Like he hadn’t just dropped an atomic fucking bomb into Bryce’s lap, Jamie walked away. Bryce stood back, trying to process what his brother said. He couldn’t be right...could he?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Bryce had been quiet the rest of the day. He’d speak when spoken to and tease his brothers when they teased him, but Nick could tell something was on his mind. Something was different, but he didn’t know what.

They had cake and Mitch opened gifts, but Bryce’s sullen attitude stayed the same.

Afterward, they said goodbye to his family. Nick watched as Bryce’s mom hugged Christi, whispering something in her ear, and then the three of them left.

“You’re being quiet back there, what gives?” Christi asked as they drove away.

“Nothing. Just tired.” Bryce told her. She sighed but didn’t bring it up again.

When they got to Christi’s house, Bryce got out of the car to tell her goodbye. Nick watched as Christi pushed up onto her toes, kissed his cheek and told him to call her later.

Then, it was just the two of them. The tension in the car got thicker with each mile they drove, with Bryce just staring out the window. Nick felt it in his chest, and all around him. He hadn’t spoken a word to Nick the whole time, and he knew that somehow the tension was related to him.

“Are you sure everything is okay?” he asked when they were almost home.

“Yep. Just thinking,” was the only reply he got. He wasn’t sure why he thought Bryce would tell him if he hadn’t been willing to tell Christi, but it didn’t feel right not to ask. Plus, Bryce was his friend. They’d talked about a lot over the weeks they’d gotten to know each other. If he’d done something wrong, he wanted to know.

“Did I screw up somehow?”

“What?” Bryce turned to him for the first time. “No, not at all. I’m fine. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Just a strange day, I guess.”

“Okay.” It felt like more than that, and it bothered Nick more than it should.

They continued the rest of their car ride in silence. When they got home, Bryce tried to help him carry the dishes inside, but Nick refused. He needed to bring them back to the restaurant anyway.

They were at their own doors, about to go inside when Bryce’s voice stopped him. “Hey.”

Nick turned to him, could see stress or confusion in every one of Bryce’s features—his dark, brown eyes, the muscles in his body, the way he stood, everything. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for coming today. I’m glad you were there.”

Nick let out a relieved breath. “Thanks for having me. I was glad to be there.”

When Bryce turned around and walked into his house, Nick had no choice but to do the same.

***

Bryce sat alone in his house, unable to sleep. Glancing at the clock he saw it was after midnight—not too late, but considering he’d been lying in bed since nine on a Saturday night, it was late enough.

His brother thought he was into Nick...into another man. What a fucking idiot.

Yeah, he felt close to Nick, felt like he’d known him a whole lot longer than six or so weeks. There was a bond there, a connection he didn’t really understand, but Jamie thinking Nick was his boyfriend? There was no possible way Bryce would even want that—a boyfriend.

Rolling over, Bryce grabbed his cell phone off the bedside table. He dialed without second thought, and a few rings later, Christi picked up. “Can’t sleep?” she asked.

“Nope...here’s a laugh for you. Jamie thinks I’m attracted to Nick. He thought we were a couple and trying to hide it.”

Bryce waited for Christi to tell him how fucking cracked in the head his brother was. Waited for her to laugh, but he got nothing except silence. “You’re being quiet. Why in the hell are you being so quiet, Christi?”

“Are you going to freak out if I answer honestly?”

“I don’t know. I guess it depends on what your answer is. We’re talking about me being into a dude, here.”

“When’s the last time you got laid?” she asked.

Yeah. That’s what this had to be about. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t consider it himself. It had been too long since he had sex. “It’s the longest dry spell I’ve had in I can’t remember how long.”

“Exactly. That’s not like you. And you didn’t even realize it, did you?” When Bryce ignored her question, she continued. “When’s the last time you hung out with anyone other than Nick?”