Page 18 of The Bro Date (Best Bros Forever #2)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SHANE
W hat the hell am I doing?
Sure, taking Toby out on all these bro dates has been a lot of fun, but I’ve been delaying the inevitable reality of him eventually finding a boyfriend and dating someone for real.
Because it can’t be me. Right? I’m not gay. I’ve never looked at a dude and thought, I want to fuck him . I’ve never even been curious enough to watch gay porn. But Toby is different. Toby is . . . my whole entire world. And he always has been.
Being with him just feels right.
Despite the fact that he’s a guy.
A knock on my bedroom door startles me from my confusing thoughts. “Ready for the fair?” Toby asks through the door. “Daija and Tate just got there.”
“Yeah. I’ll be down in a second,” I call back, spraying cologne on each pulse point. I grab my phone and wallet, hustling downstairs to meet Toby in the foyer.
Tonight isn’t really a date since we’re meeting up with our friends, but I can’t deny that it still has date vibes.
His golden curls are styled perfectly, and the tight white T-shirt hugs him nicely.
His slim body is on display, showing off an incredible physique I’ve never appreciated enough.
Baggy jeans with holes in the knees and white Vans complete his look, and there’s no denying the attention he’ll draw tonight.
By the time I’m done perusing him, and we make eye contact, Toby is grinning from ear to ear like the cat that got the canary.
“ What? ” I grumble. “You look nice.”
“Thank you. So do you,” Toby says sweetly, returning the compliment while eyeing my black T-shirt and dark jeans.
I grunt my acknowledgement, locking up the house and guiding Toby to my truck with a hand on the small of his back. I help him up, and then we’re off to the fairgrounds just fifteen minutes outside of campus.
When we arrive, Toby texts Daija, and I text Jake to meet us at the bumper cars.
“This is going to be so fun!” Toby exclaims, practically skipping with joy. “After bumper cars, I need a deep-fried Snickers.”
My stomach turns at the thought of such a monstrosity, and Toby laughs.
“Come on! Bumper cars are this way.” He grabs my hand and tugs before reality hits him, and he drops my hand quickly, glancing around. Everything in me wants to hold hands with him, but this place feels too public, so I hesitate.
“ Ahh! You’re here!” Daija squeals, running over to hug Toby and me, breaking up the awkwardness.
Jake and Spencer walk over right after. “Aww, where’s my hug?” Jake asks Daija with a pout, holding both arms out.
“Jakey, no. You have to earn that, babe.” She taps his chest with her long nails, strutting away to the bumper cars.
Jake clasps his heart where Daija touched him, sighing loudly. “Fuck, bro. I think I’m in love. She’s a goddess.”
“Oh, shut up,” Spencer laughs, shaking his head and walking away.
“Come on!” Tate hollers from his spot in line next to Daija. “Let’s go!”
“Y’all better watch out. I’m ready to do some damage,” Jake snickers before jogging off to get in line with the rest of them.
“You’re sitting with me,” I say matter-of-factly, staring down into my reflection in his sunglasses. “I don’t trust that idiot.”
“Aww. Is my bodyguard here today?” he teases, looping his arm through mine and walking us over to our friends.
“Damn straight,” I tell him.
I slam the giant hammer down like Thor, making the light fly up and hit the top, declaring me the winner of a giant-sized plushie.
“Pick anything you want,” the carnival guy says with a bored look, completely unimpressed by my skills.
I watch as Toby’s gaze scans the wall of stuffed animals, landing on one at the very top.
“That one.” He points, and the man sighs with annoyance, grabbing the pole propped up in the corner and struggling to unhook it for a good three minutes.
He’s broken a sweat by the time he hands it over, and I kind of feel bad for the guy, but at least Toby’s happy. In fact, he’s beaming.
A weird sense of pride rolls through me, even though it’s just a stuffed animal. “What is it?” I ask, unable to make out what the creature is besides being kinda cute.
“It’s a rainbow unicorn-sloth, Shane. Three-toed, to be precise,” Toby says as if I should have known, cuddling the weird looking thing to his chest.
“If you say so,” I mumble as we stroll through the fairgrounds, just the two of us. Jake and Spencer ran off to chase a group of girls from CBU, and Tate and Daija went for funnel cake.
“ Shit, ” Toby suddenly curses, holding the sloth higher up so that it blocks his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my eyes scanning the crowd for any potential threats, and finding one when they land on that prick from the movie theater.
