Web of Lies (The Goode Life #2) - Isla Olsen Page 0,42

not really sure what else to respond with.

He nods and then slides his arm from my shoulder before disappearing into the crowd of wedding guests.

I take my opportunity to sneak upstairs and into the room Web’s been assigned for the night. I find the room empty, so I toe off my shoes and slip off my jacket and tie, tossing them onto the bed. I unfasten my collar and roll up my shirtsleeves before sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the door for Web.

I must fall asleep, though, because the next thing I know, I’m being gently shaken awake and I hear Web’s gravelly voice murmuring close to my ear. “Hey, Jess…wake up, babe…”

My eyes slowly flutter open and I sit up, gazing at Web, who looks freakin’ edible. He’s also lost the jacket and tie, and the way his dress shirt is stretching across his broad chest makes me want to just tear it right off him.

“Waiting for me?” he asks, offering a nervous smile.

“I…wanted to talk to you.” Honestly, now that he’s here in front of me, all I want is to drag him down onto this bed and kiss the life out of him.

“Okay…”

“Alright, first I just need you to know I’m not holding a grudge about this anymore. I just…need to know.”

Web’s brows creep up, his expression wary. “Okay…” he says again, his tone much more hesitant this time.

I draw in a steadying breath, pinning him with a level gaze. “Why did you freak out?”

“When?”

“When we were kids. When I told you I was gay.”

His mouth parts in surprise. “I didn’t—”

“Clearly you’re not the homophobe I thought you were,” I rush on. “And I know you never wigged out on Slater when he came out. Why me, then?”

He rakes a hand through his hair in clear frustration. “Jesus. Jess, that was never about you. That was about me.”

“What are you taking about?” I ask curiously.

“Look, you know I’m…weird—”

“You’re not weird,” I growl.

“Well, I’ve had twenty years of thinking that, so it’s a little hard to stop!” he cries, throwing his hands up. He takes a moment to compose himself, letting his eyes fall closed as he draws in a breath. Finally, he opens his eyes, pinning me with an intense gaze. “It never mattered to me that you’re gay,” he says with conviction. “I mean, to be honest, I kind of suspected it for a while before you told me…”

“So, why…?” I don’t understand. Why did he always get all nervous and uncomfortable whenever I mentioned a cute guy or a celebrity I found attractive? Why did he start pushing me away?

Web thrusts a hand through his dark hair, clearly agitated. “It’s hard to explain. For a while before you came out I thought I was gay, too. I thought I must have been, considering how I felt about you.” He pauses for a moment, glancing away. There’s a look of intense vulnerability on his face that makes me want to get up and wrap my arms tightly around him. I have a feeling he needs some distance right now, though, so I just sit there and let him talk. “But then you came out and I realized how different we were. You were always talking about guys you thought were hot and who you wanted to kiss and what else you wanted to do. But I wasn’t interested in any of that,” he admits. “The only person I had any interest in was you. And I couldn’t understand how that could possibly be when I felt no attraction whatsoever toward anyone else.” He pauses, shaking his head. “I didn’t even really like jerking off all that much. It wasn’t normal…”

“Webster—”

He cuts me off with a hard look. “You asked me to explain and I’m explaining.”

I nod and gesture for him to continue.

“It did make me uncomfortable whenever you talked about guys you liked. But it had nothing to do with you being gay. For what it’s worth, I’ve always wished I’d had the courage to tell you how I felt about you earlier.”

“So you really did…like me?”

“Jesse, I was in love with you,” he admits in a harsh whisper.

I feel the breath knocked out of me as the words pierce me through the heart. As my mind scrambles for purchase, all I get is one thought.

“So…the letter. What you wrote…it was the truth. You lied when you said it was a joke.”

It wasn’t a question, but I wait for Web to respond anyway.