We’re out on the town. Far Bar is busy, and I like the crowd. The more people there are, the more intimate it feels, because everyone is so distracted by everyone else. Skylar and I sit down at the bar, and I order drinks for us. A strawberry daquiri for her and a whiskey for me.

She looks fantastic. A black top accentuates her curves and brings out her dark blue eyes. She wears dark blue jeans to go with it. Black heels finish the outfit with gold jewelry that shimmers through her loose hair when she turns her head.

I can’t keep my eyes off her. She’s the kind of woman that turns all the heads in the bar, but I know she’s mine tonight. She only has eyes for me and it makes me feel like a hell of a man. I still don’t know what our future holds or where we stand, but I know that tonight it’s just us, and for now, that’s all I need.

I look around the bar. It’s filled up quite a lot, and the crowd is alive. Music plays in the background, and the atmosphere is charged the way it gets when too many bodies are crammed into a small space.

Someone catches my eyes, and I do a double take, searching for the familiar face. It takes me only a few seconds to realize it’s Paul I’m seeing.

My first reaction is to turn away, to hide, and to leave so that he won’t see us here. He might have kicked Skylar out, but he doesn’t know she’s staying with me, and it’s this thing between us, whatever it is, that caused the problem in the first place.

I don’t pay for the drinks and leave, though. My eyes are glued to Paul because he’s not alone. He’s with another guy, and he’s leaning in and talking to him, laughing every now and then. And it doesn’t look platonic.

I frown.

“Tell me if I’m wrong,” I say to Skylar. “But that looks a lot like Paul. With another man.”

Skylar pales, and she turns, craning her neck to see.

“Oh, God,” she says after a moment. “You’re right.”

I can’t take my eyes off them. I’m trying to make sense of what I’m seeing, but my brain just won’t add it up. Paul’s body language is comfortable, and his smile is easy in a way I’ve never seen it before. It looks like he’s flirting with another man.

I shake my head. This isn’t right. Paul isn’t gay, is he? I feel like I can’t breathe. There must be some explanation for this. He was so upset that I slept with Skylar and that she cheated on him. He called her a whore, for God’s sake. This doesn’t make sense.

I’m still trying to figure it out when Paul leans in and kisses the guy. I’m watching my brother kiss another man, and the sounds around me fade away. My ears are ringing so loud I can’t hear anything.

“I’ll be right back,” I say and get off the barstool.

Skylar tries to call me back, but I need to go over there and talk to Paul. I need to know what’s going on. I feel like I’m stuck in a dream. I don’t want to see him sucking face with another man, but it’s like I’m watching an accident. I know if I don’t look away, I will be scarred for life, but I can’t help it.

I walk to their table and clear my throat loud enough that they break the kiss. When Paul sees me, he scrambles away from the other guy, and I can see the hurt on his face.

“Don’t stop on my account,” I say.

“Parker,” Paul says. He’s trying hard to come across composed, but the skin has tightened around his eyes, and he’s gripping the table so hard his knuckles turn white. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

“Then what is it?” I ask.

“I would also like to know,” the other guy says, and he sounds hurt. Not nearly as hurt as Paul is going to be if I have my way. I glare hard enough at the other guy that he swallows whatever remark he wanted to add.

“Paul?” I ask, and my voice is hard. “Care to explain what this is all about? Or am I to assume the hell you put Skylar through was just for fun?”

Paul swallows hard, and he looks uncomfortable. “It’s not like you can say anything. You weren’t playing by the rules, either.”

“At least I fessed up when you confronted me,” I say. “So, what, you’re bisexual? Or just gay? Is it a new thing, or did you marry Skylar because it was the ‘right’ thing to do?”

The other guy looks at Paul.

“You’re married?” he asks.

“No,” Paul says, and he’s not lying, but I won’t stand for it.

“He meant to be,” I say. The other guy looks upset. Paul reaches for the man, and we both cringe. Our reasons are different. Paul looks hurt about the rejection from his would-be lover. He doesn’t seem to care about me.

“Parker,” Skylar says, appearing at my side. “Let’s get out of here. We don’t have to do this.”

