Page 138 of His Hungry Wolf

“It’s kind of far. If you ever turn in your timecard for all of the tutoring you’re doing, I’m sure the football program will reimburse you for it.”

“Unless you’re commuting every day from Florida, I’m sure I can handle it.”

“Okay. I’ll see you then.”

“See you.”

I ended the call and stared at my phone.

“Ouuuuu!” Lou said excitedly. “Quin and Cage sitting in a tree. K I S S I N G.”

“Shut up.”

Lou stuck out his tongue miming a French kiss.

“You’re disgusting,” I said with a smile.

“I’m just proud my Lamp Chop is gonna be gettin’ some fixin’s.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I said still staring down at my phone.

“Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Cage is embarrassed about me seeing his place.”

“I get that.”

I looked up at Lou surprised.

“Why should he be embarrassed? He shouldn’t be embarrassed. Whatever he has has made him who he is and I like him… a lot.”

“Says the guy whose father owns a billion dollar genetics company. And, have you shared that fact with him.”

“I didn’t want to make it an issue. Besides, that’s not my money, it’s my father’s money.”

“No. You just have access to as much of it as you want whenever you want.”

Lou’s words stung. He wasn’t wrong. And, as much as I would like to believe that it didn’t shape me, it did. Just like how Cage grew up had shaped him.

“More important than your family’s ungodly amount of wealth, have you told Cage about the other thing? Because to me, that feels a slight bit more important than being able to charge an airplane to your credit card.”

“It hasn’t come up yet,” I admitted knowing Lou was right.

“Then, maybe you should get on that. Because, he needs to know who he is getting involved with… you know, if he ever grows a pair and asks you out. Or, you ask him out. You know that’s an option, right?”

“He has a girlfriend.”

“From what you’ve told me, I need to ask, does he?”

“He does.”

Lou leaned back and crossed his arms. “Okay.”

“But, you’re right. He might need to know.”

“That’s my Lamp Chop,” Lou said with a sober smile.“And Quin, I know you think of it as a big deal…”

“It is a big deal. Do you know anyone else who has a wolf running around in their head and periodically changes into a room destroying animal?”