Page 59 of After the Storm

“I talked to my friend Levina today and she said she knew Beck. Did you know that?” Okay so I already know that he knows but I couldn’t tell him that part without telling him what we were talking about. He freezes, face dropping, like I brought up a forbidden topic.

“Levina McKay?” he asks and his face is spun with shock. I pull my eyebrows together, squinting at him in confusion.

“Yes? The one who moved away.” His eyes go wide.

“Shit,” he blurts out, recoiling. “Yeah. I know they knew each other,” he admits. This is weird because first she didn’t want to talk about it and now Roman looks like he’s seen a ghost.

“Why do I feel like there’s a story everyone knows about but me?” I ask, raising a brow at him.

“There isn’t,” he says coolly, shutting me down.

“Did you and her…” I trail off because I don’t know exactly what I want to ask but I know this has raised suspicions. Everyone’s acting so damn weird.

“No! No no no. There’s shit with her and Beck that I’m sworn to secrecy on but nothing ever happened with me and her,” he corrects.

“Oh thank God.” I huff in relief. A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth.

“Jealous over me, Auds?” he asks, popping a brow at me. I roll my eyes, walking over and sitting on my bed.

“Yeah. I don’t want to share you,” I admit.

“I’ve been yours since I met you, baby. You never have to share.” Blush pricks at my cheeks. He comes over to the bed and throws himself on his back next to me.

“Can we talk about when we should tell Ares?” he asks, turning over to face me. I lay down, facing him as well.

“Yeah we can talk about it.” His face lights up like a kid coming downstairs on Christmas morning.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. When do you have in mind?” I ask him, running my fingers through his loose curls.

“I don’t have a date in mind. As soon as possible I guess. I don’t think I can pretend to not feel this way much longer.”

“Okay, then we’ll tell him soon. Give me a chance to talk to my mom first. She’s on a trip now but when she gets home I’ll talk to her.”

“You’re going to tell your mom about me?”

“Yes, I’m going to tell my mom about us.”

“Can I stay here tonight, since she isn’t here?” he asks.

“I was hoping you would.”

Chapter24

Roman

For as long asI can remember, the college kids in Doves Harbor have had a bonfire on the beach at the end of summer.

I think the tradition started off with students who actually attend Doves Harbor University but as long as I’ve known about it, it’s just been all the college age kids in town. Sometimes people out of college or even high schoolers slip through the bars. Tonight is the night of the bonfire for DHU. Normally it’s not something I’d go to but Ares and Ravyn asked Audra to go and she told me she’d feel better if I was there. What can I say, I can’t tell my girl no.

Beck sits in the passenger seat of my Jeep and I’ve spent so much time with Audra lately it’s weird seeing someone else in the passenger seat. He yanks the aux cord out of my hand and plays his own music.

“You could have just asked, dick,” I grumble. He shoots me the world’s cheeriest smile.

“Someone needs to fuck with you.” He shrugs.

The drive isn’t long considering Doves Harbor itself is pretty small. Beck blares his music and I know I’ve got it bad when the entire time, I wish it was Audra’s music instead. Still, I will myself to bob my head and get myself in the mood to party. As I park up at the parking lot across from the beach, Beck starts gathering his things.

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