Page 59 of Drop Three

Sounds riveting.

I text her so that I don’t forget.

Navy:Hey, bitch. Let’s shop for gala dresses together. I know you miss me.

Kodi:HA! I do, but I’m enjoying your brother too ;) When?

Navy:Gag me.

Navy:Sunday? Brunch and the mall?

Kodi:Sounds perfect.

Fabulous. Now that a day dedicated to shopping is planned, I can finalize the last few details and text Briggs.

Well, first, I need to gather some courage…and then I’ll text him.

17

BODHI

“You seem brighter today.”

I smirk at Dr. Banks. “I wouldn’t go that far, Doc.”

Her face couldn’t be more earnest if she tried. “I think the fact that you’re laughing and making fun proves my judgment is correct.”

“Maybe,” I say.

I wouldn’t say I’m brighter, maybe less stressed.

I’m lucky enough to say there haven’t been many roadblocks this last month hindering my progress. Triggering my anxiety, I should say.

Although I knew Navy moving into the house would be challenging given my previousfeelings for her—maybe not so previous—but that doesn’t matter anymore. I never realized the fucking peace I’d feel from witnessing her safety with my own two eyes.

It’s one thing to be told something and another to witness it firsthand.

I’ve watched Navy slowly settle into a routine. Her alarm goes off at seven every morning, and I’m already awake, getting my workout in earlier, so I hear her shuffling around while I make breakfast.

She religiously plays John Mayer softly in the background while she gets ready, music that seems to invigorate her in the morning.

The melodies of the songs filter through the dull echoes of the house. The rest of the guys sleep like dead rocks, so I know for a fact they don’t hear her.

But I do.I hear her every movement—if only I could hear her every thought, too.

By the time Navy makes her way down the stairs to head to work, I make sure her iced coffee is ready for her. Except, she doesn’t know I prepare it for her every morning. I know this because, like clockwork, she walks into the kitchen, grabs a protein bar from the pantry and a banana from the fruit bowl, and then opens the refrigerator door to see her iced coffee ready for her.

She picks up the glass cup and walks to the drawer next to the sink to grab her glass straw before saying, “Kingston is so thoughtful to do this for me. I need to think of a way to repay him.”

I can tell Navy isn’t used to people doing kind things for her, so I don’t want to taint her happiness because I want credit for it.

I’ve studied her for months—I know exactly how she likes things—but she doesn’t need to know that.

Like how I know she prefers sugar over coffee—it should look borderline milky.

She favors Dixon Ticonderoga pencils for sketching. I find chewed-up yellow pencils scattered around the house daily, and Navy doesn’t even realize it. She’s always losing them and searching for more.

Little does she know, I keep them stocked in the side table drawer by the couch.

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