Page 24 of Until the End

Then I put my phone back on the side of the pool and relax into the evening sunshine. Whatever comes next, I will be okay. I’ll make sure of it.

Chapter 15

Carson

“I’m surprised you’re not with Ginny tonight,” Ryan says. The video game controller clicks as he presses a blurring combination of buttons. Michael responds with his own attack, their two cartoon characters fighting across the television screen. I lost spectacularly to Ryan a minute ago. He’s annoyingly good at this game.

“I asked if she wanted to hang out, but she said she was meeting with one of her song guys to help her with a new album.”

“It’s good to hear she’s writing again. Maybe it’ll help her work through everything that happened,” Michael says.

“I hope so. I’m not sure I can see that faraway look on her face anymore. It makes me want to hug her and simultaneously punch that jerk in the face.” Ryan grunts. He’s not typically aggressive in any way, but when it comes to the Weasel, we’re all capable of doing things we wouldn’t normally do.

“Fuck,” Michael curses, while Ryan snickers at him. “One of these days, I will beat you.”

“It hasn’t happened in fifteen years… I highly doubt it will in the next fifteen.”

Michael shoves Ryan across the couch, much to Ryan’s amusement. They start another round, their expressions less severe than the last time.

“Did I tell you that Addie broke her arm the other day?” Ryan asks. His middle sister, Adalaide, is an absolute spitfire. She’s a no-holds-barred type of girl, unless she’s in an unfamiliar situation—then she can be calculating and a little standoffish. They have a younger sister, Genevieve, who is the perfect mix of Ryan’s soft-heartedness and Addie’s bold confidence.

Michael bolts up, his entire focus on Ryan instead of the game. “What? Is she okay?”

“She fell trying to help Mr. Lambert with his latest rescue. I guess the horse kicked at her, and she landed wrong when she jumped out of the way.”

“What the fuck was she thinking?” Michael practically growls the words. I raise an eyebrow at him, a little surprised by his reaction. He visibly shakes off the outburst. “She’s fine, though?”

“Yeah, it was a clean break. She’s basking in the extra attention she’s getting.”

Michael snorts. “Naturally.” He focuses on the game again, but his body is still radiating tension.

“How’s she liking vet school?” I ask.

“Good, as far as I know. She’s working with Uncle Ben at the animal clinic until her summer break is over.”

Mom and Dad’s best friends, Ben and Sara, own Sonoma’s vet clinic. I have a feeling they want to pass it to Addie, since neither of their two kids is interested in working with animals.

“Maybe he’ll convince her to specialize in small animals,” Michael grumbles.

Ryan scoffs. “I highly doubt it. No one has ever been able to convince Addie to do anything she doesn’t want to do.”

“I love that about her.” I chuckle.

“Me, too.” Ryan grins at me.

I mess around on my phone while the guys play video games to keep my mind off Ginny. I’m feeling a little adrift, not spending time with her tonight. She’s been the highlight of my days, and without her, I have no idea what to do with myself.

Before she came home, I wouldn’t be doing anything other than what I’m doing now, but knowing she’s just across town makes me twitchy.

As if I willed it into being, a text from Ginny pops up on my screen.

Goose

How likely is it that I’ll get burned?

Attached to her text is an image that almost stops my heart. Her hair is wet and wavy around her shoulders, and her smile is brighter than I’ve seen it in a long while. Then my eyes snag on the tiny red bikini that barely covers her tits. It’s the focus of the picture, no doubt about it.

Blood rushes south, making my head dizzy with desire. What is this? This can’t be payback for the picture I sent her. The two don’t even compare on the scandalous scale.

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