Page 24 of Working Out West

“That sounds great. I’ve been worried that if any professors or doctors found out I worked at Polished, my career would be down the drain before it even started.”

“Speaking of. You two need to scat. I love you visiting, but you both need to study, and I need some beauty sleep, or I’ll never heal and perform for Saint.”

Lucas screwed up his face and covered his ears with his hands. “That’s my cue to go. Besides, we have to get West moved in.”

“We what?” was roughly snarled from the doorway.

Lucas was up out of his seat and across the room in seconds. He wrapped his arms around Wreck and beamed up at him. “We have a new roommate. Isn’t it wonderful? West is staying with us for however long he wants while we finish our studies.”

Wreck’s jaw clenched, and his eyes lasered across the room to both Kylo and me before he looked back down at Lucas, who was still smiling. “Great,” he grumbled.

A bang on my bedroom door had me jumping and screaming. It opened, and in it stood Lucas’s man, Wreck. “Dinner.”

I glared, then stretched from leaning over a medical textbook. “You scared the crap out of me, Wreck.”

His stare reminded me of Adrik. Like a lot of things did.

“Dinner,” Wreck stated again.

“I was just going to grab something later—”

“Now,” he bit out before he turned and stomped away. He was a big, scary, but good-looking guy. It still surprised me that my best friend, who was trim, short, and bubbly, had won him over. Even managed to turn a straight guy his way. Seriously, it was something I’d only heard about in books. But Wreck was walking proof that it could happen.

I placed the textbook aside. For my own safety, I’d listen to Wreck and go and eat dinner. I’d only been living with them for a couple of days, and it felt more like home than any other place had. Even when I lived with my parents. It had a lot to do with Lucas.

“West,” the man cheered as I walked into the dining room. “We need to keep our strength up while we study. How about later we bring our books out here and do it together?”

“Do what together?” Wreck clipped, coming from the kitchen with three bottles of beer.

Lucas rolled his eyes but smiled up at his man. “Study.” He glanced back to me.

I nodded, taking a bite of the pasta in front of me. “Sounds good,” I said around a mouthful. I hadn’t realized I was so hungry. “Have you heard from Kylo or Saint? I texted Kylo before but haven’t got a response yet.”

He nodded. “I spoke to Saint, and he said Kylo’s been resting a lot. I still can’t believe what happened to Kylo. Thank God he’s okay.”

My stomach twisted. “I know, same.”

“But I also can’t believe thatmybrother is dating a guy,” Lucas said.

“I know,” I drew out, and then winced when they both stared at me.

“You knew before the hospital?” Lucas accused.

“Um—”

“You did. When, how, why didn’t you say anything?”

Wreck raised a brow at me, and I had a feeling if I didn’t give his man my answers in seconds, to stop the hurt look on his face, I was about to be hurt myself.

“I only found out that day,” I rushed out. “I met him at a café to talk, and he told me—”

“Why wasn’t I invited?” he demanded.

Wreck’s fisted hands dropped to the table, and he scooted his chair back a little.

I near pissed myself. “Because I was depressed, and I didn’t want to dump my shit on you and your happy little bubble with Wreck.”

“Are you serious?” Lucas snapped.

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