Page 29 of Crew
Zellman slapped a hand on the coffee table. "I am down with that. I'm here most of the time anyway. Having Cross live here? I say hell yes."
Jordan shot him a look. "It's not up to you."
I frowned.
So did Zellman. "What? You're saying you might not let him? Shit." He flung a hand up behind him. "He could pop up a tent back there, and your family wouldn't even know. We're here almost all the time."
Jordan stood, gripping his beer. "You're here almost all the time. Not Cross, a pretty boy my sister has a crush on. We just took down some fucker who tried to force himself on her. She's all mixed up in the head now. I don't want her to get any more confused." He walked to the open door, staring out at where Cross had gone.
"But he's in our group."
There was no question that Cross wouldn't do anything with Mallory. He knew better. We all did, but it was her. What she thought, felt, would feel--I got it. I understood both sides.
Jordan hung his head. "That's the problem."
We weren't going to figure it out, and I didn't want the tables to turn against me. The Drake/Race conversation had been shelved, though I knew it wouldn't stay there for long. Jordan could sense trouble coming, and he was going to push. He'd want to be prepared for whatever was coming our way. I understood, but that wasn't what I wanted.
I wanted to avoid the whole thing, for as long as I could anyway.
I stood, handing the rest of my beer to Zellman, and started for the door.
As I left, Jordan called, "You have to tell us. You know that, right?"
There was no hiding. I knew. He knew. We all knew.
I stopped and looked over. "I know."
He nodded. "Tell Cross he's welcome here, just can't let my sister know."
I looked back, nodding again.
Then I was gone.
Our roles were reversed this time.
Cross was the one sitting on my hill, and he looked up at my approach. He had a ball cap on, pulled low, but I still saw his eyes. They were guarded again. I glanced back over my shoulder before either of us said a word.
The hill was only accessible by breaking off from a small walking path a couple hundred yards back. Behind me was covered with trees, and beyond that was the path and a gravel road where we had both parked.
Before I'd pulled onto the gravel road, I'd paused to notice a new construction sign in the field behind our hill.
"Hey." He sat up, resting his arms on his knees. "You see the sign back there?"
I clenched my jaw as I sat. "I should've brought alcohol."
He laughed and reached to his other side, pulling out a whiskey bottle. He set it down between us. "Good thing one of us was thinking."
I grunted, reaching for it and taking a sip. Fuck. That burned. I hissed, but Cross' hand was up waiting for it. I handed it over, and he did the same. He put it back between us, looping his arms around his knees, and he hunched forward.
"You here to talk me out of moving out?"
I shrugged, looping my arms over my knees too. "You know me. I'm down for whatever."
He continued to watch me. "But you feel bad for Taz."
Because I'd been her. I'd been the sister hoping her brother would come home one night, but now... "She'll get over it."
If Cross was really considering moving out, there was a reason for it. I wasn't going to question him, not yet. I'd wait for my turn to pounce.
