Page 38 of Flare

“Yeah, later.” I watched him go with a sigh of relief.

Hunter shuddered. “That man is a total dickbag.”

“He is.” I studied Hunter for a second. “Is there something between you and Alec?”

Hunter’s face shuttered immediately. “What? No, of course not. He’s a great model, that’s all.”

“Mmm. Well, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen you blush like that before. Just saying.” I waggled my eyebrows.

Hunter scowled. “You’re being ridiculous. There’s nothing between us. He’s not my type.”

“What? Blond?”

“No, arsehole. Sweet. I don’t go for sweet guys. Now, getting back to our conversation.”

I groaned and waved goodbye to my mother, wondering how much trouble she could have possibly caused in under five minutes? Yep, not going there.

“All I’m saying is that maybe it’s time to rethink your strategy,” Hunter continued. “You’re thirty-four and you can’t live for your career forever. You’re a warm, big-hearted, insanely smart and talented guy. Maybe you could just once try letting a guy you actually like see that person for more than just a quick fuck?”

I huffed. “That’s rich coming from you. Cue the fact that not every guy is a douche like Steven.” I gave him a pointed look which he ignored.

“We’re not talking about me.”

I sighed. “You know damn well it’s not that simple, not for me. I’m not... easy to be with.” I chewed the inside of my cheek and thought of the hours I’d spent in Beck’s company on Friday. His gentle, witty conversation. The heat in those bright hazel eyes. The way he made me feel... safe. Mostly that last one.

Hunter lowered his voice. “But you also have options. People who can help. Maybe you should, I don’t know,talkto one?”

I spun back to face him. “Why are you doing this?” I hissed. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am. That’s exactlywhyI’m telling you this. It’s at least worth considering.”

“I’ve been down that route,” I reminded him quietly, casting a quick look around but there was no one close enough to hear us. “And I’m sure you recall just howunhelpful it was. Exit one boyfriend.”

He leaned in close. “Then try adifferenttherapist.”

I thought of the name in that email. “She came highly recommended.”

“She didn’t specialise in sexual assault in men,let alone gay men.” His whispered exasperation spoke to how many times we’d had versions of this same conversation.

And he was right. Even the therapist herself suggested she wasn’t the best fit. But it had taken me so damn long to speak toanyone, I just pushed through. Which had been a mistake. Go figure. And when Nolan left, I cancelled all my appointments. The therapist later emailed the name of someone she thought might work better for me. The email I’d filed and not opened since.

I studied Beck chatting with Kip at the desk, knowing under that simple blue-check shirt—straight off the high street rack and without a squirrel fart of design to its name—beat a huge heart and a fuckton of sexy. And just for a second, I let myself wonder.

“Promise me you’ll at least think about it?” Hunter pulled his camera over his head and capped the lens.

“Okay, okay, I promise.”

He looked worried. And since Hunter didn’t usually do anxious, I knew I wasn’t going to like whatever came next.

“What?”

His brows knotted. “Okay, I didn’t want to tell you this morning because... well because you’ve got enough on your plate.”

“Just spit it out.”

“Shit.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his photos. “A friend of mine sent me this last night. He was at the VIP invitation-only opening of that new production at The Playhouse and he saw a guy wearing this.”

He turned his phone to me and my heart fell through the floor. I grabbed it and zoomed in, ice crawling through my veins.Hell no.

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