by E. L. Todd
“I feel like we’re on a cop show.” She sipped her coffee again.
“I wouldn’t mind having cop lights so I could speed through traffic.”
“My dad needs that,” she said. “He drives like a maniac in that expensive car he has.”
“What’s the point of having the fastest car in the world if you don’t drive fast?”
“Because you have a drawer full of speeding tickets,” she said.
“Like Sean cares,” I said. “He makes more money an hour than people do in a year.”
“My mom isn’t too happy with his recklessness.”
“I wouldn’t be either.”
She grabbed my hand and held it on her thighs. “When the hell is he going to leave? We’ve been sitting here for hours.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “But it’s a Friday so he’s bound to go somewhere.”
“Baby, I’m hungry.”
“We just ate,” I argued.
“Your point?” she asked with a laugh.
“Seriously, where do you put it, Skye?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure the running helps. Otherwise, I’d be a blimp.”
“Be a blimp?” I asked. “Or you are a blimp?”
She swatted my arm. “Hey!”
I laughed. “Baby, you know I’m kidding. I love your body, every curve and every inch.”
“You like the curve of my flab?” she challenged.
“You don’t have any flab,” I argued.
“I have a huge roll of fat over my stomach,” she said seriously. “Don’t act like you don’t notice it.”
Honestly, I didn’t. Her body was a perfect ten to me. “All I notice is the most gorgeous woman in the world.”
“You’re perfect and sculpted with eight percent body fat,” she said while she rolled her eyes. “I’m nothing like that.”
I cringed. “And I wouldn’t want you to be like that. That would be gross.”
“Really?” she asked apprehensively.
“Really,” I said firmly. “I love your body. You’re perfect. I would never want you to lose weight.”
She seemed surprised. “You don’t think I’m…thick?”
I laughed. “If thick is a bad thing, then no. I like the curve of your hips, the size of your chest, and the feel of your legs.” I gave her a hard look. “I’m not feeding you lines, Skye. I already have you, so I don’t need to do anything. And you wouldn’t be the love of my life if I weren’t more attracted to you than any other woman in the world.”
That seemed to convince her because she looked away and dropped the conversation.
Skye was never self-conscious about her appearance. It was a side to her she’d never shown before. But it was comical because it was so ludicrous. If she saw herself the way I saw her, she would never question her measurements.
I looked back to the parking lot and saw Slade unlock his car door. “He’s leaving.” I started the engine but kept the lights off.
Skye sat up, ready for action. “I’m so nervous.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know…are those people on cop shows nervous?” she asked.
I tried not to laugh at her cuteness. “Sure.”
Slade pulled onto the street and headed north.
I hit the gas and started to follow him.
“Don’t get too close. He might recognize your car.”
“It’s dark,” I said. “I doubt he’ll notice. And my headlights will make it impossible for him to see our faces in his rearview mirror.”
“Still, be careful,” she hissed.
I stayed far behind and cruised while I kept him in my sight. He headed past the university then toward a neighborhood of houses.
“Where is he going?” she asked.
“Maybe his boyfriend has a house?” I asked reluctantly.
“I guess…”
We stayed on his tail then drove onto Trinity’s street.
“If he lived here, wouldn’t Trinity have noticed Slade’s car?” Skye asked quietly.
“Unless it’s about fashion or boys, Trinity is oblivious.” I turned the corner then saw Slade’s car in her driveway.
“Turn left!” Skye grabbed the wheel and pulled it the opposite way.
“Are you crazy?” I got ahold of the wheel and made sure we didn’t crash. “Don’t do that again.”
“Well, if you turned right, Slade would have spotted you immediately.”
“It’s still better than dying!”
She looked over her shoulder. “He’s walking into the house. I don’t think he saw us.”
I made a U-turn then parked against the curb. “What’s he doing here?”
Skye wiped away the coffee she’d spilled after she commandeered the car. “Maybe he left something and came to pick it up.”
“Left what? When was the last time we went to Trinity’s?”
She shrugged. “A month ago…”
Something wasn’t adding up. “But he hates Trinity. Why would he come here?” And she was parked in her driveway. That was even weirder.
Skye leaned her head against the window and sighed. “I don’t know. But I doubt he’ll be in there long.”
I turned off the car then leaned my seat back, trying to get comfortable. We sat in the darkness and watched cars pull into the neighborhood as the darkness deepened. Hours passed but he never left.
“What are they doing?” I asked.
Skye shrugged. “I have no idea. Trinity never talks about him. I assumed she hated him as much as he hated her.”
“Maybe he’s talking to her about his situation…” I rubbed the back of my neck, getting sore from sitting in the car.
“I know Trinity doesn’t care about him being gay…but she doesn’t strike me as someone to discuss it with.”
We fell silent while we continued to wait for him to leave.
“You want to play cards?” she asked.
