Page 44 of Midnight Muse

I sigh, trying not to let the frustration I’m feeling lace my words. The last thing I want to be arguing with my best friend about is the boys next door. Make that boys, period. I fumble with the lid of the strawberries, pulling it closer so I have something to focus on instead.

“He’s growing on me,” I admit, and Rory scoffs. “What? I’m trying! We didn’t start out on the best foot with any of them and I’ve only just found out that the two of you have been fucking—” Her nose scrunches in distaste and I have to bite my tongue at the audacity of that. “For who knows how long. But we’ve talked and hung out and I think Ace and I might finally be on the same page.”

“Okay, that might be true, but what about Knox?”

I stare at her incredulously. “What does Knox have to do with this?”

She shoots me the same look back. One that I duck away from.

Fuck.

“Quinn. You hate the guy.”

“Not true,” I say a little too quickly for my liking. I did hate Knox when I first met him, and he’s still not my particular cup of tea, but I’m beginning to think there’s more to him than I once thought. He’s not all dark tattoos and sharp attitude anymore. And, I’ve always found him attractive, if that counts for anything. “If I hated him, I wouldn’t have spent the night at their place last night.”

“Really?”

Double fuck.

I turn the conversation back on Rory because I don’t feel like talking about Knox anymore. What’s going on between us is for us to figure out. That doesn’t mean I can’t be happy and supportive of my best friend. “Ace was just a dick to me at the time and I really didn’t want to like him,” I admit. “And now, walking in on what I did the other night, I feel like shit because my best friend couldn’t even tell me that she was hooking up with our hot neighbor.”

Rory’s answering smile is contagious. I bump her shoulder and she nudges mine back as we burst into giggles, throwing our arms around each other for a tight hug.

“You think he’s hot?”

I roll my eyes, pulling away. “They’re all pretty hot, Ro. I can’t lie about that, even if I wanted to.”

“They are,” she huffs wistfully, handing over the can of whip to me. “It’s not even fair. What are they drinking over there?” She asks and that’s what I’ve been saying! There’s no way they all look that perfect without drinking something. We share a look because we know the liquid on constant flow in the apartment next door is alcohol.

Grinning at each other, I shove a berry into my mouth. “I cannot believe we’ve seen Slate’s dick.”

“I can’t believe he’s built like a fucking statue,” Rory sighs dramatically, spraying a dot of whipped cream on the tip of her finger before licking it off. “Like, he’s literally cut from marble! He’s a Bernini sculpture come to life!”

She needs to stop before I start choking. I’m laughing too hard for it to be safe, but everything she’s saying is true. Slate’s form is impeccable.

I’m happy to have had this conversation with Rory and not let the awkwardness build between us. Arguing over boys is something that I don’t ever want for our relationship. We didn’t even do such silly things when we were in high school.

Rory’s eyes soften. “I’m sorry for not telling you, you know.”

I offer her a strawberry that she accepts with a smile. “I know.”

“So,” she starts with a feisty grin and I’m sure I’m not going to like where this is going. “I’m pretty sure I just heard you say that you think all of our neighbors are hot. Does that mean you think Knox is?—”

A knock on the door interrupts and I’ve never been more grateful. I’m not expecting anyone and from the look on Rory’s face, she’s not either.

Sliding from the stool, I make my way to the door. As far as I know, Knox, Ace, and Slate had all gone to class after the breakfast they made us. I guess it wouldn’t be unusual for Slate to change his mind and come calling the second he gets bored, though.

Pulling the door open, my face falls when I’m met with four sets of stern eyes.

My parents and the Wilson’s stand in the doorway, frowning at me like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar before dinner.

“Mom, dad, hi,” I laugh nervously. Thankfully, I’ve changed out of Knox’s clothes from last night. That would’ve made this situation much worse. “You’re here.”

I’d forgotten this weekend is parent’s weekend, but they’re way early. I expected them to arrive at least mid-day tomorrow.

My father gives me his famous unimpressed look and I have the feeling I’m going to be grounded. “Why aren’t you in class, young lady?”

CHAPTER 15

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