Page 53 of Just This Once

“Okay, alright. Damn. I’m sorry. I just—shit. She’s trying to call. I gotta go.”

“Fine. Talk later.”

He paused. Then asked, “You okay?”

I sniffed. “I’ll still answer the next time you call, if that’s what you’re asking.” When he didn’t reply, I added, “I’m fine. It’s all good. Just go.”

“Right. Okay. Bye.”

As soon as he hung up, I blew out a breath and closed my eyes, feeling like shit. He’d never talk to me again if he knew I had Nova’s current number in my phone. I hadn’t texted her in a good nine months, though. She was probably due another check-in from me, just to make sure she wasn’t in dire straits.

But it felt too much like a betrayal to Thane to text her right now. So I tossed the phone down and wiped two hands over my face.

I hated how much her abandonment still ate at him to this day. I wished he’d just move on already. But he’d loved her—more than he’d loved anyone—and I had a bad feeling he’d never feel that kind of spark again.

Which was reason number one why I was never falling in love. Fuckinglovecould break a person harder than anything else out there.

Except thinking that made me remember—shit—I’d totally forgotten to ask Thane for advice about Langston.

But I couldn’t call back now, not after he’d pretty much told me that he thought the guys and I took up too much of his time and attention. And it was kind of true. I always turned to him first when I needed something.

So I guess it was time that I grew up and figured out my own problems.

Alright then. I was going to tell Alec all about his sister’s latest antics.

13

PARKER

When I pulled up to Archer House that evening, an unfamiliar orange Nissan Rogue was parked at the curb behind Foster’s blue Dodge and in front of Hudson’s black Challenger. With no place left for me, I had to drive another block down before finding a free spot.

Faith and Ivey were each carrying a box from the house as I strolled up.

“Yo, Ohrley,” Hudson greeted. “Pop the trunk for me, will you, man?”

Twisting, he flashed me his hip so I’d see his keys hanging half out of the side pocket of his jeans.

“You sure you can afford my fee?” I asked as I snagged the fob and pressed the trunk button.

He chuckled. “Doubt it.” Then he set his box inside before taking Faith’s load from her arms and dropping that in next. After shutting the trunk again, he dusted his hands off and grinned when I tossed the keys back to him. “Thanks.”

“What’re you doing anyway?” I asked.

Slipping his arm around Faith’s shoulders to rest against her, he said, “Just clearing out the last of my things.”

“Xander’s moving in tonight,” Faith supplied as the three of us started up the walk together to the front door. “She’s inside right now.”

“Really?” I glanced back to realize there were some boxes in the back of Foster’s truck; probably his cousin’s shit. “Dugger started humping her leg yet?”

Hudson laughed. “Not yet, but he’s drooling quite a bit.”

“She’s even prettier in person,” Faith added, sending me a significant look. “And tall. Taller than me.”

“Nice,” I murmured, not even a little interested. I glanced around for Alec’s Cannondale, hoping it was in sight, but he usually kept his mountain bike in the garage, so I didn’t spot it.

I followed the other two inside, planning to hunt him down in his room and talk to him privately without all these other busybodies around. But he was loitering nervously in the front room as I stepped inside.

When he spotted me, his expression filled with leery unease, and my gut clenched, hoping he didn’t already know about the conversation I’d had earlier with his sister.

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