“Sure.” There were few people I could sit alone in a car with and not get bored. Having a best friend as a lover really had its perks. There was no one I’d rather be on a stakeout with.
She dealt the cards and we played a few rounds.
“Okay, I’m getting sick of you winning all the time,” she said irritably.
“Then play better.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I miss the days when you let me win.”
“Those days are over. Sorry.”
She laughed. “You’re supposed to be sweet to me because I’m your girlfriend.”
“I am sweet to you,” I reminded her.
“Then you would let me win.”
“Do you really want me to?” I knew the answer to that. She liked a challenge. She’d always been that way.
“No.” She bit her lip while she examined her hand carefully.
I smirked, loving the fact that I knew her so well.
When it was one in the morning, we were both tired.
“Why is he still there?” she demanded, pulling the jacket tighter around her.
The small question was plaguing me. “He should leave soon.”
“He’s probably going to go home, then. This was a waste of time.” She sighed in irritation.
“We don’t know that for sure.”
She moved toward my side of the car and snuggled with me. Her head was on my shoulders and her arm was around my waist.
I tried to keep my eyes open and watch his car, but the fatigue was taking me. Eventually, my eyes grew too heavy, and they fell.
The sun woke me up the next morning. My eyes fluttered open and I felt Skye’s body on top of mine. She had crawled into my lap during the night and now she was completely on top of me.
She was weightless so I hadn’t noticed. But our body temperatures kept both of us warm.
She stirred at the same time. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned.
My hand moved into her hair and I kissed her on the forehead like I did every morning
. Then I squinted and looked through the windshield.
Slade’s car was still there.
What. The. Hell.
“He slept there?” she asked. “Why?”
“I’m wondering the same thing…”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this confused in my life.” She moved back to her side of the car.
I scratched my head, irritated I couldn’t figure out this puzzle. I loved a challenge and I liked solving problems that seemed unsolvable, but this was driving me crazy. What possible reason would have made him stay?
“Maybe he was too drunk to drive?” Skye reasoned.
“But why would he be drinking with Trinity?” I asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”
Skye started shaking her knees back and forth. “I really have to pee. And I’m starving. And I’m hungry.”
Thankfully, I made decent money from my scholarship funds. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to support Skye. She was by far the most expensive girlfriend I’d ever had. She ate more than I did most of time. “Okay. We’ll refuel then come back.”
“Come back?” she asked. “Why? He’s just going to go home.”
“But what if he doesn’t?” I asked. “Something about this situation is rubbing me the wrong way. We’re missing something.”
She kept shaking her knees. “If you don’t let me pee, I’m going to ruin your seat,” she threatened.
I laughed then started the car. “Alright, alright. Let’s go.”
After we got food, coffee, and emptied our bladders, we returned to the same parking spot.
And Slade’s car was still there.
Hours passed and we entertained ourselves with cards and our smartphones. We started playing games and told each other jokes. When the sun had set again, I was even more confused.
“Is he sleeping there again?” she asked incredulously.
“That can’t be right…”
“I don’t think I can sleep in this car again…”
The idea didn’t sound thrilling to me either.
“I’m interested in what Slade is up to…but I’d rather go home and get laid.”
Her declaration caught my attention. Sex with Skye was always amazing. It was nearly impossible to turn it down. But now I needed to know what Slade was up to. Why was he staying at Trinity’s? Who was his boyfriend? “I can take you home but I’m going to come back.”
She eyed me. “You’re really curious, aren’t you?”
“It’s driving me crazy. Perhaps there’s more going on in Slade’s life than I realized. And the fact that he’s turning to Trinity for comfort is insulting. My door is always open…”
She gave me a sad look. “You and Slade are going to be fine.”
I wasn’t so sure. You knew your relationship had taken a wrong turn when the other person preferred their enemy over you.
She patted my hand. “I’ll stay.”
I knew she would. “Thanks. Maybe we can fool around in here…”
Mischief shone in her eyes. “What are you thinking?”
I didn’t need to answer her question. She knew.
Skye pulled her hair into a ponytail then put her head in my lap.
I leaned back against the seat and enjoyed several minutes of bliss.
Slade slept over again. He hadn’t left the house once and neither did she.
I had officially given up. I couldn’t figure out why he was there or what was going on. I was tempted to knock on the front door and ask.
Skye was growing more irritated being cooped up in a car. The entire weekend had passed, and now Sunday afternoon had arrived. We took a break and got refreshments, and then we were back on Trinity’s block.
“I don’t think we’re going to discover anything new sitting out here. When Slade leaves, he’ll just go home. The weekend is over.”
“But why is he here?” I demanded. “Why?” It was eating me alive.
“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “I can ask Trinity tomorrow. She’ll tell me.”
“Maybe she’s hiding something from him. Honestly, I didn’t know they even talked, let alone had weekend sleepovers.”
Skye didn’t respond but I knew she agreed with me.
