He shrugs as though it’s no big deal, but I get the strange feeling he’s embarrassed by my question. Which is intriguing.
“You know what he’s like. He doesn’t want you seeing Jake alone.”
I know my brother thinks Jake has a crush on me, and a few months ago he was a little pissed off at the way the rock star behaved with me. But hell, I can handle boys like him.
Will, not so much.
“Wait.” I cross my arms and try not to glare at him, because it’s not his fault. “Are you supposed to be mybodyguardor something?”
“Trust me. It wasn’t my idea. We both know you can wind Jake around your little finger without even trying. I’m just doing a favor for a mate.”
I’m not sure I like him assuming that about me, but it’s not like he’s being a dick. He’s just helping out Lucas. And while I don’t need a bodyguard, it’s not worth starting a fight about.
I don’t want to fight with him anymore.
“Okay, fine.” I flap my hand at him for emphasis, in the hope that’ll stop me from analyzing my accidental thought. Except it’s true.I wish we were friends again.But since we can’t turn back time, that’s never going to happen.
Time to move on, Mac.I’ll be twenty-two in a few weeks. I have to get over Will. Might as well start now.
Pretend he’s just another random friend of Lucas’s.
I give him what I hope is a friendly—but nottoofriendly—smile. “Your car or mine?”
…
Will
I’d expected Mac to be pissed off when I turned up this morning, but she didn’t even give me a hard time over Lucas asking me to be her unofficial bodyguard. And what’s with the question? She never gives up the driving seat voluntarily, and I’m not just talking about cars. But since she asked… “Mine.”
“Sure.” She gives me a smile that knocks me speechless. “I’ll just grab my bag.”
I give an inarticulate grunt, which is all I can manage, as she picks up her keys from the Edwardian hall table before pulling her phone from her pocket and sending a text.
Her black hair’s in a plait that falls over her shoulder, there’s a gorgeous blush on her cheeks, and long, multi-colored earrings dangle from her ears.
Stop staring at her.But her deep blue eyes have always done stupid things to me.
“Ready?” She breezes by me, and I steel myself against the faint scent that lingers in the air, and I follow her outside.
As she locks the house, I open the passenger door for her. Growing up, I spent half my life here, and Lucas was more like the brother I never had than a best friend, and even his twin Harry accepted me right from the start.
She gives me a smile of thanks as she gets in the car. I shut the door, get in my side, and she fans her long skirt over the car seat before fastening the belt. She glances up and catches me watching her, but instead of an annoyed glare, she just gives me another smile.
“You okay?” I start the engine and pull into the road. For the last couple of years things have been weird between us, but ever since she opened the door, it’s like we dropped into an alternate reality.
“I’m fine. How are you?”
Are we having this conversation?Anyone would think we hardly know each other. “Feeling old.”
“Not surprised. Twenty-sixispushing it.”
Déjà vu shivers through me, and I shoot her another glance. It’s been ages since she used that mocking tone on me.I’ve missed this.“Where were you last week? I thought you’d be at Lucas’s.” He threw a big party in Madrid for my birthday and invited everyone we knew. Even Harry and Alice were there, and while Harry’s great, he’s also the most antisocial git I’ve ever met.
“Oh, university related stuff.”
“How’s that going?” Considering we used to be such good friends, this is something I should know. But I don’t have a clue, except for the fact she’s starting her third year at Oxford next month.
“Good,” she says, but there’s a strange, high pitch in her voice that scrapes along my nerves. “Really good. Yep.”
