Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 176012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
I falter. Huh?
“And definitely not together,” Jax chimes in.
Madoc nods. “Yeah, definitely not together.”
What?
I dart my eyes to Lucas again, who draws in a long breath before shifting on his feet.
That’s why they’re here?
“It’s four o’clock in the morning,” I point out.
Jax sits up. “We—”
“Four o’clock…” I bite out, swiping up my spoon again. “In the morning.” Do they have any idea how crazy this looks?
I snap my gaze to Lucas. “You told them?”
How else would they have known I worked out with Noah and Farrow last night?
His eyes go wide. “I—”
But Madoc interjects. “Everyone knew except us,” he barks, shooting out of his chair and bringing me his phone.
He hands it to me, and I see Farrow, Noah, and me online, doing pushups. Lucas and his friend hover in the periphery, lifting weights but watching.
I cock an eyebrow at Madoc. This is what drove them to my house in the middle of the night?
I click on the comments, the first one saying #foreplay. It has eighty-nine likes.
I grit my teeth, recognizing the username. Dylan…
And everyone has seen the video. Everyone in town, anyway.
Customers seeing me splashed online in my tight clothes, seemingly flirting with two young guys…
I shove the phone back at Madoc. Turning, I grind the beans and start the coffee maker. “Hunter is very close to Farrow,” I explain calmly, “and Dylan is very close to Noah.”
If they’re good enough as their kids’ friends…
“Noah and Farrow aren’t trying to sleep with them,” Madoc points out.
I clench my teeth so hard my jaw aches. “I can make competent decisions.”
“And men like them,” Jax snaps, “are very good at making sure they’re the decisions beautiful young women make.”
“Good thing they weren’t in high school with you guys,” I choke out, but don’t look over my shoulder because Jared is being unusually quiet, and I’m afraid of why. “The competition would’ve been fierce.”
“Cute,” Madoc sneers. Then he moves away from me. “And what were you doing? Watching the whole time?”
I watch him charge for Lucas, who frowns. “Who brought her home?” he retorts. “I got rid of Farrow, didn’t I?”
He got rid of Farrow?
He’s why Farrow left all of a sudden?
But Madoc just keeps going. “I’ll deal with him.” Then he jerks his chin at Jared. “And you set Noah straight.”
I dig in my heels, coming around the island. “Don’t talk to Noah about anything!” I fire back, but my chin still trembles. “I mean it!”
Noah loves Jared. I won’t have him feeling like he did anything to disappoint him.
They sit there, and I resist the urge to look at Lucas. If he sees the little amount of water in my eyes that always happens when I get upset, he’ll pity me.
I gaze around at them, one by one, not really remembering when I first learned that Jared and Madoc’s lives sucked as kids because of my parents. But I do remember the moment I felt that I wanted to be a good sister. That I wanted to be worth it.
Opening my mouth, I try to think of what to say to get everyone level again. To calm the situation, get them to trust me, and make them happy all at the same time, but… I just shake my head. “I have work.” I exhale. “I’m not interested in Noah or Farrow.”
I twist around, back to the counter, and dig out a coffee cup. I slam it down on the counter, more frustrated with myself than them now. What do they think they can do if I want to date someone they don’t like? Ground me?
But I’m always the one to end the tension because I don’t want them mad at me.
I know they want the best for my life. They wanted me to be the one sibling who had the charmed childhood, so they could live vicariously, but don’t they see? It was in all of the trouble where they found out what they were made of.
My throat grows thick with tears. I barely know who I am. I always do what I’m told.
Jared still hasn’t spoken. He feels a million miles away right now.
I wait for the machine, not bothering to turn around when I hear them slowly leave the table and traipse down the hall to the garage. They close the door, and seconds later, I hear their cars start.
Someone moves at my side, and I eye Lucas as he reaches into the cabinet behind my head.
I guess I was right, after all. He didn’t stay close last night because he wanted to. He did it because he still sees me as a little girl.
“You used to be my friend,” I tell him, braver with him than with my brothers. “You used to have my back while I was growing up.” I jerk my chin toward the hallway where my brothers just disappeared. “Now you take their side?”