Page 50 of Soulmates

Freddie brushed his fingers over my forearm. “I’m sure it’ll all work out fine. I’m looking forward to meeting them both.” His arm wound around my waist.

I smiled up at him. “How are you not sick of me yet?”

“Are you kidding?” His lips brushed my temple. “I could never get sick of you.”

As minutes slipped by, I started to relax into the comfort of Freddie’s presence. I met more of his friends, and we talked about jobs and family and what we were all doing to make our dreams come true. It was easy, if a bit boring.

“Piper has plans to work with children who haven’t grown up in good family situations,” Freddie told a friend whose name I’d already forgotten. “She’s going to save the world someday, one child at a time.”

“That’s so sweet,” Nameless Friend said. “It’s such an admirable cause. Be sure to let me know when you get started and I’ll donate to your foundation.”

And I was starting to feel super uncomfortable. I’d mentioned the idea to Freddie, but I still didn’t know exactlyhowI was going to help those children. I already had money. It was love I wanted to give to kids. Honestly, I wished Freddie hadn’t said anything. I didn’t want recognition when I didn’t even have a real plan.

I looked around for Shawn again, not even caring if it looked like I was searching for an out from the conversation.

My smile was quick and real when I saw him in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket over a plain gray V-neck. “Excuse me, but I have to go save my lost-looking friend from…” The words died in my throat, and my smile froze when I saw the man at Shawn’s side.

I hadn’t seen Thomas since the day Sam introduced us at Youngblood, but there was no mistaking him.Hewas the mysterious date Shawn hadn’t been ready to tell me about? I didn’t want to believe it, but the way Thomas took Shawn’s hand in his own didn’t really leave me with much doubt.

“Are you all right?” Freddie’s voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

“Yeah.” I blinked a couple of times, forcing back my shock. “I’m fine.” I took Freddie’s hand. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to Shawn.”

Freddie apologized to the woman we’d been talking to and let me lead him in the direction of Shawn and Thomas. “Which one’s your friend?”

“The one in the leather jacket,” I said.The one who’s not a cradle robber,I added silently and immediately scolded myself for even thinking it. Thomas wasn’t exactly old. He was maybe ten years older than Shawn and I were. Or maybe a little more than ten but definitely less than fifteen. I had no right to judge. The first time I’d kissed Sam, he’d looked at least twelve years my senior. As opposed to now, when there appeared to be only about four or five years between us. Right, because that made so much sense.

No. I wasn’t thinking about Sam anymore. I was letting go of the mystery of his eternal youth and moving on with my life.

“Hey, you made it.” I let go of Freddie’s hand to wrap my arms around Shawn. “And you brought Thomas.”

Shawn gave me a sheepish smile. “Yeah, I probably should have given you a heads-up. It’s still new.”

I grinned at him. “I feel like I shouldn’t be this surprised.” Now that I thought about it, I remembered noticing Shawn staring at Thomas, but I’d been so caught up in my drama with Sam that I’d forgotten. Showed what an amazing friend I was. “How long…?”

“About two weeks.”

I looked to Thomas. “Nice to see you again.”

Thomas nodded. His gray eyes flicked from me to Freddie and back, and I got the feeling he was silently judging us. “You too, Miss Amato.”

Freddie introduced himself to both of them, and after getting Thomas and Shawn beers, the four of us moved to a cluster of chairs. Conversation flowed easily, though Thomas spent most of the time quietly observing.

I was just starting to relax when I sawhim. Sam looked as gorgeous as ever, in dark pants and a black button-down. Dark and brooding and the star of every fantasy I’d had since I was fifteen.

What was he doing here?

He was the one who told me to move on, to date Freddie. Now he couldn’t even give me the decency of not being at a party with Freddie’s and my friends?

“Piper, do you remember that?” Freddie asked, drawing my attention away from Sam.

“Sorry, what?” I had no idea what he had been talking about. And I was guessing Shawn knew that, because he jumped in before Freddie could say anything.

“Where have you been all week?” he asked me. “I’ve been at Youngblood nearly every evening and haven’t seen you in over a week.”

I swear I could feel Thomas’s gaze like a pile of bricks weighing me down.

“I, uh, haven’t… I’ve been busy,” I stuttered out.

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