Page 139 of Tech Bros

“Ew,” Bailey scoots closer to Isaac. “None of your business.”

“You okay, Evan?” Millie’s glittery eyes narrow with concern.

I am so sick of that question.

Isaac runs his hand down my thigh. “I need some air. Do you want to come with me?”

“I need to walk the dog,” I mutter, standing.

“Perfect.”

The last thing I notice as I’m going to my room to get Apollo is Millie crowding Bailey to show her something on her phone and Bailey cringing away.

“What time is it?” I ask Isaac as we’re leaving the apartment.

“Midnight.”

“Wow.” I pet Apollo’s head. “Sorry, buddy.”

“You good?” he asks, as I start walking down the stairs.

The only reason I don’t lose my mind on him for asking me that is because I’m pretty sure he’s wondering whether I’m drunk or not. “Yeah. I tried not to mainline the sangria tonight. I think I passed out the last time she made it.”

“When I realized how strong it was, I decided to pace myself, too.”

A cold blast of air hits us as we open the building door. Apollo hesitates, and I have to nudge him on the hindquarters to get him moving. Neither Isaac nor I were clever enough to grab jackets either, so we’re all in this together. “Make it quick, bud,” I tell the dog.

Isaac puts an arm around me, but instead of walking the dog, I wind up turning into him. “Deacon really likes you,” I say, Bailey’s words stuck in my head.

“He’s not conflicted about you, baby.”

“You need to stop calling me that.”

“Tell me what you’re worried about.”

“Disappointing you?” I don’t know. Everything, I want to tell him. I’m worried abouteverything. Being too much, not being enough, getting in the way, not getting my way. Bailey talking to Deaconso muchthis week, and him barely talking to me at all. I’m worried aboutallof it. I don’t want to lose either of them, but I have no clue how to keep them, either.

Isaac’s hands come up to hold my face, tilting it up to his. He’s so fucking beautiful. How does he even like me? I’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass cockblocker this whole time, and he’s still looking at me like I hung the fucking moon.

“What the fuck do you see in me Isaac?”

He kisses me softly. “My future.”

33

DEACON

“Ilike him for you,” Bailey’s telling me, her words slightly slurred, which makes it hard to take her seriously. Seeing all these people drunk or close to it when I’m not is a real eye-opener. Is this what I was like with my old friends?

She’s got her arm on mine, keeping me from washing the dishes while Malcolm hits the chorus of “Winds of Change.” Ryan is laughing, and I assume it’s some inside joke.

Evan and Isaac have only been gone about five minutes, but I’m ready for them to come back and for everyone else to leave. The calming effects of the quick fuck Isaac let me take from him in my bathroom has long since worn off, and now I’m left wondering why he told Evan we didn’t have sex, and whether that means anything.

“I like him for me, too.” And I’d have liked for him to spend some time with me tonight—outside the bathroom, but Evan’s been glued to his side like he’ll fly away if he takes his hands off him.

“But are we sure we want to drag a third person into it? Do you and Evan even have any chemistry?”

I scowl. “Weren’t you the one who wanted me to give him a chance?”