“Okay,” I said, lying back down. “I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“Mm.” Henry-Heath threw an arm across my stomach and pulled me to him. Snores left him not even a minute later.
I settled against him and closed my eyes. I guess it wasn’t so bad.
I was no stranger to the “walk of shame.” You know the one I’m talking about. Leaving the house or apartment—in my case, dorm room—of the person you fucked the night before, wearing yesterday’s clothes and your face scrunched at the too-bright sky because of the massive hangover that made it seem like a tiny army of elves was banging around inside your skull.
“Someone had a good night,” a guy said to me with a smirk as I walked across the college campus.
I tugged my coat tighter around me and mumbled a response. He laughed before seeing another group of guys and jogging toward them.
Freaking college kids.
I had met Henry-Heath at Allie’s the night before, not knowing he was a college student. All I’d known was he was cute for a skater boy type, and he was sweet. And it had been too damn long since I’d meet a genuinely sweet guy. Banging in his dorm room had brought me back to my college days of doing the same: sneaking men into my room at all hours of the night, then having to face a grumpy Quinn the next morning, who’d been kept awake by the sounds coming from my room.
I smiled at the memory.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to check it.
Quinn: Happy New Year! You want to come over? Dad and Gwen are bringing over food, and we’ll probably watch football (gross)
I laughed out loud before responding.
Me: Sure. I’ll be over in an hour or so. Currently doing the walk of shame.
Quinn: Where are you?? Do you need me to pick you up??
My chest warmed at his message. Quinn had been there for me ever since we were kids. He was my rock, the one person I had always been able to count on.
Me: Are you sure that’s okay?
Quinn: Of course. I’ll bring Monty too, so he can grab your car from the bar and drive it back.
Me: Thanks, Beck.
Quinn: No problem. Where are you?? I’m grabbing my coat and leaving now.
Heat rose to my cheeks as I called him.
“Hey,” Quinn answered.
“My fingers are too cold to text,” I responded. “I’m at the college.”
There was a pause. “You banged a college guy?”
Monty laughed in the background. I’d punch him for it later.
“He was old enough to drink,” I said. “So not too young.”
Quinn chuckled. “I’ll be there in like ten minutes.”
“Hurry, it’s cold.”
As I waited for him, I sat on a bench and breathed in the crisp, cold air. My head still hurt like a bitch, but at least I wasn’t nauseous. Once I popped some Tylenol and ate some greasy food, I’d be good as new.
When a silver Kia pulled up next to me, I stood up and approached it. Monty was in the passenger seat, so I slid into the back. A welcoming rush of warm air from the heater hit me once I was inside.
“How you feelin’?” Monty asked, turning to look at me with a shit-eating grin.
“Like I could punch something. Want to be my test subject?”
“No, thanks,” Monty answered. “Quinn beats me up enough.”
Quinn snorted from the driver’s seat and drove forward, leaving the campus. He went to Allie’s, and I gave Monty my car keys. He hopped out, but not before kissing Quinn softly on the lips. Again, the tenderness in the action pulled at my heart, and I moved my gaze to the window.
“He’s such a goofball,” Quinn said, softly smiling as he watched Monty get into my car and back out of the parking spot. He was going to follow us to my house.
“I’m surprised you haven’t killed him yet,” I responded, slumping against the seat.
“Living with him definitely has its challenges.” Quinn lightly laughed and turned left to get on the main road. “He hangs the toilet paper wrong, leaves his dirty dishes around the house, and he sucks at doing laundry. But I’ve never been this happy, Reed. I never thought I could.” Quinn was quiet a moment, and I caught him quickly wipe his finger beneath his eye. He had a hard time opening up and showing emotions. “But anyway. You planning to meet up with the college guy again?”
“I doubt it,” I said. “He was sweet and a pretty good lay, but too immature.”
“Immature?”
“He had posters on his wall.”
“There’s nothing wrong with—”
“Posters of Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z, Beck. Pikachu stared at me as I rode the guy’s dick, okay? It was weird as hell.”
A laugh burst from him.
We drove to my house and went inside so I could shower and change. When I came out of my bedroom, Monty and Quinn were standing in front of the patio doors, holding each other and rocking from side to side. Quinn laughed at something Monty said, then kissed the jock on the cheek and laid his head on Monty’s shoulder.
“I’m ready when you are,” I said, and both of them looked up at me.
“Great.” Quinn stepped out of Monty’s arms and snatched his keys off the counter. “You want to ride with us or take your car?”
“My head’s still pounding,” I answered. “If you don’t mind bringing me back later, I’d like to ride with you.”
“No problem at all.”
Quinn stopped at the coffeehouse and got me a vanilla latte and a breakfast croissant with eggs and deliciously greasy bacon before heading to his house. The food helped me feel better. An hour later, my head no longer hurt, and I was able to actually enjoy my time with them without being miserable.
“Ugh, do we have to?” Quinn whined as Brian turned on the flat-screen TV to watch the game.
Monty threw an arm around Quinn’s shoulders and tugged him down with him on the couch. “I thought you’d like football by now.”
“Only when I have you to stare at.”
I cuddled up on the love seat with a throw blanket. “Just check out the hot guys in their sexy tight pants like I am, Beck.”
“Okay,” Quinn said. “I can do that.”
“I’m hotter,” Monty mumbled.
Gwen came into the living room with a platter of hot wings, chips, and a vegetable platter with ranch dressing. Monty dove right in and stuffed his face as he and Brian discussed the stats of the teams playing against each other. Quinn watched him with amusement and handed him a napkin when Monty got barbeque sauce at the corner of his mouth and all over his fingers.
I fell asleep somewhere within the first thirty minutes and snapped awake when Monty and Brian jumped up and screamed at the TV.
“Go, go, go!” Brian yelled.
“Hell yeah!” Monty called out as the team scored a touchdown. “That was a fucking beautiful play, baby!”
Quinn looked between his dad and boyfriend before looking at me. “Do you understand?”
I snuggled back onto the cushion, feeling my lids get heavy again. “Nope.”
Two days later, I was relaxing at home and mentally preparing myself for the upcoming workweek. We had several deadlines, plus an important meeting with a client on Thursday. The stress tended to make my boss grumpier and more short-tempered than usual.