Even though Toby’s hiding his face, the asshole still recognizes me, his eyes lighting up with malice instead of fear. “If it isn’t the stalker and the virgin,” he taunts, and in less than five seconds, he’s pressed to the closest brick wall with my forearm across his throat.
“What’s your name?” I growl.
“T-Tristan,” he gasps, barely able to speak.
“I thought I told you to run if you ever saw me again?”
Tristan’s mouth opens and closes like a fish, desperate for air and unable to form any words.
“But you decided it was a better idea to talk shit? Hmm?”
“ Shane! Don’t!” Toby cries out, running over. “Put him down!”
I release the prick, and he falls to the ground like a pathetic sack of shit, coughing and sputtering to catch his breath before he hops up and takes off running. “You crazy motherfucker!” he shouts once he’s a safe enough distance away.
A startled laugh bursts from Toby’s lips before he presses a hand to his mouth, his body shaking with mirth.
“Told you your bodyguard’s always around,” I say cockily, glancing over at the food stall closest to us.
Corn dogs and cheese fries. “Come on, forget that loser and get in line with me.” I tug Toby over to the queue, and we stand there patiently, like I didn’t just choke out someone in front of a small crowd of people.
It must be a common occurrence around here because no one bats an eye.
The line moves quickly since it’s just hot dogs, and soon enough, I’m ordering food to feed five people.
“Can you grab the drinks?” I ask, lifting the heavy tray.
“Yeah. Got it,” he replies, grabbing the two large sodas from the cashier’s grasp.
“Let’s find a table.” Toby follows me to an empty picnic table with a view of the Ferris wheel. We sit down, covering everything in ketchup and cheese sauce before devouring our messy food in silence.
When the last cheese fry is gone, Toby finally speaks. “Shane, you can’t go around beating people up like that. No matter how satisfying it is.”
“I didn’t beat him up, I gave him his second warning. If it happens a third time, then I’ll beat him up,” I explain evenly.
“ Shaaane! ” he whines again. “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me. Please don’t.”
“Toby, chill out. I’m not in trouble. That guy is a complete asshole, and I won’t let him disrespect us. Ever. ”
“You’re right. He’s horrible. Ugh ,” Toby says with a shiver. “Let’s just forget about it and go find Tate and Daija.” He hugs the sloth to his chest for comfort, burying his face into the soft fur and closing his eyes for a second, likely trying to settle his anxiety over what just happened.
I wish I could wrap my arms around him and hold him tight.
“Funnel cakes are this way.” I hitch a thumb to the left, and we walk side by side without a word spoken.
Nothing but the overpowering smell of fried food fills the air while the afternoon sun blazes down on us, making me break out in a sweat.
The ocean breeze is the only thing stopping it from being unbearable.
There’s a mix of people here today. Some families, some couples, and a lot of students from both CBU and the local high school.
Our slow stroll across the fairgrounds helps me digest the massive amount of greasy food we just ate for lunch.
“Wanna go for a ride?” Toby asks, nodding toward the temporary death trap that’s set up right next to the funnel cake stand.
I don’t trust carnival rides, and especially not a fucking roller coaster.
“Coaster time, bitches!” Jake suddenly shouts out of nowhere, rushing up behind us and jumping on my back like he’s getting a fucking piggyback ride.
“Get off me.” I shrug him off and punch him in the arm.
“ Ouch! ” He chuckles, rubbing the spot. “Turn that frown upside down, and get in line with us,” Jake teases. “Me and Spence call dibs on the front row.”
“It’ll be fun. Come on, Shane,” Toby encourages, smiling up at me.
“Fine,” I grunt, not too thrilled about it, but unwilling to spoil the fun.
“Yo, Tate! Daija!” Spencer hollers at our friends sitting at a nearby picnic table and motions them over to us with both hands.
“If I barf up my funnel cake, one of you boys is buying me a new one,” Tate says, reluctantly getting in line with the rest of us.
“Gross,” Toby chuckles, climbing up and perching on the metal railing while I lean against it. His knees poke through the giant holes in his jeans, and his leg hairs shine in the sunlight, catching my eye. I glance away quickly before I’m caught staring.
“Looks like just a few more rides, and then it’ll be our turn,” Spencer informs us, standing on his tippy toes to look over everyone’s heads. “Let people skip if you have to, so we can all be on the same coaster.”
We all nod, and soon enough, it’s our turn to climb aboard, with Spencer and Jake in the front, followed by Tate and Daija, and then Toby and me in the back. There are a couple more carts behind us, but it’s a much smaller roller coaster than at an amusement park.
“Ready?” Toby asks with a big smile.