“I think you’re being too hard on yourself, buddy. Like, I don’t know you, but didn’t you say you manage a pub?”
Tyler shook his head. “It’s my granddad’s. And it isn’t much. I barely make enough to cover my bills. Someone smarter could maybe make it profitable. My parents don’t think it’s a real job anyway…think I’m too stupid to get a real one. Nick probably thinks so, too. He’s…he’s smart. Not like me. I dunno why he’s stuck around for so long...No one does.” He smiled crookedly. “Even my parents gave up on me when I told them I was faking it. They think I’m going to hell for not really believing in their God. Like, I sometimes believe in him, maybe, but I don’t, like, believe believe, and they take it as a personal insult.” He snorted a laugh. “Though they still think ‘it’s just a phase,’ as if I’m doing it just to spite them. They don’t take me seriously. No one bloody does.”
The barmaid was frowning now. “Okay, you have more issues than I thought. Maybe try dealing with them one at a time? You’re kind of a mess. No offense.”
Tyler didn’t take offense. He was a mess. One didn’t get offended by the truth.
“I don’t know how,” he told her, looking at her with wide, unblinking eyes.
She sighed. “Please don’t do that. Your baby blues are stupidly effective.”
Tyler nodded. “They always work. Even on Nick, even though he denies it.” Or at least they had worked on Nick.
Tyler’s shoulders slumped. “Why is he ignoring my calls?”
The girl sighed and turned to another customer.
Tyler hunched over the bar, feeling very sorry for himself.
Chapter 9
When Nick finally answered his goddamn phone after two weeks of being AWOL, Tyler wasn’t in a very forgiving mood.
“Where the hell have you been?” he hissed, more than a little angry—and hurt. To be fair, they had never been attached at the hip and they’d gone longer than two weeks without seeing each other. But this time it had felt…different. Besides, Nick had always answered when Tyler called him. Always. Even when they didn’t hang out for months, they usually texted or talked on the phone. This time Nick had clearly been avoiding him.
“Sorry, I was just caught up in something,” Nick said.
“In something,” Tyler said flatly, deeply unimpressed. What was so important that Nick totally ignored him for weeks?
“Someone,” Nick said. “I’ve met a guy. His name is Brad. He’s a law student too.”
Tyler stared at the opposite wall unseeingly, feeling blindsided by the news.
“Brad?” he said at last. “He sounds like a prat. Brad the Prat. Brad is, like, in the Top 5 douchiest names in the world.”
“You’re such a child, Ty.” Nick sounded as though he was smiling. “He’s a sweetheart. We’ve been on a few dates already. I really like him. He’s just my type.”
Tyler decided he didn’t like this Brad person. For a moment, he wasn’t sure why he felt so strongly about a guy he hadn’t even met. Then he realized something: if Nick was dating someone, that would mean he would stop... Boyfriends generally weren’t okay with their significant others fucking someone else.
Tyler pursed his lips. “But what about me?”
There was silence on the line.
“You?” Nick said at last.
Tyler frowned. Wasn’t it obvious what he meant? Was Nick going to force him to say it aloud?
“That Brad person probably wouldn’t allow you to fuck me on the side,” Tyler said.
“You’re probably not wrong,” Nick said, his voice extremely dry.
“Nick.” Tyler was aiming for reproachful, but his voice came out all wrong, whiny and pouty. What was it about Nick that reduced him to a total child? It was seriously baffling.
Nick laughed. “Don’t, Ty. Just don’t. Surely you don’t think I’ll put my personal life on hold until you get over your fixation on cock?”
Tyler frowned again. “But you’re my best mate,” he said, but it came out unsure. After the past few weeks, he wasn’t exactly as confident about it as he used to be.
“I’m pretty sure fucking you isn’t among my duties as a best friend,” Nick said. He no longer sounded amused. Tyler wasn’t sure what was in Nick’s voice, but whatever it was, he didn’t like it.
“Of course it’s not your duty,” he said quickly. “I just…” His face became hot. Tyler cleared his throat. “Never mind. You’re right. You should totally date whoever you want. I’ll—I’ll figure something out.”
He hung up, feeling ridiculously upset for no reason. This was pathetic. He wasn’t some kind of…cock slut. He could totally be friends with Nick without wanting his cock. Even if he were a cock slut, it wasn’t necessarily for Nick’s cock. Any cock would do. In theory.
Tyler’s phone went off. It was Nick.
“What do you mean you’ll figure something out?” Nick said when Tyler answered.