Page 131 of Tobias

I scoff, but I hate that she’s right.

“I’ll think about it,” I finally say, knowing she won’t let this go. If Marianne is anything, it’s stubborn.

We finish eating and we take Biscuit for a walk. I stay until late evening, then I make my way back to Asher’s. I still don’t have a text from Tobias. So I send him another one to make sure he knows I’m not giving up.

Chapter Fifty

Tobias

I miss you. Please talk to me.

I stare at his text. It’s the second—well, third—one he’s sent since he tricked me into a date with him on Valentine’s Day. My anger over it has dwindled a little, but not enough to answer him—as badly as I want to. It’s so hard not talking to him when he’s right there. Now that I know he wants to talk to me, that he misses me, it’s hard to stay away.

I can’t go back to him just because of that, though. Saying he misses me doesn’t fix anything, but nothing can be fixed if I don’t give him the opportunity to explain himself, right? I have to let him try?

I shove the phone into my pocket and pull open the door to the bar. I’m met with Nathanial’s voice, while he does his own rendition of “Somebody to Love.”

How fitting.

“Aw, honey,” Luca says, walking to me with open arms and giving me a hug when he reaches me. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Luca,” I say with a huff.

“Are you sure?” He looks up at me, pouting.

“I’m sure.”

Hooking his arm with mine, we walk to the booth where the others are sitting, and I take a seat while Luca goes to the bar. I’ve been here a few times since Theo and I broke up. The first time I was able to dodge their questions about him. The second, they already knew what was up. So on the third, I had to spill.

“How’s it going, Tobias?” Greyson asks with a head nod.

I shrug. “Same old shit.”

“Here,” Luca says, handing me a glass.

Giving him a smile, I take it and have a sip. Whiskey. He knows me so well.

My phone is burning a hole in my pocket. I can’t stop thinking about Theo’s text, and how badly I want to answer him. I keep wondering if he’s thinking about me. If he’s staring at his phone, waiting for me to answer him.

“Hey, so, Tobias,” Benton says. “Greyson was thinking about maybe getting a job in the dating scene.”

“Is that so?” I ask.

Greyson shrugs. “All I said was it would be interesting.”

“That’s a word for it,” I comment.

“You make good money?” Johnny asks, leaning against Greyson.

“Hell yeah, he does,” Luca says with a grin.

I nod in agreement. “Yeah, it’s good money.”

“There you go,” Johnny says, sliding his hand across Greyson’s wide chest.

They’re in an open relationship, apparently, and Benton has been dating them. I’m not really sure how that works, but I’ve gotten glimpses of it here and there. I have no idea how they handle that sort of thing because I never could, but as long as they’re happy, I’m happy. I don’t know them as well as the others because I don’t come here as much, but they seem cool enough and they fit in. If all the guys here accept them, then they’re fine with me.

“Any one hungry? I’m hungry,” Luca whines.

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