Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“I saw. You have nice pecs too,” I reassure him.
“What did I miss?” Another voice comes from behind us, and I look back to see Kason Maddox, or Mads as Hayes and Rylan call him, come up the walkway.
“Half of the moving,” Rylan replies.
“I was meditating and lost track of time.” Mads shrugs. He’s Rylan’s best friend and the goalie for the Rebels. He agreed to come over and help us too.
I felt bad when none of Eric’s friends were able to pitch in. When we were younger, he was incredibly popular. Everyone loved him and wanted to spend time with him. But I’ve noticed the older we get, the less friends he has. The thing is, people still love him. He’s the center of attention at every party, people work out with him, play basketball with him, whatever, but they’re not there for the real stuff. They’re like Cliff in that they’re willing to use Eric but aren’t ever there for him.
“You’re two hours late.” We head inside, and Rylan sets his box down.
“Yes. As I said, I was meditating.”
“Just because you can’t stay still for more than five minutes doesn’t mean other people can’t,” Hayes tells Rylan.
“Wanna have a staring contest?” Rylan grins.
Hayes sputters. “What? No.”
Rylan looks at us and pumps his dark brows. “He loves me.”
“Do you confuse him like you do the rest of us?” Anthony asks, and again, we share laughter.
I have fun with them. It’s a reminder of how sometimes you can get something good out of one of the worst things to happen to you. If it hadn’t been for Malcolm, I never would have met them, and they’re good for Eric and me.
“Are we going to do this or what? You guys are slackers,” Mads says, and everyone grumbles at him.
“Says the guy who was late,” Hayes reminds him.
“It’s a bad habit I picked up from somewhere. Your boyfriend rubs off on me.”
“I only rub off on Hayes.” Rylan gives his well-known smirk.
Hayes punches him in the arm playfully, which just prompts Rylan to pick him up and toss him over his shoulder, before heading back outside, followed by Mads and Anthony.
Eric’s lingering, and one look at his pouty lip is all I need to know something’s up.
“I don’t like not helping, D. I feel useless. Everyone is doing this for me.”
I walk over and press my forehead to his. “You’re too sweet for your own good. You’re the first person to be there for everyone else, yet you feel guilty accepting help from others. We’re here because we’re your friends. That’s what friends do. It’s not your fault you’re hurt.”
“Husband,” he says.
“Huh?” I pull away.
“You said you’re my friends. They’re my friends. You’re my husband.”
This is something he’s been saying. I thought it would be a joke on our wedding day and that’s that, but Eric has stuck with calling me his husband and seems to get a kick out of it.
“What am I going to do with you?”
“Apparently everything.”
“Hey.”
“I’m kidding, D. I’ll make everyone something to eat.”
“Are you sure you can—”
“Are we about to have our first fight as husbands?”
I can’t help but shoot a glance behind me to make sure no one is close enough to have heard, but they’re all out by the U-Haul. It’s only been a couple of days, and I’m just not sure how I want to move forward. Part of me really wants to tell Anthony and Hayes, but I also worry no one will understand.
Is it bad that sometimes I’m not sure I understand either? I just know it was the right thing.
“Fine, but if you’re hurting tonight, it’s your own fault.”
“Yes, Daddy,” he teases. I shake my head and head back out to help the others.
Some of Eric’s stuff had to go into my shed. I didn’t have the space for a lot of his living room and dining room furniture. It’s shitty that his life is in upheaval like this, and all I want is to find a way to make everything easier for him.
When I get back to the truck, Rylan and Mads are playfully arguing again.
“They’re ridiculous,” Hayes says.
“Yeah, but they’re fun,” Anthony adds.
“Hey, before we go back inside, I just wanted to thank you all again for helping. I couldn’t do this on my own, and we’re not really looking to put out the extra money for movers.” I would have done it in a second if I didn’t think it would make Eric feel bad, but it looks like he feels bad anyway because he’s unable to help. “He’s going through a bit of a hard time right now.” I didn’t tell them he was fired or about the lack of medical coverage. That’s no one’s business but Eric’s, but I do want them to know how much this means to me.