Page 88 of Best Friends for Never

Then Axel turns on his heel—still not sparing me a glance—and marches back out of the room.

Parker hops off the stage, and I scramble after her and Axel.

We skid to a stop when we find him standing in the middle of the entryway, his head tilted toward the ceiling.

“See that?” He points to the hole ripped through the ceiling. Fluffs of pink insulation that look like they’ve been covered in dirt hang out. “That’s—”

“Asbestos.” Parker groans, her hands going to her hips. “Crap. Crap, crap, crap.”

“How bad is it?” I ask, not entirely following along. I know how to use a hammer just enough to get me in trouble, but beyond that, I’m out of my element, and I have no idea what any of this means other than there’s a hole that shouldn’t be there.

“See those nasty gray and brown spots up there? Where it’s not all bright pink? It means we’re going to have to pause and get a team in here and make sure there isn’t more anywhere else,” Axel explains. “Will probably set us back a few days.”

“And cost us several grand.” She sighs, and I want to step up and comfort her, but I know she doesn’t need my rescuing right now. Or my distractions.

“Hey,” I say, tugging on her elbow.

She turns to me, her eyes full of worry, and I hate it so damn much. I wish she’d just let me help. Let me give her the money to finish this place exactly how she wants with no sacrifices, but I can’t do that either.

“I’m going to head out. Let you and your business partner get this settled, okay?”

She smiles softly. “Okay. I’m sorry. It’s just ...” She waves her hand toward the mess she’s just discovered.

“See you tonight?” I ask, and she nods. I move to press a kiss to her forehead, but when I catch Axel watching us from the corner of my eye, I change my mind.

Instead, I step back and give her an awkward wave, then head back to the theater to grab our trash.

I’m just about back to the entryway when I hear unmistakable muffled voices through the door.

I pause, listening in even though I know I shouldn’t.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“Really? Because it looks like you two are dating.”

“And what if we are?” Parker challenges Axel.

I grin, able to imagine her clearly. I bet her shoulders are pressed back, and her chin is pushed up, just begging him to keep questioning her.

“Then that’s your business, I guess. But I’m just saying, I remember what happened before when he left, which hewilldo again.”

“I know how it was, Axel. I was there too. I lived it.”

Fucking hell. The pain in her voice ... It’s not what I expected. My heart was fucking crushed when I left and I realized Parker was never coming out to LA. But I had people to distract me and pull me out of it. I had a shiny new town to explore. Parker had what she’s always had, and I can imagine living here with reminders of us all around had to be tough.

I hate that I hurt her, but I can’t go back and change the past, no matter how badly I want to.

“I know,” he says. “I know. I just ... Fuck, Park, I just want the best for you, all right? You’ve had enough heartbreak between your dad leaving and Noel leaving. I don’t want to see you go through that again.”

“AndIdon’t want to go through that again, but this is my decision.”

Axel doesn’t respond immediately. Then he sighs. “I’ll respect that. Just ... don’t forget, okay?”

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

I kick open the door, announcing my presence, and Parker jumps, but not Axel.

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