Fortune's Slings and Cupid's Arrows by Ari McKay

Author:Ari McKay [McKay, Ari]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63533-582-8
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2017-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

DANE WATCHED Cal go, wishing he’d had the courage to tell Cal the truth. But he’d learned at an early age how to hide his feelings, and now he had a difficult time revealing how he really felt even when it was safe to do so. So he’d said he needed Cal when he meant he loved Cal because he was afraid of admitting the truth. Afraid of what might happen if he did.

Mustering a smile, he turned his attention to Portia. “Are your parents settled in at the hotel?”

Portia nodded. “I got the distinct impression that your best friend hates my guts.”

Dane’s stomach clenched with apprehension. He’d hoped she hadn’t noticed the tension, but she was a smart woman and trained in observation, so he wasn’t surprised.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said, hoping to smooth things over. “You just met. It’s too early for hatred.” He debated whether to ask her not to mention meeting Cal since he was still trying to maintain the appearance of being on the outs with Cal. But Portia didn’t share much more than polite pleasantries with Randolph lately, so Dane trusted her discretion.

“Maybe.” Portia moved to the couch and sat down. “Let’s call it resentment, then. And jealousy. I’ve had women look like they wanted to claw my eyes out before, but this is the first time I’ve received the same vibe from a man. A very big, tough-looking man at that.”

“Cal is protective of me.” Dane sat down beside her, hoping he could spin this in a way she’d find plausible. She seemed to be more pragmatic than romantic, but he doubted her understanding would extend to accepting that her fiancé was in love with another man. “He’s not happy about me springing our engagement on him either.”

“Wait, you didn’t tell him about me at all?” Portia blinked in surprise. “Your best friend?”

Dane raked his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out how to respond. There probably wasn’t much he could say that would help her understand why he’d hidden their relationship from Cal.

“Things happened rather quickly between us,” he said at last. “Beyond that….” He shook his head, his shoulders slumping. “I didn’t know how to tell him.”

Portia shook her head and rested her hand on his shoulder. “Let me guess. He’s an unrepentant romantic who doesn’t think much of people marrying for pragmatic reasons, right? No doubt he also knows that your father was pushing you to get married, and I’ve heard through the grapevine that he and your father aren’t on friendly terms. So he’s incensed that you’re getting married, and maybe you were afraid he’d talk you out of it.” She paused and shook her head. “No, that’s not you. You were afraid he’d be disgusted and storm out of your life. Am I close?”

Dane was surprised by how close she’d come to the truth, and he was grateful she hadn’t put the last few pieces of the puzzle together. “That’s pretty much it,” he said, smiling wryly.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.