Page 24 of Except You

“A six-pack.”

I glance down and flex, seeing the muscles form even more. “I work out.”

“Yeah, you do.”

He wrenches his eyes from me and then points to the hallway. “Go get a shirt and then we’ll go for a walk. Doggo can’t wait a minute longer, and the wind outside will blow the feathers right off of you. And if they don’t, you can pretend to be a bird and squawk at the neighbors.”

I let out a loud laugh and then nod, feeling better already. Beau has done wonders for my headache. It seems to have disappeared entirely. Maybe it’s not allergies after all.

“I think we wore him out,” Beau says as we sit on the back porch. Doggo is laid out and snoring near our chairs, like an old man after a few drinks. The small gas fireplace I have in the center is lit, and Beau and I lounge by it, a blanket wrapped around Beau’s shoulders, his legs tucked under him.

“I think he’s not used to such vigorous walks,” I say, and Beau chuckles.

“You had to really move to get those feathers off. You still have one on your shoulder.”

I swat at it and sigh, resigned to the fact that I’m part bird now.

Beau’s phone beeps and he glances down at it with a groan.

“Is it Harry?” I ask, and he rolls his eyes.

“It’s Henry, I’m pretty sure. Or maybe it’s Harvard?”

“I’ve never heard of a man named Harvard.”

“Well, I think it may be that one. It was an odd name. Anyways, like I said, the date was fine, but he was boring. Had a nice dick but nothing else. He’s asking for another meet up, but I’d rather not.”

I shift in my seat and stare at the fire intently. “Yeah, sounds like maybe he’s the one.”

“Pfft, oh my god. Hunter is not the one for me, trust me. I know this. He was odd and not in a good way.”

I peek over at him as he’s staring down at his phone. It reminds me that Magnus hasn’t responded to my latest message, and it’s something I’ve tried not to obsess over. Nothing I can do about it but wait. The ball really is in his court now.

Beau sighs, and I pull my lips between my teeth. I don’t like that Beau is still hunched over his phone, his thumbs slashing across the screen.

“Everything okay?” I ask, trying like hell to keep my voice even. Something strange is unfurling inside of me. It happened at the animal shelter the other day and it’s happening again now.

“Fine, he’s just…a little relentless. It’s no big deal.” He shuts off his phone and sets it on the ground, turning to look at me. “I’m done. I’ve blocked him. He obviously wasn’t getting the hint.”

I don’t like that, not one bit, but I don’t say anything. It’s not my place. Beau and I are…friends. That’s all we are. And I’m not in a position to intervene.

“Anyways, what’s the plan now. Do you go in to work tomorrow?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“No, I work from home. What about you? You work?”

“Yeah, just half a day. Want me to come over tomorrow and we can hang out?”

“You could just stay the night again,” I blurt out before really thinking about what I’m saying. Beau arches an eyebrow at me.

“In your bed? Because, Max, I’m not sleeping anywhere else when that glorious cloud is waiting for me.”

I rub at the back of my neck and then shrug. “Guess you could.”

“Look at you,” he says with a grin. “Letting a man sleep in your bed. You’ve come a long way. Mama is proud.”

“Come on, Bow-tie, stop it.”

“I’m serious. I am. You are absolutely not who I thought you’d be. I’m so pleasantly surprised.”

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