Page 65 of Better When Shared
No embrace. No kiss. Just that careful distance that reminded me of our early college days, before we knew how to navigate our complicated attraction. I set Nisha gently on her feet, searching Julian's face for clues.
"Uneventful," I replied, matching his tone while my mind raced. Had something changed? "The view here is stunning."
Julian nodded, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "Nick found it. Come in, meet everyone."
The knot in my chest tightened as I followed them inside, wheeling my suitcase behind me. The house opened up into a grand living area with vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the turbulent ocean. Three unfamiliar faces turned toward me—a striking couple curled together on a sectional sofa, and a lean Asian man arranging logs in a massive stone fireplace.
"Everyone, this is Caleb," Nisha announced, her hand finding the small of my back in a touch that seemed almost apologetic. "Caleb, meet Nick, Connor, and Lila."
Nick straightened from the fireplace, offering a hand and an easy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "The famous Caleb. Julian's college roommate, right?"
The phrasing wasn't lost on me. Julian's roommate. Not lover. Not partner. Just roommate.
"That's me," I confirmed, shaking his hand . "Though I like to think we've evolved a bit since our ramen-eating days."
Connor rose from the sofa, tall and confidently casual in a way that spoke of privilege without arrogance. "You’re from the UK? I’ve always wanted to go there, but I’ve never been."
Beside him, Lila laughed. "Connor, let the man breathe before you start the interrogation."
I found myself smiling despite the tension still radiating from Julian. "Nice to meet you all."
"We've got you in the blue room upstairs," Nick said, gesturing toward a curved staircase. "I'll show you up."
The blue room. Separate from Julian and Nisha. My heart sinking even as I maintained my polite smile, following Nick up the stairs, aware of Julian's gaze burning into my back. The room was beautiful, with a king-sized bed facing windows that opened to a private balcony overlooking the beach. It was a guest room, not the primary suite I'd glimpsed at the end of the hall when we passed it.
“The bathroom’s through there," Nick said, pointing to a door on the left. "We're grilling tonight, but we stopped for groceries, so there are some stacks downstairs."
"Thanks," I replied, setting my suitcase on the luggage rack. "It's a gorgeous place."
Nick hesitated in the doorway, studying me with unexpected intensity, but he said nothing, just nodded and backed out.
The moment the door closed behind him, I sank onto the edge of the bed, running a hand through my hair as I tried to make sense of Julian's cold reception.
I didn't bother unpacking, too restless to focus on mundane tasks. Instead, I washed my face, changed into a fresh sweater, and headed back downstairs, drawn by the sound of Nisha's laughter floating up from below. I followed it to a spacious kitchen where she and Julian were unpacking grocery bags, her hip bumping his as she reached across him for a cabinet.
They looked so fucking perfect together, moving in the synchronized dance of a couple who anticipated each other's needs without words. A matched set. Complete without me. Thethought lodged like a fishhook in my chest, pulling painfully as I watched them from the doorway.
Julian spotted me first, his hands stilling on a bunch of kale he'd been about to rinse. Something complicated passed across his face—longing, quickly masked by that same strange guardedness.
"Hey," I said, leaning against the doorframe, struggling to keep my tone light. "Anything I can help with?"
Nisha turned, her smile warming as she beckoned me closer. "Come taste this wine Connor brought. It's divine."
I crossed to her, accepting the glass she offered. Our fingers brushed, sparking that familiar electricity that never seemed to diminish no matter how many times we touched.
Julian watched us, his shoulders rigid beneath his henley.
"Let's go for a walk," he said abruptly. "On the beach."
Not a suggestion. Almost a command. Nisha shot him a look I couldn't interpret, something passing between them in that silent language of long-term couples.
"Perfect," she agreed, setting down her wine glass. "I could use some fresh air."
I drained my glass, setting it on the counter with a soft clink. "Lead the way."
Julian nodded once, jaw tight, and headed toward the back door. As Nisha passed me, she squeezed my hand, her eyes offering reassurance I desperately needed. Whatever was happening, atleast she still welcomed my touch. I followed them both, my heart hammering.
The glass door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the sprawling deck where steam rose from a large hot tub nestled against the railing. I stopped short at the sight before me—Connor, Lila, and Nick submerged to their shoulders, empty champagne flutes perched on the wooden surround. Water sloshed as if they’d just been moving around. Lila sunk low, so the water tickled at her chin.
