Page 12 of Paxton

I laugh again. “Even if he was just dating her, this could’ve happened.”

“Ugh, fine,” she says. “In this case, sure. But in real life? Name one marriage that actually has worked out.”

I part my lips?—

“Don’t say our parents,” she says before I can answer, placing a finger over my lips playfully. “They’re like…unicorns. They don’t count.”

I cock a brow at her as she shifts to face me, her finger still on my lips. Heat blazes in my blood, and it’s all I can do to not suck her finger in my mouth.

“That’s not fair,” I mumble against her.

“It’s so fair,” she says, finally dropping her hand. “Your parents are amazing. And yeah, mine have been together since high school. If anyone could make me believe in true love, it’s probably them. But they’re the exception, not the rule.”

I whistle. “Damn, is this from your past or did Liam really do that much damage?”

She scrunches up her face, the faux offended look so damn adorable. “Liam is an asshole,” she says. “He wasn’t close enough to me to do any damage. We weren’t serious enough for that. You know me. I saw way too many of Mom’s clients go through divorces.” Her eyes go distant, and she shivers. “They were likeshells. Empty, broken shells.”

“I know.” I nod, stretching my arm over the back of the couch. “But you’ve never really been serious enough with anyone to let any real damage happen anyway,” I say.

“Yeah,” she says, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “Liam abandoning me at that concert sure as hell came close.” She glances down at her nails, not meeting my eyes. “If you hadn’t showed up…if you hadn’t found me…”

“Hey,” I say, gently tipping her chin up to meet my eyes. “I’m always here for you,” I say, swallowing hard at the grateful look in her eyes. “And I wouldneverleave you stranded like that. I’ll always find you whenever you need me to.”

Monroe visibly swallows, all laughter and playfulness draining from her eyes, and the energy feels tight between us. Her eyes flash to my mouth for the briefest of seconds and she leans closer?—

And falls against my chest, hugging me tight.

Something inside me deflates, and I mentally chide myself for thinking she’d been about to kiss me. I need to get my shit together,quick.

I wrap an arm around her, pressing my cheek atop her head.

“I don’t know what I did in a past life to deserve a friend like you,” she says, still clinging to me. “But whatever it was, it must’ve been big.” She situates herself against my chest, releasing the hug but staying close. “Probably saved a bunch of puppies from a burning building or something.”

I laugh, my arm curling around her shoulders. “I’m definitely not a prize for all that.”

She shifts to look up at me, a scowl on her face. “Don’t you dare talk about my best friend like that,” she teases. “You’re amazing. And legitimately the reason I’m not homeless right now. You’re worth way more than even a mansion full of puppies.”

I do my best to breathe around the emotion filling my chest.

“Do you want to finish the show?” she asks after I’ve been quiet for a few moments too long. “Or do you want to go to bed?”

Fucking hell, did I want to go bed…withher.

“I’m game to finish it if you are,” I force out the words.

“I’m into it,” she says, shifting back to look at the TV. “Let’s do it.”

“Whatever you want,” I say, scooping up the remote with my free hand and pressing play on the show, relishing the way she feels tucked safely against me, and doing my best to ignore how my dreams feel a hell of a lot more real than they should.

CHAPTER 4

MONROE

Fireworks crackle in the sky,the blues and golds and reds reflecting off the water where we watch the Fourth of July celebration from the upper deck of Clay Kiplin’s boathouse. It’s attached to his property, which is basically Badger party central. The dock extends several feet onto the Penobscot River, the two-story boathouse offering the prime spot to watch the fireworks that Clay sets off from a safe location down the bank.

The upper level of the boathouse is open to the elements but covered with a gazebo-like roof, two fans gently circulating the warm summer air around us. Soft gold lighting illuminates the array of patio furniture that me and my friends and other party-goers currently occupy.

Clay’s house is nestled on the land behind us, packed with more than half the Badgers, most of them and their friends now outside watching the fireworks too.

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