Page 9 of The Bro Date (Best Bros Forever #2)

“For always fucking yelling at people,” I tell him, turning the burner on to start the water boiling. “It’s rude.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s also rude to hit people. But whatever, who’s counting.”

I ignore the comment, stirring the hollandaise sauce before I start the poached eggs.

While they’re cooking, I make the toast, buttering multiple rounds and placing two per plate.

Once the eggs are done, I season everything nicely, adding slices of avocado on the side and drizzling hollandaise on top of the eggs.

Last but not least, I add the bacon crumbles I prepared earlier and take everything to the island.

“Wow. This looks amazing, Shane.” Toby smiles at his plate, then at me. “Thank you.”

I nod, wishing we could have finished our conversation earlier, and take my spot across the island from everyone. I stand there and lean over, inhaling my food in a quarter of the time it took to make it.

“You did it once again, man,” Spencer compliments, everyone else nodding vigorously while they finish their last few bites.

“So good,” Toby sighs, rubbing his full belly.

“COD tournament, anyone?” Jake asks, pushing his plate away.

“First dibs!” Toby shouts before standing up and stacking everyone’s plates, carrying them to the sink.

“What are the stakes?” Spencer asks with a dark brow raised.

“Loser has to do the dishes,” Toby replies with an evil smirk, stacking the rest of my pots and pans in the large farmhouse sink.

Everyone groans, reluctantly agreeing to the bet as we pile onto the living room couch, starting up the PS5. After several intense rounds, Jake loses, shouting profanities and cursing loud enough to piss off the neighbors.

“Don’t be a poor sport,” Spencer teases, but Jake just scowls before disappearing into the kitchen to complete his punishment.

“I gotta pee, then we can start another round,” Spencer says, leaving Toby and me alone in the living room.

Now’s my chance to finish the conversation.

Toby’s phone vibrates on the coffee table, cutting off that thought, but he grabs it before I can catch a name. His eyes scan the screen back and forth rapidly, a dreamy sort of smile slowly overtaking his face.

Who the fuck is making him smile like that?

Toby bites his bottom lip, abusing the soft flesh while his thumbs fly across the keyboard. Despite the desire to grill him right now, I sit in silence instead, waiting for our friends to come back, while Toby talks to someone else.

Five minutes later, Spencer wanders back in, plopping down on the couch and turning toward Toby. “So, you got a girlfriend or something?” he asks bluntly, instantly making me want to protect Toby.

“W-what?” he stutters. “No. What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, Toby. You’ve been smiling at your phone and going missing a lot lately. Who are you seeing?”

“No one.”

“Bullshit,” Spencer retorts with a laugh.

“That’s enough, Spence. Mind your fucking business,” I growl, placing a protective arm around Toby’s shoulders.

Spencer holds his hands up in surrender before zipping his lips with his fingers and picking up the controller. He goes to the online store and starts browsing the PS5 games on sale. No one says a word.

“ Phew! ” Jake shouts dramatically, strolling back into the living room and cutting the tension.

“I’m off dish duty for the rest of the week.

Your cooking is amazing, Shane, but damn that was a steep price to pay, my man.

” When no one laughs, Jake glances around, trying to read the room. “What’d I miss?”

“Toby has a girlfriend,” Spencer says teasingly, like we’re still in fucking middle school.

I tighten my hold on Toby and narrow my eyes at Spencer, giving a quick shake of my head, hoping he gets the message to fucking stop .

“Really? Who is she?” Jake asks with an overexcited smile. “Do we know her?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Spencer volleys back. “What color hair does she have, Tobes? You gotta give us some clues, bro.”

“Yeah, man. What year is she?”

“ Just stop! ” Toby suddenly shouts, pushing my arm off his shoulders and jumping up from the couch. “Just shut up, okay? I don’t have a girlfriend,” he says before taking a deep breath.

I wish I could stand up and wrap my arms around him, but this is his moment.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, because I’m gay.”

The silence is loud, all of us seeming to be frozen in place.

My legs finally work, and I stand next to Toby. “Doesn’t change anything,” I say, and that seems to snap our roommates into motion.

“Of course not, man.” Spencer looks remorseful for his teasing, but Jake starts to get one of those shit-eating grins that means trouble.

“So, then. Do you have a boyfriend ?” Jake asks, and I twitch, damn near lunging for him.

Toby’s warm hand circles mine, squeezing gently to let me know it’s fine. “No. I don’t.”

It still doesn’t explain the giggles and secret phone conversations, but I let it slide.

For now.

I also let Jake’s rude question slide, because my roommates are actually pretty cool guys when they’re not trying to give everyone a hard time.

The four of us pick up right where we left off with COD, as if Toby didn’t just come out.

The rest of the afternoon is spent with a never-ending charcuterie board provided by yours truly, way too many multiplayer tournaments, and my best fucking friends.