Page 6 of Hearts of Fairlake

"Until he did," I said with a frown. "I never did find out what made him finally shut the hell up and leave me alone."

"Oh, you know the answer to that," Adam said, flashing a smile toward Amber when she finally peeked out from my neck to look around the room.

I thought about that for a moment. "Wait, Devin?"

"Do we know anyone else who could get on Chase's case enough to make him stop doing something?" Adam asked, grinning when Amber reached out with a free hand to grab hold of his. "Hi, sweet girl, feeling better?"

She nodded, still feeling quiet from the looks of things, but there was a brightness back in her eyes as I watched them. "I don't remember that."

"Probably because you're not the one who told on him."

"Wait, let me get this right...youtattled on Chase."

"Mhmm."

"To Devin."

"That I did."

"So that Chase would stop making fun of me because I had an emotional moment over Colin going to headstart?"

"Anunderstandableemotional reaction," Adam corrected. "Amber, you want a little snack?"

Her eyes brightened, and she immediately began wiggling in my arms. I gratefully put her down and shook my head. "So, you tattled."

"I told Devin, pointing out that while Chase had a good heart, he could sometimes be an ass, and while you weren't making a big deal about it, I knew it bothered you when he kept bringing it up. Devin agreed that Chase was being an ass and said he would take care of it because he knew full well that the only other person who could make him stop was you...and you're too stubborn to admit he's hurting your feelings."

"That...is not a completely incorrect summary," I said witha frown. "But I take issue with it all the same. I can tell Chase stuff."

"You can tell Chase things when you think it's something he needs to hear," Adam pointed out as he allowed himself to be led toward the fridge. "But you're not all that great about deciding what he should know when it comes to you. And I get it. You've always had a thick skin, and that's one of the things he loves about you, but it also means he can go too far, and because you're you, you don't let him know."

"See, now I feel like an ass," I said with a huff. "Like it looks like I sicced Devin on him."

"But you didn't, I did."

"Which is worse. Because it means you felt like you had to do it instead of just saying something to me."

"Probably because when it comes to you and Chase, things are always a little weird."

I leaned back in surprise, frowning at him. "Just because we were..." I glanced at Amber and cleared my throat. "Sort of a thing that wasn't a thing doesn't make a difference to our friendship."

Adam waited until Amber picked out what she wanted, which turned out to be carrots and hummus, before helping her into her chair and setting her up for the quick snack. "That sort of thingalwaysaffects any relationship, and yes, even friendships."

"Nice of you to bring up that you feel that way now...years later."

He glanced at me, his brow furrowed. "Probably because I never thought it needed to be brought up. I thought it was obvious."

"Clearly not," I huffed. "Since it's still existing freely in your head."

Adam's frown deepened as he stood up. "Bennett...it doesn't exist freely in my head. I don't want to speak forDevin, but I'm pretty confident that neither he nor I care about your and Chase's shared past. You two needed someone, and you found that in each other. If anything, I'm eternally grateful he was there to pick up the slack that I abandoned and could give you at least partially what you needed."

I was still annoyed, but I was starting to feel just a little ridiculous at my reaction, which really wasn't helping my irritation very much. "Look, I just...I don't know what, actually. I heard you bringing up shit from years ago and got a little?—"

He smiled at that, reaching to take me by the elbow and pull me closer. "You got uncharacteristically irritable because you're insanely sleep-deprived, and once again, your sleep was interrupted because your blockhead of a husband forgot to warn Bri you were trying to get some sleep."

Now it was my turn to sigh, shoulders sagging as I let him pull me closer. "Something like that...does that mean I can call you a blockhead now?"

He chuckled, kissing me on the temple gently. "Absolutely. It's a title I earned."

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