See No Evil

“Dude, chill, will you? I’m not an idiot. But come on, that engagement is bullshit, and you know it. Both the dean and her brother must know that the wedding is never going to happen. I mean, Ke

“Well, she hasn’t yet, now has she?” Easton retorts.

“That’s because Lincoln hasn’t made his move. Friend-zoning her was the stupidest thing that fucker ever did,” I blurt out unapologetically.

In hindsight, however, Linc keeping Ke

Easton looks up at the sky, probably thinking the same thing I am, and the pregnant pause that ensues is killer to my nerves.

“One thing is for sure—Senator Maxwell won’t be too happy to find out that his pride and joy likes sucking cock as much as his mistresses. Tommyboy should just fess up and get it over with instead of putting on this dog and pony show for his old man’s benefit,” I mumble, cracking my knuckles to fill the deafening silence.

“He’s just doing what everyone expects of him. So is Ke

“Yeah, well, a lot of shit is expected of us, too. When does it become too much to deliver, huh? When do we reach a point that it’s just better to wave the white flag and surrender?” I relent, my nerves finally getting the best of me.

“You don’t, Fi

Easton’s demeanor is also a reminder that thoughts, such as the ones I’m having, should stay far away from my head. It actually slaps some sense into me since the words he decided to throw are the ones he’s heard spill from my lips countless times.

Yeah, surrendering really isn’t an option. Not for us, at least.

“Is that the type of shit you’ve been struggling with all summer?” he asks point-blank. I give him a stiff nod, admitting my moments of weakness. “Well, it ends today. No more second-guessing and no more bullshit about waving the white flag. It’s not only your ass on the line. Remember that.”

I swallow dryly, but I stiffen my spine for him to see his words got through to me.

“You’re right. I guess I’ve just been thinking too hard.”

“Well, stop. I can see the fumes from here, and trust me, nothing good will come out of any one of us overthinking shit. Just let sleeping dogs lie,” he rebukes steadfastly.

“Fine,” I mumble, hating how I’ve somehow made Easton see me as being weak.

“And anyway, if push comes to shove and we do have to think things through, leave that shit for the pros, will you?” he says, pointing his thumbs to himself with a smug grin on his face.

I flip him the bird because he’s being a cocky shit, as usual, which is enough for the tension between us to simmer down somewhat.

“It’s good to see you, man. I honestly thought I wouldn’t get the chance to hang out with you and the guys before returning to Richfield tomorrow,” I admit, squeezing his shoulder.

“Linc sent me a text last night asking me to come over. If I knew you’d be coming, I might have blown him off,” he taunts, widening his trademark grin.

This time I elbow the fucker in the stomach, making him yelp like a little pussy. His laughter outshines his discomfort from the gut punch, which leaves me feeling a bit better for being here.

“Yeah, Lincoln sent me a text, too. Do you think Colt’s going to show up?” I ask, turning around to face the massive house that looks so eerily empty. I guess it’s to be expected now, seeing as only one person inhabits it.

“Don’t know, but I doubt it. You know Colt prefers to spend his Sunday mornings between the thighs of whoever he hooked up with the night before.”

“I never did understand the fucker. He does the longest hit ‘em and quit ‘em I’ve ever seen,” I joke playfully.

If I’m the crude asshole in this group, and Easton is the cool, collected prick, well, Colt is definitely the Romeo in our quartet. Guy gets more tail than anyone I have ever met. And the thing is, he doesn’t even have to be sleazy about it. Women just flock to him like moths to a flame, and even after he gives them their walking papers, they still get starry-eyed when they see him again. It’s the weirdest fucking thing since I know what a cold-blooded bastard he is.

“And that, my friend, is why the ladies love him and hate you. He gives them what they want while you only get what you want.” Easton laughs, while my scowl deepens.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing or something?” My question gets another howl from the friend beside me, increasing my confusion. “What?” I exclaim, not getting what’s so fu

So I’m a no-strings-attached kind of guy. What’s wrong with that? I don’t make any false promises, so I’m not a complete asshat. I make sure the girls I mess with have just as much fun as I do. I’m just not the kind of guy that cuddles afterward or spends the night faking interest in anything they have to say. I really don’t see what the big deal is. I’m upfront right from the bat. Doesn’t that deserve some recognition?

“Shit, what did I tell you about thinking too hard? You’re giving yourself wrinkles, dude. Just stop. But if you’re really interested in knowing the difference between you and Colt, just ask any girl you’ve been out with what they think of you, and then compare it to Colt’s lays. You’ll see that their answers are night and day,” Easton jokes, finding my sex-life far too amusing for my liking.

“I don’t give a fuck. So they hate me afterward—big fucking deal. Everyone knows I don’t have time for chicks in my life,” I defend stiffly.

“Just one-night stands with girls whose names you can’t even remember during them, much less afterward,” Easton mumbles under his breath.

“You know what? I take back what I said. I could have gone another day or two without seeing your know-it-all face. And, again, I don’t see the problem in one-night stands that don’t evolve further than that. We’re in our twenties, asshole. In our fucking prime. Why should I waste more than one night with a girl if it’s not going to go anywhere? Makes no sense to me.” I shrug.

“One day, someone is going to knock on your doorstep, and you’ll eat those words,” Easton quips back with all the certainty in the world.

“I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so it’s a moot point. Actually, this whole conversation is a waste of my time.”

“What’s a waste of time?” a deep, husky voice asks behind us.

We both turn around and see the devil himself, waltzing toward us with messy bed hair, as if he just ended a fuckfest marathon. Knowing Colt, he probably did.

He’s do

Colt fist-bumps Easton first, and then me, before taking the spot on my other side, leaning his head back on the roof of my car, so the sun kisses his already ta