Plan B by SJD Peterson Read Free Book Online Page B

they really darkened with lust or was it my vanity and ego making me see things that weren’t there? Not sure about the answer to that, but sadly I think it was the latter.
    “Nope, it was already set up to play. By the way, your cell phone was chirping.”
    “Thanks.” I hung up my towel and rummaged in my coat pocket until I found my cell, trying my best not to show how he had affected me. I flipped open my phone. A text from Bo read: Don’t wait up. See you tomorrow.
    “Bo’s not coming back tonight, is he?”
    I spun around and glared at Lance. “You so did not check my phone.”
    He held his hands up, like he was ready to defend against attack. “Hell no! I got a text from Katie letting me know she and Bo were pulling an”—he made the sign for quotation marks with his fingers—“all-night study session. Didn’t realize that was what they called it these days.” He chuckled.
    Relieved that Lance hadn’t been snooping, or at least I didn’t feel as if he had, I set my cell on the vanity, crawled up on my bed, and sat Indian-style with my back against the wall, facing him. “So what’s your story?” I asked, not wasting any time in satisfying my curiosity. Lance still made me all, I don’t know, weird, but in my own room, I felt a little bit more in control of myself.
    He hit the Mute button on the remote and rolled over onto his side, cheek resting against his palm, propping his head up. “Whatcha mean?”
    “Was it your idea to come to the show tonight or your date’s?”
    “Mine.”
    I cocked my head at him. “You ever been to a musical before tonight?”
    “No.”
    “Not even in high school? Maybe junior high?”
    He shook his head slightly. “No. Why?”
    I crossed my arms over my chest. “So why the sudden interest in musicals? Better question, why the sudden interest in the faggot friend of your sister’s boyfriend?”
    He pursed his lips, gaze turning cold. “I don’t like that word.”
    “Which one, musical or faggot?”
    Lance narrowed his eyes as if I’d offended him but didn’t respond.
    “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you and your jock friends don’t use that description all the time. Its use, I’m sure, is in the Macho Jock handbook and mandatory for club members.”
    Yeah, I was being a mean little prick, but really? I knew how guys acted when they all got together, and seeing Lance act like he was the one offended by the derogatory slur just sort of irritated the hell out of me. Actually, I think it wasn’t just his reaction to my word choice but also the uncertainty and confusion I’d been feeling that was finally getting to me. It just rather bubbled up to the surface at that moment. Straight dudes do not suddenly start liking musicals and following around gay dudes for no reason. I didn’t believe his story about wanting to get to know me because of Katie and Bo, and if he wasn’t gay, was he setting me up for some kind of prank? Perhaps a bashing?
    Lance sat up, feet on the floor, and glared at me. “Well, I don’t,” he said adamantly. “Why are you acting like such an asshole?”
    I glared right back. “Why are you here?”
    Lance’s shoulders slumped and he looked down at the floor. “I told you, I just—”
    “Cut the bullshit. There is more to it than just wanting to get to know me because your sister is dating my friend, and if there isn’t, that’s some scary mafia kind of shit. You plan to make me an offer I can’t refuse? Horse head in my bed if I don’t keep my friend in line?”
    Lance chuckled at that and lifted his head. “Uh, no.”
    “That’s a relief. So….”
    Lance flopped back on the bed, shifting until he was in the same position as before, head propped up on his hand. “You telling me there’s some reason I shouldn’t want to get to know you?”
    “Please! I’m fabulous. But in my experience, straight jocks aren’t usually smart enough to figure that out.” I ruffled my damp hair as I rolled my eyes. “Must be all