Honeymoon for One

by Keira Andrews

He usually just laughed agreeably and hoped no one was asking him a question.

Why would Michael want me when there are guys that look like Todd? It was easier to think about the ways he’d failed to physically measure up than to consider the ways he might have failed as a person.

But your life isn’t over, okay?” “You’re right. I know.” Ethan hung his head, even if he didn’t quite believe his own words, he knew he couldn’t say things like that without scaring people. After he’d spiraled into depression, he’d learned that much.

Michael nodded. “And you hate the Greyhound.” Resentment bubbled up, bitter on Ethan’s tongue as he spat, “Yeah, I do. You know me so well, right? Guess what else I hate? Cheating liars. Somehow you missed that over the years?”

Barb had always said he was a catch. Although she hadn’t stuck around, so maybe he shouldn’t take her word for it.

He laughed at himself. The dude had been nice to him for, like, five minutes, and Ethan had built it into a fling in his head already. He really was pathetic.

Ethan had seemed so mortified when he’d first come on the bus and there’d been the misunderstanding. Clay had been afraid the lad would burst into tears, but he’d rallied.

Queensland refused to get on board with daylight savings, which of course led to confusion with two time zones in the east. It was a pain in the arse.

Ethan laughed genuinely, and Clay almost wanted to call him pretty when he smiled like that. Strange to think of a bloke that way.

I chose to come alone. If I’m lonely, that’s my fault. Clay isn’t my friend, he’s just been kind. And he’s sure as hell not more than a friend.

Everything he thought he’d known was garbage, and now here he was again, thinking he’d been getting to know Clay only to have the rug pulled out. Maybe he did get to know me, and he didn’t like what he found. Maybe I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to be around me.

The numbness had started to lessen thanks to Clay, and now Ethan just hurt. What did I do wrong?

Clay sucked in a breath, fury quick on the heels of his horror. Oh, to get in a room alone with those two arseholes. He’d pack a wallop.

“Fair dinkum, mate. I may be a banana bender from the back of beyond, but I enjoy a little culture.”

Ethan asked, “Did you say ‘banana bender’? Did I hear right?” “Yep. It’s an old term for a Queenslander. Not the most flattering.” “Also sounds super gay.”