Page 5 of Run for Us

“Thanks for coming to save me,” I say dryly.

Kasen looks me up and down and smirks. “Where are your clothes?” he asks as I stand here in my newfound underwear.

Never in my life had I worn any; I never saw the need. Board shorts covered the good bits, and Mom said as long as my dick was covered, it was okay.

It wasn’t until the other day when my Mimi came to visit, and she brought some things for us kids. I got boxer briefs, and what a game changer. I tried them on to be nice, but who would have thought they would look this good? My dick looks even better in them, and the ball support? Best gift ever.

“In the van. Tyde locked me in with the crabs. I covered them with my clothes and made an escape when Wren took pity on me. She was following Tyde, hoping he would fall in love with her or something. Did you meet the newbie?”

Kasen nods. I don’t even know how we became friends because he really isn’t all that friendly. It was probably my awesome personality that sucked him in. Everyone loves me.

“And?” I ask when he doesn’t respond. “Is she hot?”

He shrugs. “She isn’t ugly. I didn’t really stare at her since you were calling me in a panic and making no sense.”

“And yet it took you this long to find me. I don’t even know how we are friends.”

Kasen smiles. “Because you inserted yourself into my life. And it took so long because I got a very interesting call from a friend.”

I raise a brow—since when does he have friends outside of Ripley and me? He shakes his head.

“Kennedy called. I was just coming to find you and then Ripley. This conversation is one we need to have together.”

I met Kennedy once, and he seems nice enough. Kasen used to work for him, and he has been hush-hush on what that involved.

“Let’s go see Rip,” I suggest, and Kasen looks me over again.

“What?! Harbor and Mom said as long as my dick is covered, I can wear whatever I want. My dick’s covered,” I say, motioning to my black boxer briefs.

Kasen shakes his head. “Remind me why we are friends again?”

I snort as we walk. “Because I’m amazing, and your life would be boring without me.”

“Boring, normal—same, same, right?”

I bump him with my shoulder, and he laughs. As we get close to Ripley’s shop, I see Tyde take off down The Promenade, and I grin. He thinks I’m after him—and I kinda am—but he won’t see my payback coming. I like the long game and will get him when he least expects it.

The sound of Rip playing guitar fills my ears. I listen closely to the melody, as the music he plays can reflect his mood, and I hate when he gets depressed. This song doesn’t sound promising, which means he has talked to people today and it has sent him into a spiral.

I push through the door and Rip looks up as we walk inside, but continues to strum his guitar.

“Sup, fucker. Thanks for the save today.”

Rip smirks and finally stops, placing his guitar by his side. “You’re welcome. I had a client this morning. A newbie.”

“Please tell me she wanted something where you could see her boobs. It’s been so long since I have seen titties,” I lament. “I’m jealous.”

Rip shakes his head. “You know that’s not how I roll. They get what I feel they need.”

Don’t I know it? That’s how I’ve gotten all my tattoos. My leg sleeve is the best—a memory of our first adventure, when I was an idiot and took my brother’s old rowboat out after being told not to. Rip had only been with us for a week at that point. We ended up on Crescent Key, a low, half-moon-shaped islet sitting just off the bay with a single weathered dock and easily reached by rowboat. He first kissed me there, and the memory is forever inked onto my skin.

It’s also our home now—or will be as soon as we can afford the last of the build. It’s where the old lighthouse is located. We have spent every cent we make fixing it up so we can live there, but this time we won’t use a rotting old rowboat to reach it.

“I have found a way for us to get the money we need for the dock,” Kasen reveals.

Just the mention of our dream has me on edge. The hoops we’ve had to jump through to get approval to live there are insane. The code officer, Jason Banks, has made our life hell. It may or may not be my fault because of our feud since high school.

“How?” I ask, knowing at least one of us will not like what Kasen has to say.

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