The Stepfather (MxM) ✓

Chapter 5

It really wasn't turning out to be my day, and I had only been conscious for two hours. There were a handful of people I knew in this country, and I had come here with them. None of them had called my name, and I knew that they hadn't. Because there was no mistaking that voice.

Squeaky had come through on his promise of I'll see you later.

Didn't people just say that to be polite? It didn't mean that they were actually going to follow through on that, right?

Maybe that was an American thing.

Surely enough, the guy that I had met last night was weaving his way through the crowd to get to me.

I didn't get to even glance at who he was with before he decided to just abandon them, but I didn't envy them.

"Thought that you weren't going to stalk me," I deadpanned the moment he came close enough, brow raised at the more than amused grin he had splayed over his features.

"I saw you, you didn't see me. I said hi, end of story. There's no stalking involved there."

"Actually you didn't say hi, you yelled my name multiple times and trotted over to me," I corrected with a pointed look.

Austin just laughed at that, drawing Violet's attention to the fact that I was talking to someone.

Not that I looked particularly happy to be talking with Austin, but it was difficult to tell the difference the majority of the time anyway. I knew I could be a crank most of the time, at least I owned up to it.

"Sam? Who's your friend?" she sounded a little unsure of the situation, as though Austin had stopped by to ask the time or directions.

"I'm Austin," he piped up and jutted out his hand.

So ridiculously polite.

Violet grinned, instantly sold, and shook it, obviously surprised by his general manner and cheerful disposition.

"Sam and I met yesterday," he informed her with a dazzling smile, one of which had to have gotten him out of a hell of a lot of sticky situations before.

A light bulb seemed to go off in Violet's head, and to this day I still have to figure out whether it was because she wanted to pass me off to someone else again, or if she actually wanted me to make a friend.

Whatever it was, she was far too quick to suggest that I go off with Austin rather than tag along with them.

Austin, being the complete eager puppy that he had proven himself to be, jumped onto that option more than enthusiastically – tugging me off in a different direction the moment Violet passed over some money.

Hey, at least I now had dollars.

"You're in luck," Austin huffed, breaking me out of my daze as he insistently yanked on the arm that I eventually just pulled from his grasp. "I am a fucking fashion guru."

"You're gay, aren't you?"

He grinned, shaking his head.

"Please, I'm as straight as a pole. I like boobs too much. Don't go around stereotyping everyone, Sammy" he paused and suddenly turned serious, as though he might have offended me, "why? Are you gay? 'Cause if you are I am more than okay with it..."

"Come on, are we shopping or what?" I grumbled instead, finally allowing him to have his way in the matter.

"Sam, come out of there," Austin scolded me from outside the changing rooms.

It was the fifth shop that we had gone to, and we had yet to come to an agreement on anything.

I wanted a plain belt, he wanted me to get one with studs.