Page 81 of Pick Me
“Shit. I’m sorry, Webb,” I said. “But I’m glad you’re talking to someone.”
He nodded. “Same. But Aiden’s gonna be getting off the bus in about twenty minutes, Marco’s at an appointment, and Drew can’t walk all the way down the driveway on his boot. I was gonna call Murray, but if you two are around…”
I looked at Knox, who nodded reluctantly back in a way that said our conversation would be tabled temporarily.
“We’re around,” I confirmed. “Go meet with the lawyer.”
There wasn’t much of anything I could do for my personal problem, but at least I could help Webb with his.
Chapter Fourteen
Knox
After my brother left, Gage decided to put Sally Ann on a leash and walk back down the driveway to the main road where the bus would drop Aiden off. I could tell by his twitchy eyebrow and stiff shoulders that Gage didn’t want company, and I was tempted to push the issue, but I didn’t. Not knowing what was going on in his head was driving me crazy, though.
Having Gage so close but so closed off was like the sun going behind a cloud. I hadn’t realized how bright and warm his presence had made my life until that light had dimmed.
And Jesus fucking Christ, since when had I become the sort of person who thought shit like that? Since the day Gage had walked into my life, that was when.
I clomped up the steps to the farmhouse kitchen and let myself in the back door. The room smelled like vanilla candles and something cooking in the crockpot. A few dishes were piled in the sink, and one whole end of the table was covered in papers and Webb’s laptop. The place looked homey. Lived-in. Comforting.
Or it should have been. But something was off. It wasn’t as comforting as it usually was.
“Knox! You’re back early,” Uncle Drew said from a stool at the island where he sat chopping apples with his foot propped up. “How’d Gage’s interview go?”
“No idea.” I poured myself a mug of coffee from the pot on the counter.
Uncle Drew frowned. “No idea? But… he didn’t tell you? That’s not like him. Is he upset?” I felt the weight of Drew’s stare on the back of my neck. “What did you do?”
I took out a spoon, mostly for the satisfaction of slamming the drawer. “I don’t know why you assume him being upset is my fault.”
“And what aboutyoubeing upset?”
“I’m not. I just… have a lot of things on my mind.”
This wasn’t a lie. I did have plenty of stuff to worry about. For example, I’d called Rick when Gage was doing his interview, but he hadn’t answered or returned my call. Since I’d been calling to reassure myself that I was still a crucial member of the Bormon Klein Jacovic team, that hadn’t exactly been reassuring.
But from the moment I’d picked Gage up and seen him so distraught, I hadn’t really given my own career—or anything else—another thought.
I wanted to pull out my phone and text Jason, but I didn’t think Gage would take too kindly to me saying, “What the fuck did you do to the guy who calls himself myboyfriendthat made him not speak to meor act like my boyfriendanymore?”
Instead, I slid onto the stool across from Drew.
Gage couldn’t have been upset about the interview, I was almost sure. His references were stellar. His academic record was flawless. And Jason had been one tiny nudge from hiring Gage sight unseen.
Gage had said it wassortamy fault, so had Jason told him something bad aboutme? I couldn’t imagine what. Gage knew I was bi and that I wasn’t remotely a virgin, and anyway, Jason didn’t know the stupid shit I’d done in my twenties, unlike…
Fuck me.
Myles.
I took out my phone.
Me: Myles, did you happen to see Gage today?
His reply was immediate.
Myles:Yup. He told me your apartment is on the market? Dude, since when? And where will you live in January? Are you and Gage getting a place? He seemed unsure.
