Page 66 of Shared By my Ex's Best Friends
I open my mouth to reply—to say something about how right this morning feels, how maybe I’m not as scared as I thought I’d be—but the doorbell rings.
We all freeze.
Liam straightens instantly, tension coiling in his frame. “Expecting anyone?”
I shake my head, my pulse skipping. “No.”
Jake is already moving. “I’ll check the window.”
He disappears down the hallway and peeks through the curtain. When he turns back, his voice is low but urgent. “It’s Nick.”
My stomach drops so hard it feels like it hits the floor. “Shit,” I whisper.
Ethan’s already at my side. “We’ll go to the bedroom. Talk to him if you need to. We’ll stay quiet.”
Liam touches my arm, then presses a soft kiss to my cheek. “You’ve got this.”
The three of them vanish down the hallway, quiet as shadows. I’m left standing in the living room, heart pounding so loud I’m sure Nick will hear it when I open the door.
I take a breath. My hand finds my chest like that’ll steady the chaos inside me. Then I unlock the door and pull it open.
Nick’s standing on my porch, hands jammed into the pockets of a faded hoodie, eyes sharp beneath furrowed brows. He looks… off. Edgy.
What the hell is he doing here?
“Maya,” he says, jaw tight.
“Nick.” I force my tone to be neutral, casual, but there’s a tightness in my throat I can’t quite swallow. “This is a surprise.”
“Yeah, well. I was in the neighborhood.” His eyes flick over my shoulder. “So… you’ve got company?”
I step out and pull the door mostly shut behind me. I cross my arms. “What do you want?”
He scoffs like I’ve asked a stupid question. “I want to know what’s going on with you and my friends.”
I go still.
He takes a step closer. “Don’t look at me like that. You think I haven’t noticed? How they’ve been acting around you? How you’ve act around them? They’ve all but disappeared on me. Is it Jake? Ethan? Liam?”
My heart punches the inside of my ribcage. “Nick, it’s none of your business.”
“Oh, come on,” he snaps. “You’re seriously gonna stand there and lie to my face? You’re messing around with one of them. That’s low, Maya. They’re my friends.”
I grit my teeth, lifting my chin. “No,” I say, each word deliberate. “I’m not messing around with one of them.”
He blinks, thrown off. “Wait, so what, it’s two? Jesus, Maya.”
I stare him down. His voice is getting louder. My neighbors don’t need this scene. I don’t need this scene.
“What we had is over,” I say, voice quieter now but no less firm. “You don’t get to interrogate me about my life. You gave up that right to know anything about me when you walked away.”
“That was months ago—”
“Exactly,” I cut in. “And since then? I’ve rebuilt. I’ve moved on. I’m happy. You don’t have to like it, but you don’t get to stomp through my front yard and demand explanations like you’re owed anything.”
He opens his mouth to fire back, but for once, nothing comes out. Maybe because he knows I’m right.
After a second, his mouth presses into a grim line. “Just… be careful, Maya. That’s a hell of a fire you’re playing with.”
