Page 19 of Gator

Julius

I know. And I don’t text while driving. It’s dangerous.

Me

Good. I thought you were at your sister’s tonight.

Julius

I am. We’re watching an age-appropriate movie for a teenage girl. I’m bored.

Me

So I’m just a way to relieve the boredom, huh? Good to know.

Julius

Oh, that’s not all you are.

Me

Also good to know.

Julius

My sister and I had always been super close, and I adored my niece, Lainey. I tried to spend time with them whenever I could, and that was how I found myself curled up in her armchair pretending to watch movies with Miranda and Lainey while I texted back and forth with Gator and imagined things best not thought about with people in the room.

I had to admit he was a sexy distraction, and one I needed right now. I had no intention of telling Miranda what I’d seen. All that would do was worry her, and honestly, I’d had enough of people fussy over me about it.

“What are you grinning about over there?” my sister asked.

“Me? Nothing. Just checking in with friends and letting them know where I am.”

“Friends, huh? I’d like to have a friend who had that expression when they read my text messages.”

I rolled my eyes at her and let out a sigh. My big sister was always up in my business.

“He really is just a friend,” I insisted. But that wasn’t actually true, was it? I mean, Gator wasn’t actually even my friend. I didn’t know him at all outside the club, and the thoughts I had about him were definitely not friendly in nature. “For now at least.”

Lainey perked up. “Do you have a boyfriend, Uncle J?”

“I donothave a boyfriend. I’m way too busy at the salon to worry about a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, Mom says the same thing.” She rolled her eyes and shrugged. “I think you two should try internet dating.”

“Oh, we should, should we?” I laughed on the inside. Sweet summer child, I had no intentions of telling her that mostdatingapps that catered to gay men had very little to do with dating at all.

“Yeah, and I mean actual dating, not hooking up onGrindr.” Okay, maybe not such a sweet summer child after all. WTF?

“Drrrpp.Grindr. Drrpp.” Trixie squawked in an almost perfect imitation of theGrindrnotification. I didn’t like leaving her alone if I could help it, so I tried to bring her with me when I hung out at Miranda’s house, but too often that just meant a third person to give me shit.

I glared at Trixie. “You be quiet.” Then I turned to Lainey. “And what do you know aboutGrindr?”

She rolled her eyes again, much more dramatically this time. “Uncle J, I’m not a kid. Everyone knowsGrindris for hookups.”

Miranda chuckled. “She’s not wrong, Jules. She’s not a kid.Andyou need to find someone to take care of you.”

“I take good care of myself. I run almost every morning, and I do yoga on the days I don’t. I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”