The sun had set on the third day.
“Okay, I’m throwing in the towel,” Skye exclaimed. “I’m officially done with this stakeout.”
I was sick of it too. All we did was waste time. Skye and I had a lot of fun during the operation, but now it was getting stale and old. We were both anxious to get out of the car and do something else. “I’m done too. I guess we’ll have to follow him during the week.”
“You can do that,” she said. “I’m done.”
I sighed then started the car. My curiosity would stretch endlessly but sitting in this car wouldn’t get me any closer to the truth.
Then Slade walked outside.
“There he is!” Skye sat up with wide eyes.
I turned my attention to the driveway. He headed to his car with Trinity walking beside him.
“He’s not wearing the same thing he wore when he got there,” Skye noted.
“So?” My eyes were glued to Slade.
“Well, he didn’t leave with a bag…so he had a change of clothes already there.”
She was right.
Skye and I both watched Slade and Trinity. They reached his car then faced each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I hoped something indicative would happen.
Then Slade moved her against his car and pressed his body against hers. Then he cupped her face and gave her a long and slow kiss. Trinity’s arms wrapped around his neck while she returned the embrace with as much intensity. A minute of kissing passed, their mouths stuck together. Then Slade ended the embrace, but his face was pressed close to hers. He whispered something, making her smile slightly. Then he dropped his embrace and got into the car. When he left the street, I started to breathe again.
Skye and I both looked at each other, our jaws dropped.
Oh. My. Fucking. God.
64
Skye
Slade was definitely not gay.
Cayson and I were speechless for hours, processing what we’d witnessed on Trinity’s lawn. Slade and Trinity were together, like together, and it was clear they’d been together for a while. He slept there all weekend, and when he kissed her goodbye, he embraced her like he loved her.
I couldn’t believe she didn’t tell me. She hid it from me for so long, making a fool out of all of us. I didn’t have the slightest idea they were sneaking around. How long had they been doing it? Did he love her? Did she love him? Were they friends? What was their relationship like? Did they talk? And if so, about what? I just couldn’t picture the two of them getting along for longer than a minute.
Cayson was just as shocked as I was. “That really happened, right? We didn’t both hallucinate the same thing at the same time?” He sat on his couch and stared at the blank TV screen.
“Yeah…I think so.”
Cayson rubbed his temple. “This whole time, we’ve been treating him like he’s coming out of the closet, but he was actually sleeping with Trinity. Wow, we were totally off.”
I sat beside him, keeping my hands in my lap. “Why are they hiding it?”
“Judging by our reaction, I can understand why. Slade hooking up with Trinity was the last thing I ever expected.”
“Me too.” Now I thought about her relationship with Reid, which ended, and her date with Scott that didn’t go well. “But now it all makes sense.”
“I guess it does…”
“Should we tell the others?”
Cayson rubbed his hands together. “No. Never.”
I was thinking the same thing.
“Slade has been keeping their relationship a secret for a reason. He didn’t want anyone to know, and it would be wrong to blab to everyone else about it. We shouldn’t even know about it in the first place. Now I feel like shit for spying on
him.”
“Are you going to confront him about it?”
Cayson brought his fingertips to his lips while he remained lost in thought. His shoulders were tense and rigid. His mind seemed to be elsewhere. “When he kissed her, it wasn’t a quick goodbye. He held her like he would miss her. And she returned that affection, smiling when they broke apart. Whatever their relationship is, it has meaning. I’m afraid if he knows I know, he’ll destroy what he has. If there’s a chance that Trinity means something to him, if he loves her, I don’t want to mess that up. But I wish he would talk to me about it…”
I rubbed his shoulder, feeling the same pain. “I’m upset Trinity didn’t tell me either…”
He shook his head slightly. “I still can’t believe this…”
“Neither can I.” Every time I thought about what I saw, it hit me like it had the first time. It was so unexpected and illogical.
“Now his behavior makes sense…” Cayson rubbed his chin. “All his odd questions, the book he had, how he dodged going out with the guys all the time…some of the things he said to me…it all fits.”
“He must have been talking to Scotty to keep him away from Trinity.” I suddenly put it together. “That’s why he was on their date.”
“Yeah,” Cayson agreed. “And that’s the real reason she stopped seeing Reid—because of Slade.”
Together we worked through history.
“How long do you think it’s been going on?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I have no idea. They did an amazing job hiding it.”
“Are they just sleeping together?” he asked. “Or is this serious?”
“I wish I knew.”
He rubbed his temples again. “Maybe I can coerce him into telling me, like pressure him on a date or something. Then he’ll be forced to blurt it out.”
“But we don’t know why he’s keeping it a secret,” I said. “Maybe they have a good reason to.”
He nodded. “You’re right.” He sighed then leaned back in his chair. “I didn’t think Slade would change for anybody, let alone Trinity.”