I brush her hand off my arm. “I’m trying to talk to my brother.”

“Let’s just go,” she says again. I look at her, really studying her face, and I realize she doesn’t look nearly as upset about it as I feel. In fact, she doesn’t look upset at all.

“Did you know about this?” I ask.

She hesitates. It’s enough for me.

“Goddammit, you knew? When were you going to tell me this? Or was I going to be in the dark the whole time? And all this time, I’ve been wishing I was lucky enough to have you as my woman when my brother, who I find out is gay, got to have you. What the hell is going on here?”

I look at Paul, whose face is carefully blank. I realize his company for the night has disappeared.

“How long has this been going on for?” I ask.

“I’ve known I was gay since high school, Parker,” Paul says.

That incessant ringing in my ears is back.

“You what?” I look at Skylar. “And you’ve known this for how long?”

She still doesn’t answer me. I can’t believe I’ve been lied to. I can’t believe the woman I love, the one I wanted to be with, chose to marry my gay brother over me. It’s too much for me, and I turn around and storm away.

“Parker,” Skylar calls after me, but I don’t want to hear it.

I don’t want to know what she has to say. I’m upset that they both lied to me. I’m angry that I was in love with someone that refused to have me, even though there was no reason to say no to me. I’m so angry, I could choke on my rage.

Outside, I lift my arm and try to hail a cab, but none of them will stop for me. I’m starting to get angry. I wave my hands like a lunatic. It feels like my emotions are going to burst out of my chest. I feel like I’m going to rip apart. I’m so angry that I don’t know what to do with myself.

“Parker,” she says behind me.

I don’t turn around to look at her. “Leave me alone,” I say.

“Parker, please.”

I spin around. Her eyes are big, her face apologetic. I don’t have it in me to forgive her right now.

“You lied to me, Skylar. You both did.”

“I know,” she says. “But you don’t understand—”

“You’re damn right, I don’t,” I say, interrupting her. “I have no idea why you would do this to me. A gay guy? What the fuck were you thinking? God. I don’t even want to know.” I walk away from her and push my hands into my hair. When another cab comes past, I wave at it, but he doesn’t respond, just like the others.

“Asshole!” I shout.

“Parker, calm down, please,” Skylar begs. She lifts her arm, and a car stops in front of us on her first try. I get in without thanking her and wait for her to get in, too. When the door is closed and we drive off, the silence in the car is unnerving.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she says.

I’m looking out of the window at the city sliding past.

“No, I imagine not,” I say, and I’m aware of how bitter I sound. “What was supposed to happen? You were going to ride off into the sunset with a man who likes other men?”

“Please, Parker,” she begs. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like?” I ask. I’m suddenly tired. The anger evaporated, and all that’s left is exhaustion that feels like I haven’t slept in years.

Skylar doesn’t answer me. I don’t know what she’s trying to hide from me, but I suddenly don’t care. I don’t care about any of it.

When we get out in front of my apartment building, I storm off, leaving her to pay for the cab. Am I being a dick? Yes, I am. But I’m angry, tired, and so over this shit. I want to get into my room and lock the door. I want to shut out the world and pretend none of this happened. I want to get into bed, and tomorrow, I want to wake up and all of this will have gone away.

Of course, that won’t happen. Skylar is living with me now, and I’m not just going to escape her. I don’t even know if I want to. I don’t know anything right now.

All I know is that I don’t want her near me, trying to explain it all.

“I’m going to bed,” I say when she finally joins me in the apartment. “It would be best if you take the spare bedroom.”

She’s been sleeping in my bed with me since she moved in. It feels like an eternity ago, now.

“I’ll go,” she says. “I have the couch at the bakery, and I can phone Lizzie in the morning.”

I shake my head. “I’m not kicking you out. I’m not like my brother.” That statement is truer now than ever. “I just don’t want you in my bed.”

I’m aware how bad that sounds, and I don’t care. Skylar stands in the living room, a vision with a dejected look on her face instead of the smile she wore earlier, and I don’t care. I turn around and walk away from her to my bedroom. I close the door behind me and lock it for good measure.