- PIP -
Gage Tanner: the king of loopholes. When I got out of the shower, I was barely dressed when Gage rushed me out the door to go to brunch. After we’d eaten, he ordered us coffee—mine decaf—and then claimed we’d gotten our first two dates out of the way.
“That’s cheating!”
“I prefer to call it loopholing.”
Stand-up paddle boarding plus hanging out at the beach equalled two dates. Theme park with a Ferris wheel ride: two dates. Lunch on a boat: two dates. After that, a dessert bar. Then a neck massage at one of those walk-in places at a shopping centre.
Throughout the dates, his phone kept pinging with a text message, but he refused to tell me who he was texting.
By dusk, we were both knackered, but he didn’t let either of us crash.
I’d lost count how many dates we had left, but he assured me there were five to go.
That was when the ultimate loophole came into play. Picnic dinner at the movies in the park. Dinner. Picnic. Movie. Three dates in one.
I didn’t know if it technically counted when five minutes into the movie, I fell asleep in Gage’s arms.
“Hon, you need to wake up,” he whispered. His hand weaved into my hair, and I cracked open an eye.
“Five more minutes.”
“The movie’s over.”
I sat up. “Huh?”
Everyone around us was picking up their belongings as the credits rolled on the screen in front of us.
“Was it at least any good?” I asked.
Gage laughed. “I dunno. I was too busy enjoying staring at a pretty girl.”
“Who? I’ll cut the bitch.”
“You would, you little attack dog. Come on. Last date for the day awaits.”
I yawned. “I thought we had two left.”
“I’m saving the very last one for tomorrow morning.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Smooth.”
“I meant breakfast. Duh.” He grinned.
“Sure you did. Okay, so where’s the last date so we can get rushed through it and get home?”
“I’m suddenly regretting the choice of this next date.”
“Why?”
“There’s no way we can rush through it.” He stood and held his hands out to help me up.
He didn’t let go of my hand the whole way to the car, and like a gentleman, he opened my door for me, but before I could climb in, he pulled me close to him. Unlike a gentleman, he kissed me hard. His hand gripped my hair at the root, and he nipped my bottom lip. His tongue darted out, wetting the seam of my lips and asking for permission, but before I could give him access, he pulled back.
“On second thought, I better not start or I won’t be able to stop.”
“Can we blow off the last date? I’m so tired. And it was a good effort.”
“It was a great effort, and no. I’m not giving up now.”
On the drive to wherever we were going, I was tempted to ask again for details, but if I learnt anything from today, it was that Gage could be stubborn when he wanted to be. Although, this wasn’t news—he’d always been that way—but usually I could wear him down by pouting or begging. Not today. Each activity had been a surprise—sometimes even to him, it seemed. But this, he knew exactly what was going on, and he was nervous about it.
When he pulled into Reece and Spencer’s short street and stopped outside their house, I was even more confused than before.
“We haven’t seen your—our friends since we’ve been back,” Gage said. “I figure this could be like … our coming out party.”
Staring up at the extravagant house, I wondered if we were ready for that, but I didn’t get a choice in the matter when Garrett came out to greet us. I assumed everyone already knew we were together, but hearing about it and seeing it were completely different things.
“Who else is here?” I asked as we watched Garrett descend the porch steps.
“Everyone. Like the whole Friday night pub crew, but now with their partners and kids.”
“Crazy.”
“It will be. Coming?” He opened his door but didn’t move to get out. “Or do you want to leave? I can tell Garrett to go tell everyone you didn’t feel well or something. If you don’t think you’re ready—”
“I’m ready.”
Nothing said serious relationship more than telling everyone we were together.
Why is my heart beating so damn fast?
“Are you ready to hear about a million I told you so’s from everyone?” Garrett asked when we got out of the car.
Gage smiled at me. “Should we mess with them and say we’ve been together this whole time?”
I laughed. “If that were true, I’ve cheated on you like a shit ton of times.” I winced. Shit. Should probably not mention cheating around Gage.
But surprisingly, he joked back. “You’re a terrible girlfriend then.”
“So, who knows you two are together?” Garrett asked.
“Everyone, I assume,” Gage said.
Garrett cocked his head. “Why’s that? Blair and I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Pip would’ve told Reece.” Gage turned to me, his expression saying “Right?”
I glanced away. “Uh, I haven’t really had the chance.”
“I told her about our dates today. She organised most of them.”
Ah, that explains all the texts he was getting.
“She probably thinks you’re trying to make it up to me after the last six months. I haven’t said anything.”
“They know nothing?” Gage asked. “I’m gonna have to tell them the whole story? I was hoping the group rumour mill would do it for me.”
“Well, you did say you wanted this to be a coming out party of sorts.” I tried to hide my smile.
“Wait, that’s a thing?” Garrett asked. “Ripped off.”
“You came out to a packed bar,” I said. “Then we all got drunk. There’s your coming out party.”
“Umm, maybe this wasn’t a great idea then,” Gage said and paled a little.
I grabbed his hand. “You don’t need to explain everything.”
“No. I want to do this right. I need to prove to you that I’m all in, and they deserve to know why I haven’t been a great friend over the years.”
I shrugged. “Your call.”
He pulled me against him. “I’m all in.”
“Well, this should be fun,” Garrett said.
Everyone liked hearing stories of cheating ex-girlfriends, an entire town full of judgement, and asshole best friends, right?