down at me, and I have the strongest urge to pull him down the rest of the way and kiss him. I swallow hard, forcing my gaze away and get out of the bed before I do something stupid like ruin our friendship over having no self control.

Austen is nothing but straight. He’s engaged. Getting married in less than a week. We’re here for his bachelor party. And he isn’t gay. Though he’s never been weird about me being gay, there is nothing about him that’s told me he has even questioned his sexuality. No quick glances at guys’ asses or anything.

“I’m ready if you are.”

When I turn to face him, I find him watching me with a strange expression on his face. One I can’t place. Did I say something I shouldn’t have out loud? I scratch the back of my neck nervously, sure everything I was thinking was only thought and I didn’t speak the words.

“You should probably change,” he says when he gets up. “I don’t know for sure where we’re going, but I heard them say something about that fancy buffet at Caesars Palace.

I raise a brow. “Seriously?”

He walks to me, putting his hand on my shoulders. “For the love of God, Cameron, do me one favor. Seriously, if you do me this one favor, I will never ask for another ever again.”

His tone is serious, but it’s got that slight bit of sarcasm to it where I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not.

“What?” I ask, not agreeing or disagreeing.

“While we are here, do not argue about or mention anything to do with money. Whatever we want to do here, we do. This is it for me, okay? My last weekend as a single man.” The thought puts a pit in my stomach. “Please do me this favor and let me enjoy it. Let me spoil you a little.” He smirks, and again, fuck, I want to kiss him. My fingers twitch.

“Okay,” I manage to say, the word raspy as hell.

He blows out a breath, giving me a little shake. “Thank you.”

I step out of his touch and go to my bag, digging around for something to change into before going into the bathroom and doing just that. When I’m done, he’s changed too, and we head into the hallway where only Hudson is missing.

“Where the hell is he?” Austen asks.

“Jacking off, probably,” Trey says with a snicker.

Gross.

“Who’s jacking off?” Hudson says as he steps out of his room.

“You, judging by the cum stain on your shirt.”

Hudson glances down at his shirt and everyone starts laughing. He’s frowning when he looks at us, since there is no stain on his shirt.

“Don’t worry, Hud. It’s a perfectly natural thing to do,” Trey says, throwing his arm around Hudson as we walk toward the elevators.

It’s going to be a long, long weekend.

During dinner, Mack surprises us all by announcing that we’re going to a strip club. First night here, and we’re already going hard into it. Austen does his best to act excited, though I can tell he doesn’t want to be here either. I don’t get it. He’s forcing me to get into the spirit, but for what? It’s not for him, because I’d bet he’d love nothing more than to be locked in his room with some greasy pizza and a 90’s movie. Who is he pretending for? Why is he doing this? And how the hell do all of these morons not realize that he wants nothing to do with it?

“We don’t have to stay long,” he tells me quietly. I roll my eyes.

“I’ll find somewhere else to go.”

“Cam, no. Come on, it won’t be for long.”

“What would they say if I told them all we were going to a gay bar? Think they’d be cool even if they didn’t have to stay long? ”

It’s a little snappy, a little rude, but I’m already annoyed with this entire time. I won’t hide who I am for these idiots.

“You’re right,” he says, relenting. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive and rude of me to say.”

“It’s fine,” I say with a huff. “I’m sure there’s a bar around the corner or something. It’s Vegas, after all.”

“You’re sharing your location with me, then. I don’t trust this place or the people in it.”

I roll my eyes, but pull out my phone and share my location with him.

I busy myself on my phone as the guys continue to go back and forth to the buffet to “get their money’s worth.”

I couldn’t do that if I had the entire day. There is no way I can eat like them. But I get it. They’re athletes and if they want to keep their build, they need to take in the calories same as they burn them off—in copious amounts.

When we’re finished, we walk to the strip club. The line is super long, and I’m glad I won’t be waiting just to get inside to see some tits that half the city has probably touched. No thanks.

“I’ll catch you later,” I say, giving everyone a wave.

“Where the hell are you going?” Trey calls out.

He’s the big mouth of the bunch. Immature and never knows when to shut the hell up.

“I’m gay, remember?” I say, putting my hand on my chest and smiling.

“They have asses too,” he says, gesturing toward the place.

“I am not even going to touch that one.” I give another wave before leaving, completely avoiding looking at Austen because I just know he’ll be giving me some kind of apologetic look and I just can’t handle that right now.

Maybe I will get to enjoy Vegas the way I would without him, if only for tonight.

I walk a few blocks before looking for places to go. Instead of searching for bars, I look for clubs and find there’s one not too far, so I walk there and wait in line. It’s long, but not as long as the one for the strip club was. It moves quickly, and before I know it, I’m paying the entry fee, getting my hand stamped, and let inside. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The ceilings are high as hell, with screens playing light shows that go along with the music that’s so bass-heavy I feel it in my toes. It’s jam-packed, but I make my way to the bar, needing a drink. I order myself a whiskey and ginger and a shot of whiskey. I take the shot before heading off with my drink to the bar on the other side to do the same. My drink is done by the time I get there.

I love clubs with more than one bar because it’s easy to play both sides and drink well beyond the point of what you should. I hang out at this bar though, finish my drink, then order another before disappearing into the crowd and getting lost in the music.

By the time I finish this drink, I’m feeling everything. A mix of not eating much and sweating has the alcohol hitting me hard, and I feel good . I end up getting two more drinks and another shot. Music has never sounded so good. The energy in this place is palpable. Everyone is having a great time, and the DJ is amazing.

Soon enough, someone is coming up behind me. When I turn, I expect to see a girl, since this isn’t a gay club. But when I meet bright blue eyes, and a drunken smile, I know I’m in trouble.