Page 26

Tristan

Gunner's was loud, which was typical for a Friday night, and I slid into our usual booth near the front door as I waved at Mark, and waited for Brandon.

My phone buzzed when I pulled it out of my pocket, and I couldn't stop the smile that curved my lips up as I saw that Xander had texted.

Xander: I'm pretty sure boyfriends keep each other company on Friday nights...but I guess that this little guy will do.

The text was accompanied with a picture of him snuggling a stuffed moose, one that looked like it had seen better days.

I texted back, the grin on my face unable to be contained.

Tristan: Was that little moose yours, or did you go and buy it from the thrift store for a bit?

"You know, if I were you, I would be embarrassed at how happy I look staring at my phone."

Brandon's voice was warm and amused as he slid into the booth across from me, holding two beers.

He slid one across the table at me, and I set my phone down as I took the drink from my friend with a grin.

"Most men aren't secure enough in themselves to recognize a good thing when they have it," I countered, lifting the glass in a mock toast.

Brandon's eyes widened, and his lips stretched in a sharp smile.

"Oh, burn," he teased, taking a sip of his beer.

My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down, laughing aloud at the message.

Xander: Now see, thinking that far ahead for a text message joke would be sad and pathetic.

But...not as sad and pathetic as you thinking that I would hold on to a stuffed animal for fifteen years.

So....whichever you think is better? :pouty face emoji:

"Oh, God, you're fucking gone for this guy," Brandon said, drawing my attention again.

I looked at him, and there was no derision on his face, only genuine happiness for me.

"Yeah," I admitted.

I blew out a breath, my stomach squirming as I glanced around - as if anyone would be listening in on us, ha - and then returned my attention to my friend.

"I don't know what it is about him, Bran.

He's just...gotten under my skin."

Brandon's expression sobered a little, and he looked at me contemplatively.

"I can't remember the last time that you seriously dated someone," he finally said.

"Ricky, right after I started working for the studio," I said, shaking my head.

"He thought that dating a porn star would be hot, until he realized that it also meant that I had to sleep with other people."

Brandon rolled his eyes.

"American education system left behind that one, didn't it?"

I nodded, my stomach twisting when I glanced down and saw that Xander had sent me another text.

A good, warm twist.

I ignored the message, though, keeping my attention focused on my friend.

Who was looking at me like he expected something out of me.

"What?" I finally asked, sipping my beer again.

Brandon cocked his head to the side, evaluating.

"You love him."

The words hit me in the middle of my chest, right where my heart was suddenly pounding, and I scoffed.

"That's ridiculous.

We just started dating."

Brandon snickered.

"And that means anything? Insta-love is a romance trope for a reason, you know."

The fact that Brandon knew romance novel tropes was ordinarily something that I would have given him shit for, but I didn't have it in me at the moment.

A burst of laughter from over at the pool tables startled me enough to flinch, but I turned my feelings over in my mind, looking at them from every fucking angle.

And found a lot of stuff that I already knew, and some things that I didn't.

Like the fact that Xander had a tiny stuffed moose, and he was both embarrassed by it and owned it at the same time.

That his brother was a librarian, and Xander was pretty sure that Ethan had a crush on Vincent, based on the one interaction the two of them had had.

Like the fact that Xander ate my food like it was the best thing that he'd ever eaten, and then kissed me with lips that tasted of tomato sauce and garlic bread afterwards, a combination that should have been disgusting in a kiss but had made my head spin with joy.

Like the fact that I fucking hated the idea of him fucking anyone else at the studio, though I knew that came with the territory of what we did.

Not for me - finding costars that worked well with me was hard enough - but I knew for a fact that Xander wouldn't have the same issue.

He was sweet and accommodating and would go along with just about anything that he was directed to do, even if I wasn't the other one on camera with him.

The thought made jealousy and possessiveness flare to life inside of me, and that, more than anything, made me slump back in my chair with a low groan.

"God fucking damn it.

I'm a cliche."

Brandon burst into a violent fit of laughter, laughing so hard that tears sprang to the corners of his eyes, and when he looked at me again, he took one look at my face before he dissolved into giggles all over again.

He laughed so long that people started looking at us funny, and I finally rolled my eyes, kicking my friend under the table and halting his mirth.

"Yes, ha ha.

I'm hilarious with my feelings." I arched an eyebrow at him.

"You watch, you're going to be next.

Someone is going to come in the front door and just slip right past all your defenses.

And I am going to fucking love watching it."

Brandon snickered again before he looked at me fondly.

"Yeah, sure, that'll happen.

I'll let you know when Perfect Mystery Man appears." He winked at me, and then lifted one hand to gesture at Mark, offering a smile when the bartender looked our way.

"Shots, Mark!"

Mark nodded, and I huffed out a breath when Brandon looked back at me.

"I didn't plan on getting drunk tonight, you know."

He winked, kicking back at me before he settled back in his seat.

"Yeah, but you weren't planning on realizing that you were in love tonight, either.

I think that warrants something stronger than beer."