Page 57 of The Exception

And fitting in with Sonya’s friends felt much more important than bonding with some asshole who happened to sign up for the same course as he did. He wasn’t going to analyze why.

“Dylan and I live out there,” Josh said. He turned Lucia to look at the view, pointing at a bird landing on the water. “Adam’s in the suburbs. ”

Trav nodded. “Man, there’s nothing like being on the water after you’ve spent a few years in a desert.”

Dylan laughed and held up his cup. “I’ll bet.”

“Come out with Sonya sometime,” Josh said. “You surf?”

Trav shook his head. “Never learned, but there’s always time.”

“So, Trav,” Adam said, taking a much different tone than the other two.

Trav’s shoulders straightened. Adam took a long pull from his beer, then set it down on the side of the grill with a little more force than necessary. He crossed his arms over his chest and tipped his chin. “What are your intentions with Sonya?”

“Um…” Trav glanced at Josh, for no other reason than a gut feeling that he was the diplomat of the group and he might have an ally there, but Josh just shrugged and settled into a deck chair, bouncing Lucia on his knee.

Apparently, Trav had walked right into an ambush led by a guy in swim trunks and a t-shirt that said “It’s beer-o’clock somewhere.”

“I don’t really have any intentions,” he said.

Lie.He’d had intentions since he first saw her, and these three must have already sniffed it out despite the friend zone he’d agreed to stay in.

And hehadagreed.

He scratched at his head. “I mean, we work together. She’s kind of my boss, so things can’t really go, um, in that direction. Or, you know, my intentions can only be, um, one way. Pure, or whatever.”

Pure? Jeez, Trav.Was this rambling supposed to convince Adam or himself? He really sucked at this.

“Uh huh,” Adam replied like he didn’t buy it for a minute.

“Sonya’s a good friend,” Trav said, trying again. “As I’m sure you all know. I’m just happy to have her to hang with. I promise that’s the whole truth.”

Adam slapped some meat on the grill, the grease making an ominous hiss. Dylan rubbed at his mouth, avoiding eye contact.

“So I guess you plan on staying in your own room tonight, then. Right?” Adam asked, eyes on the sizzling meat.

Trav sputtered, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Finally, Josh burst into a laugh. “For fuck’s sake, Adam. Really?”

Adam’s face broke into a goofy grin and Dylan nearly sprayed his drink, doubling over.

Trav cracked a tentative smile, relief washing over him. He gestured with his bottle to Josh and Dylan. “Did he pull this with you two?”

Dylan wiped beer from his chin. “Come to think of it, no. It was Sonya who pulled it. I’m still not actually sure she approves of me and Dani.”

Trav laughed, remembering what Sonya had said that night at the bar about Dylan, and the fact that he was currently drinking beer from a Solo cup.

They all turned to Josh. He shrugged. “Same. Though, she took to me a lot quicker than she did Dylan.”

“They always do,” Dylan muttered. “You know, I thought I gave Sonya a hard time, but you get the gold medal.”

Trav chuckled, thinking about the fiery look in Sonya’s eyes every time he got under her skin.

“She gives it right back in spades.”

“She does,” Dylan agreed. “Even though we get on each other’s nerves a lot of the time, she’s a good friend, so whatever she needs you to be for her, don’t half ass it. She’s already been there and she deserves better.”

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