Page 25 of Working Out West

Wreck stood, my eyes widened, and I looked behind me to make sure the area was clear for me to run.

“Wade,” Lucas called. Only Lucas could call Wreck by his real name, since they were practically married to one another. Lucas circled his hand around Wreck’s wrist. Well, not all the way around, since his partner was a big, scary bastard. I adored the guy deep down, though, because he treated my friend like Lucas was Bella to his Edward. “Sit down. You’re scaring him.” Wreck sat while Lucas carried on speaking. “And it’ll be me who beats him for being the worst friend in the universe.” Wreck pulled his chair in, smirking. Lucas clicked his fingers in front of me, and as soon as I looked back at him, he said, “You can talk to me at any time for anything, no matter how happy I am.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I… I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have included you, but I’m confused, and…” I glanced at Wreck and then away, down to my plate of pasta. “I’m already putting you both out enough with moving in here.” I shrugged, then cried out, “Ouch, Jesus.” I moved back to rub my shin where Lucas had kicked. “What did you do that for?”

“You’re not putting us out,” he bit out. “Like I’ve said, the house is huge. There’s enough room for the three of us.”

I nodded.

Wreck stood, then bent to kiss Lucas quickly before picking up his plate. “I’m not leaving because of you. Get shit off your chest by telling Lucas,” Wreck ordered and walked out of the room.

Lucas watched him and sighed lovingly with a small smile on his lips. He faced me again and frowned. “Did I do something that said you couldn’t come to me?”

“No!” I swiped a hand at the back of my neck. “I honestly just thought that I didn’t want to burden you with anything because you’re so happy.”

“Well, now you know I want to know and that I will always be here for you no matter the moment. Spill.”

“Okay.” I nodded, pushing the plate away.

Lucas’s lips pinched. “You didn’t eat enough.”

“I’m not hungry.” The thought of the conversation we were about to have had taken away the hunger I’d felt.

Lucas glared. “I’ll make you something later when we study.”

“Deal.” Leaning back in the seat, I started, “A main reason I went to Kylo, and only him, was because I hoped he would be in the same situation as I was in.” I gave him a sad smile. “I fucked up with work.”

Lucas’s brows dipped, and he cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

I grabbed the bottle of beer and took a long drink from it before I rested it back on the table and crossed my arms over my chest. In a way, I wanted to tell Lucas, as I didn’t want to hide it from him, but I still felt like a fool for catching feelings.

“West, are you okay?” Lucas asked softly.

Lifting my gaze, I nodded. “Yeah, yes… I’m a mess because I’m an idiot. I did the one thing I shouldn’t have and got feelings for a client. Adrik… he’s…” I smiled to myself, but then shook my head. “…grumpy, curt, but nice, sweet, handsome. He also has a Russian accent. Nothing I expected on my first job.” I shrugged. “Maybe that was it… him being my first client, but from the first meeting, I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Seriously, I thought about him all the time.” I leaned forward. “Lucas, we haven’t even kissed, and I turned into a lovesick puppy over the man.”

“Did he… are you and him…?”

“Nothing. We’re nothing because I ended it after only seeing him a few times. I ended the gig because I had to protect my heart and knew he wouldn’t want me for anything more than my time to keep him company.” I grazed my top teeth over my bottom lip. “He seemed lonely, Lucas. So lonely, and maybe that was another reason I was stuck on him. We matched. Before meeting you, and now Kylo, I didn’t have anyone I could call a friend. Yes, we had the others we caught up with through college, but to me, they were only acquaintances.”

“I agree,” he said.

“I had to end things.”

“It sounds like you made the right choice.”

“Then why do I feel like running back to his place and seeing him?”

Lucas smiled sadly. “You miss him.”

It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway. Shaking my head, I moved on. “Anyway, it was when I spoke to Kylo about what I should do about the client, when he blurted out about Saint. I was sure it was to make me feel better.” I chuckled halfheartedly. Thinking of Adrik had my mind locking on to him, and even then, I wanted to see him.

I missed him, which made no sense since I hardly knew him.

“How about we go get our books, and while we study, you can eat one of those chocolate muffins I made.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I smiled, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. I felt too twisty on the inside for anything real. It was ridiculous and something a teenager would be like after a breakup. I hadn’t broken up with anyone, really, so I was acting this way for nothing. I had to stop.

I had to.

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