“Avery, you’re making me nervous with all your jittering. Chill out.
“If anyone should be bouncing off the walls, it’s me. Zepp is in the same building as us, but you don’t see me tripping over your feet, do you?”
“Sorry, Rad. You know how I get. I’m either over the moon or sick to my stomach. I’m trying to keep the hives at bay here, any second now I might start scratching.
“I can’t believe I didn’t consider this might happen. You know this is how I react. Why didn’t you remind me? You should’ve brought your boyfriend instead of me.”
“You’re going to be okay, just breathe. It’s just a concert. And Shayne isn’t my boyfriend, you know that.”
“I don’t think he’s clued in on that, Rad. In his mind, he’s your guy.”
Avery’s talking about Shayne, a friend since we were kids.
We’re more like coworkers than friends, really. We work together with disabled kids and adults, helping them live as independently as they can, given their medical conditions.
We grew up together, went to the same school, lived on the same street, and both wanted to work in the same field.
Funny enough, we both landed jobs at the same private company. It’s a highly coveted position.
They only take on twenty new hires out of hundreds each year, offering the best care in our area.
I know Shayne has a soft spot for me, but I’ve never led him on or talked about it. We get along just fine without going there.
Whenever I do think about it, which is only when Avery brings it up, it makes me uncomfortable. Because Shayne and I work together more often than not.
We usually end up on the same job because retirement homes or rehab centers hire us through our company.
Actually, the only time I don’t work with him is when I’m with Rush. She’s my client and mine alone.
“Why are we talking about Shayne again? I’m starting to think you’ve got a crush on him, since you’re always bringing him up.”
“I was just pointing out that in his mind, you two have something going on. You could’ve asked him to come with you tonight.”
“I would’ve come alone if you couldn’t make it.
“I’d rather have my best friend and sister here for moral support than a guy who’s nursing an unrequited crush.”
“Shh…the girl over there is saying something.”
We saw her with Natalie earlier outside the venue before we found our seats.
As instructed, once the concert was over, we bolted for the back exit staircase that leads backstage, where we’d wait to meet Steele’s Army.
The concert was…incredible. I tried to focus on the music, but kept getting lost in daydreams about meeting Zepp.
The daydream quickly turned into a fantasy where I’d rip his clothes off and give him the best fuck of his life, then plant a hard kiss on his lips and walk away.
