Page 81 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
My phone buzzes again. This time it's Sylas.
Sylas
Where are you? I've been at Java House for 15
Crap. I'd lost track of time dealing with Jessica.
On my way. Order me the usual please
At least with Sylas, I don't have to pretend everything's fine, which is good because I'm running out of energy to keep up the facade.
"You look like shit," Sylas announces as I slide into the seat across from him.
"Hello to you, too," gratefully accepting the large coffee he pushes toward me.
"Don't 'hello' me when you've been ghosting everyone for days." He leans forward, studying my face. "What's going on? And don't say 'nothing' or I'll pour this coffee in your lap."
Sighing, I wrap my hands around the warm mug. "It's complicated."
"I've got time." He sits back, crossing his arms. "Is it the frat boy? Did he hurt you? Because I will castrate him if?—"
"No," quickly interrupting before Sylas can get into full rant mode. "Tyler didn't do anything wrong."
"Then why do you look like you haven't slept in a week, and why are you avoiding him?"
Staring into my coffee, I try to organize my thoughts. "You remember I told you I was meeting his parents?"
"The dinner from hell, yeah. You texted me after, but were pretty vague about what happened."
"His dad was nice. His mom..." My voice trails off, remembering her thinly veiled hostility makes metense up again. "Let's just say she made it very clear she disapproves of me. Or more specifically, of Tyler dating a man."
Sylas's expression softens. "I'm sorry. That sucks."
"It wasn't just that she was cold. She spent the entire dinner talking about the evil ex, Cher, how they were a perfect couple, and how they might get back together." Taking a sip of coffee, I wince at the bitter taste and reach for some sweetener. "It was like I wasn't even there except as some kind of phase Tyler's going through."
"And that's why you're avoiding him? Because his mom's a homophobe?"
"No." I pause, trying to put my growing fear into words. "It's because... what if she's right? What if I'm just a phase for him? He's never been with a guy before me. I don't know if he's ever thought about it until recently."
"Has he given you any reason to think he's not serious about you?"
"No, but?—"
"Has he mentioned wanting to get back with his ex?"
"No, of course not."
Sylas raises an eyebrow. "Has he been anything but completely into you since you got together?"
I feel my cheeks warm. "No."
"So you're sabotaging things based on what his mother thinks, not what Tyler has shown you."
When he puts it like that, it does sound ridiculous. "It's not just his mom. It's... everything. His whole life has been straight until now. And I can't..." I swallow hard. "I can't be someone's experiment again. Not after Ryan."
Sylas's expression darkens at the mention of my ex. "Tyler is nothing like Mr. Micro-Lane."
"I know that." A nervous laugh comes up from my chest. "Rationally, I know that. But then I start thinking about howeasy it would be for him to go back to dating women. No judgment from his family, no awkward public moments, no explanations needed."
