Page 53 of Something Like Winter

Tim let a slow, cocky grin spread over his face. “Yeah. Want me to prove it?” He looked over at Travis, one of the stupidest things he had ever done. Travis was already tense, but when Tim looked at him, he shot up off the couch and headed for the front door.

Tim swore, standing to follow. Eric stood too. Lord only knew what he thought. Probably that Tim was playing him and was willing to do something gay for the money, but that his friend wasn’t. “Sorry,” he said as the front door slammed. “He’s got issues.”

Tim turned to give chase, car keys in hand, and was at the front door when Eric called out.

“Wait!”

“I really have to get after him,” Tim said.

“He won’t get far. Just a moment.”

Tim turned, but Eric had already left the room. He thought about leaving. Staying was pointless, and Travis was getting farther away by the second. “Come on, old man,” Tim muttered under his breath, jumping when Eric appeared one second later, holding out a check.

“What’s this?” Tim asked.

“What you came here for.” Eric waved the check until Tim took it. “I hope things have changed as much as you say they have. Now get after your friend and be patient. We’ve all been there, haven’t we?”

“Yeah, we have. Thanks.”

As appreciative as Tim was, Travis was his only concern right now. He bolted out the door, but needn’t have worried. Travis was sitting in the passenger seat, glaring at the empty space ahead.

“You okay?” Tim said as he climbed in.

“Let’s just get out of here.”

“Yeah, okay.” Tim didn’t start the car. “Nothing happened. He doesn’t know about you. Just me.”

“That’s not it,” Travis said. “Why do you think the brothers sent us up here?”

“Like Eric said, every year—”

“But you and me specifically. They know.”

“That’s it?” Tim felt like laughing. “When Quentin gave me the list, he only noticed Eric’s name at the last minute. Believe me, it was pure chance that we got sent here.”

“You sure?”

“Yes! You’ve seriously got to chill!” Tim looked down at the check. “Besides, we’re going to have the last laugh.”

“How so?”

Tim handed Travis the check and watched his green eyes grow wide at the sight of a one followed by four zeros.

Chapter Thirteen

When they returned to the fraternity house that night, a party was in full swing. He and Travis had collected eight checks total, and while none were nearly as generous as Eric’s, they had managed to scrape together a fair amount of cash. Plus a free meal, since the last alumnus they visited insisted on taking them out to dinner.

Girls crowded the house, the guys being obnoxiously loud to impress them. Tim walked from room to room, hoping to tell Quentin the good news. He lost Travis somewhere along the way, but wasn’t worried. The day had been nice, Eric’s fat check cheering Travis up and returning everything to normal.

Tim failed to find Quentin, who was probably boning some sorority girl. Not in the mood for the noise after such a long day, Tim grabbed a beer and headed to his room. To his surprise, Travis was already in bed.

“Yeah, I’m tired too,” Tim said, finding an old envelope for the checks and stashing them in a drawer. When he turned around, Travis patted the bed. An invitation—even if he appeared scared shitless.

“Oh!” Tim grinned and headed straight for him.

“Is the door locked?”

He made sure it was, stripping off his clothes on the way back. Then