Ethan (Alluring Indulgence #5)(63)
Author: Nicole Edwards

“Mind if I stop by?” Beau asked Zane when he answered the phone.

Going straight home hadn’t been an option for Beau. He knew he’d just sit and stew over what just happened, and it would make him nuts. So, he had stopped his truck in front of Walker Demolition and chose to call Zane.

“Sure thing, bro.” Zane sounded oddly happy to hear from him.

Now that Beau thought about it, he hadn’t talked to Zane in a while. Nothing more than the brief interactions they’d had over the last few weeks. Hell, how long had it been since he stopped by Zane and V’s to see how they were doing?

“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes,” he told his friend and then disconnected the call.

Five minutes later he was pulling up to Zane’s house. By the time he reached the front door, Zane was standing there waiting for him. As he moved through the front door, Zane slapped him on the back, a wicked grin on his face.

“Good mood?” he asked Zane, trying not to laugh.

“Always.”

That was kinda true, Beau thought. He must’ve been spending so much time with Ethan that he forgot how different the brothers were. Where Ethan was moody and mysterious, Zane was cheerful. Not to mention, Zane was an open book.

“Beer?”

“Absolutely,” Beau answered, glancing around the loft-style house. “Where’s V?”

“Zoey’s,” Zane answered. “She went over to see Mason.”

“How’s he doing?”

“Perfect,” Zane said with a grin. “He’s giving Kaleb a run for his money.”

Beau cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Zane to explain further.

“Something called colic, V said. No idea what that means, but he’s got it and he’s keeping Kaleb from getting his beauty sleep.”

Beau laughed at Zane’s vivid description.

“Sit,” Zane motioned toward the living room before handing Beau a beer.

Beau dropped onto the couch and let his body relax for the first time in what felt like days.

“How’s it going?”

“Good.”

“That doesn’t sound like ‘good’ to me,” Zane laughed, easing himself into the chair sitting perpendicular to the couch.

There was silence for a minute or two. Beau tried to convince himself that he didn’t answer because he was more interested in drinking his beer, but he knew better. He didn’t answer because he didn’t even know whether he could share his inner turmoil with his best friend. Not anymore anyway.

“Talk to me, B,” Zane said, his cheerful mood shifting to serious.

“What’s there to talk about?” he asked, stalling. “I lost my job.”

“Yeah? That ain’t the end of the world.”

For Zane maybe. But for Beau, he didn’t have anything else to fall back on. He wasn’t going to mention that he would be working for Ethan because he still wasn’t sure how that would pan out. He’d find out first thing in the morning, but for now, he still questioned whether Ethan would still give him the opportunity after what happened between them.

“How’s Ethan?”

Zane’s question surprised Beau so much that he choked, damn near snorting beer out of his nose.

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on.” Zane offered that sly, devilish grin. “Think I don’t know something’s going on between the two of you?”

No. No, he didn’t think Zane knew. How could he? It wasn’t like Beau had made it public knowledge.

“How long have we been friends?” Zane asked. The question sounded rhetorical, so Beau didn’t answer. “Oh, that’s right, all of our damn lives.”

Beau laughed at Zane’s expression.

“And that means I know you better than anyone else, right?”

Beau would have to agree with that statement. Nodding his head, he continued to stare at Zane.

When Zane leaned forward in the chair, his elbows resting on his knees, the beer bottle dangling between his legs, Beau knew the conversation was turning serious.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Zane didn’t look up at Beau when he asked the question. Beau wasn’t even sure how to answer it. “Tell you what?”

“That you’re gay.”

Ahhh. Well, at least now he knew what they were talking about. And suddenly, Beau wasn’t in the mood to talk. “I think I should go,” he said in a rush, reaching to put his beer down on the table as he rose to his feet.

“Sit your big, bulky ass down.”

Beau stared down at Zane where he sat. He was serious. Shit. Dropping onto the couch, Beau crossed his arms over his chest.