It would be nice to get out. At least, that's what I told myself. Reg would be thrilled when I told her in chat later on. Chuck would probably send me a thousand links on how to detect if your drink had been drugged, while Bun would quiz me on blowjob techniques.
"Great! I'm glad," Riley said, reaching for the baby after he cleared off their table. They were taking the rest of their drinks to go. "I'll let Branson know." He frowned and then asked, "Should I let Nash know?"
I shrugged. I didn't need Riley or Paul going back to Nash telling him I was claiming we had more history between us than we did. Nash had probably already forgotten all about the people he'd saved yesterday. He had a whole different list of people to save today. "If you did, he might ask 'who?' It isn't necessary. But thank you for the invitation, really. I'm excited. What should I bring?"
Riley shook his head. "Just yourself. We have everything handled. You're sure you don't need a ride to the house?"
I'd have to take a taxi. I didn't know if Walkerton even had a taxi service. "I'll figure it out."
"Well, if you drink, you're welcome to spend the night. I think a few might end up staying."
The way he spoke, his house sounded like a dorm more than anything else. Riley must have understood my expression because he explained, "The four Walker cousins live together. They built that house. I recently moved in with Branson."
"It couldn't have been too recent, eh?" I asked with a second smile that wasn't reciprocated. How did I keep saying the wrong things?
Riley laughed, but it sounded too bright and a little forced. "Why wait when you know you have a good thing? Anyway, Paul lives with friends on the other side of the bay, and I happen to know he likes to hit the Midori a little hard—"
"Hey!" Paul protested.
"—so you won't be the only one who needs a ride if you don't want to stay," Riley finished while laughing.
"You're crazy if you think I'm leaving. Wyatt will need to snuggle with someone at the end of the night." Paul batted his eyes. He had to be in his early twenties, if that. I wouldn't be surprised if he was nineteen. But he was a likable nineteen, if that made sense.
"We should get going. We've got a checkup to get to," Riley said. He fished for a pen and handed it to me along with a napkin. "Write down your number. That way I can text you if something happens."
"Is the party still a maybe?" I asked as I jotted down my number.
"No, it's a for-sure, but we never know," Riley said, the tips of his ears going as red as his cheeks. He put my number in his pocket.
I waved as they gathered the rest of their stuff and made it for the door. "See you tomorrow." I was surprised by how nice it felt to be able to say that. The concept of someone counting on your presence, or being alarmed when you weren't around, was comforting. It was part of the reason why I kept up with my friends online, even if they got a little weird and wacky. The simple act of knowing someone would at least be worried if you didn't show up one day was nice. And until I had them, I hadn't had that feeling.
A flash of blond caught my eye, and I smiled as Zach passed by. Leaving my computer, I rushed out, catching him as he passed the door. "Zach! Hey!"
Zach jumped back like I was a troll who had popped out at him from under a bridge. "Jesus, little buddy, you scared me. Do you work here?"
Awesome. I'd been demoted from Glenn to little buddy. Was it possible that Zach didn't know who I was because he wasn't seeing me in the place he normally did? He needed the hallway and apartment doors to recognize me? "No. I mean, I am working here—"
Zach scratched his head. "Oh cool. Do you know if they have protein boosters like they have at Jamba?"
What had I been thinking? Why had I rushed out? Every other time when I spotted him, I watched him pass like a normal person. Talking to Riley and Paul, getting invited to do something with people face to face had made me cocky. I'd thought I was some sort of Lothario with a knack for seduction.
I was no longer under any such delusions. Zach was still waiting for my answer. "No. They don't, sorry."
He shrugged. "Thanks for the info, pal," he said before continuing down the sidewalk.
I watched him walk away. He had a nice ass, so sue me. But as I watched him, I wallowed. I didn't need to bother moving around. Apparently, I wasn't memorable for even my own neighbors to recognize me.
Chapter Five
Nash
"Need another beer?" one of Riley's friends asked. I knew this one wasn't his friend from work. That man I'd met at the beginning of the night, Hal. He'd made the journey from Seattle with his wife, and both would be staying in the guest house at the end of this evening. At first, the two seemed unlikely friends. Riley was in his late twenties, a new shifter, and father. Hal was a black man in his sixties, circling in on retirement. But Hal had seemed overjoyed to meet Bran Jr., and both men were crazy about DIY. They'd started talking about glue stick sizes and favorite spray paint brands, and, if Hal's wife's face was any indication, the two still hadn't stopped.
But the rest of Riley's friends were different. He'd confessed right before the party that the rest of his friends were people he'd met from a new gay father's group on Facebook. He'd met each face to face in various baby classes or playgroups, but we still had Riley shake each of their hands in a semi-private location.
Riley's touch, specifically when he put his hand on your hand or wrist area, forced people to blurt out a truth. If they meant us harm, Riley would've found out. But he and Branson—who had stood with him the whole time—seemed convinced that they were all just here to party.
Which meant I got tasked with fending off single-for-the-night, horny, gay dads.
"No, thank you. I've still got half left," I replied, trying to remember the name he'd given me. "Linus."
The man winked. "You seem like the kind of guy to really suck it down."
Was that what I sounded like? I frowned, trying to clear the unpleasant thought. "The party has just begun. I've got to pace myself." I didn't want to be rude to Riley's friends, but I also wasn't interested in the slightest.
Which was pretty fucking annoying since the whole day leading to the party, I'd told myself that I would use the night to get Phin out of my head. We all had invited people. I waved at the chief as well as Krat. They'd brought the new fireman, Charles. So far, he seemed like an intense but quiet type of guy. Wyatt had asked a few of his regulars from the bar. Most of the twenty to thirty-aged crowd that lived in Walkerton was here, which meant I had the pick of the litter. Except I could still only think about the runt, in his rocket boxers.
I'd almost bought a pair online that looked exactly the same. Thankfully, I'd stopped myself before I took the first step down the path of complete insanity.
"Good thing I'm going to be here all night," Linus replied.
Normally, I loved a guy on a hall pass. No muss, no fuss. But whenever I tried to convince myself to just take the plunge, I kept seeing Phineas. Like now. The man walking from the foyer to the kitchen looked exactly like—Hold up. That was Phineas walking past the living room with a gift bag.