Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Nick nodded. “You and Ryder?”
I breathed in, then out. “Point’s been made, I think.”
Xander didn’t drop it. “You can’t keep running.”
“I’m not.”
“Then why deflect every time we bring it up?”
“I ‘ve been sitting here wondering why, after last night and this morning, you’re pretending I don’t exist, Sass.”
Every square on the call went still.
Nick grinned and sat up straighter. “Wait, last night and this morning? You two finally—?”
“It’s not like that,” I snapped, heat crawling up my neck.
“Oh, it’s definitely like that,” Ryder stated.
I glanced at his frame and instantly hated myself for it. He looked insufferably relaxed.
Cade gave a lazy grin. “She’s being shy.”
Cloe did a double-take. “You were there?”
“I was,” Cade replied matter-of-factly. “I hard things. I’m choosing to mentally repress all of it now.”
Ari looked far too intrigued. “Oh, wow.”
Cade shot me a sympathetic glance. “Sorry, Sass. I really did try to drown it out with ESPN.”
“Drown what out?” Roxxi let out a sharp little noise that was somewhere between a gasp and a devil’s giggle. “Sanjana Marino. What did you do?”
“It’s not what any of you think,” I insisted, already regretting everything about this conversation.
Cloe grinned. “Girl, it never is.”
How would she know? Cloe hadn’t been near a guy since junior year of high school. I was almost positive she was as close to being a virgin as Ari was, but that wasn’t important right then.
It was time for me to get off this call. “Okay, well, as informative as this chat has been, I have a paper to finish before I go help set up for tonight.”
Roxxi sniffed dramatically. “Fine, leave me hanging. I need to get ready to head to the Stables anyway.”
Nick perked right up. “Can I come?”
I bit back a laugh. He sounded like a little kid asking to tag along to the park.
“Can you meet me there in an hour?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Sanj, after I get home and finish Nick, I want our girl chat.”
Xander laughed. “Finish Nick?”
Roxxi rolled her eyes. “You know what I meant.”
Nick leaned into the frame, voice smooth. “Here I was getting even more excited, Vixen.”
Cloe made a sound of disgust. “Okay, if our group seriously devolves into a full-blown friendcest, I’m out. Somebody better double up.”
“Poor Arianna,” Roxxi sighed, not missing a beat.
Ari scowled. “What do you mean, poor me? They have Zoe now.”
The guys reacted like she’d tossed a grenade into their lap.
Nick groaned and sank deeper into the couch. “Oh, come on. She’s cool and everything, but we don’t have her. She isn’t you.”
Ari made a face so appalled it sent Roxxi into a fit of laughter. I cracked right along with her.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “That didn’t come out right.”
Rook leaned into frame, deadpan. “He meant she’s not family.”
Cade added helpfully, “You four are different. You’re, like… special.”
“Aww, stop,” Roxxi drawled. “But we are, aren’t we?”
Ryder laughed, watching them all, bemused.
“Basically, we’d fuck you—.” Xander paused and reconsidered his words. “I mean, not you, obviously. Never mind.”
Ari stared. “Yeah, so… I’m gonna go now.”
“Me too. Bye, psychos.”
Roxxi waved a finger. “We need to have a girl chat when you get home, Sanj. No boys allowed.”
Cade sighed heavily. “Sexism. Alive and well.”
“Cry about it,” Cloe said sweetly, reaching to end the call.
I hit the button just as Nick muttered something about needing protection.
For a few seconds, the silence after the call ended actually felt kind of peaceful.
Until my phone buzzed again.
.
CHAPTER THIRTY
SANJANA
I trudged down the basement stairs with three pizza boxes stacked in my arms, the buttery smell of garlic and melted cheese trailing behind me. Shakira followed closely, carrying two more boxes and a wobbly tower of paper plates and napkins, her fuzzy socks nearly slipping on the last step.
It was the norm for us to do a game or movie night when we came home, and then the Vosses would host a late lunch before we headed back tomorrow. If the others were back this way, they’d come too. Tonight was supposed to be my last bit of normal, but the last text I’d gotten had ruined the tiny bit of levity the call with everyone had brought me.
I pushed through the double doors of the cinema room, the kind of space that looked straight out of a design catalog—oversized loungers, a ceiling that glowed like a starry sky, and more Marilyn Monroe pillows than anyone needed. I didn’t slow until I reached the back table near the fridge and candy rack, setting the boxes down with a huff, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. If Shakira noticed anything off, she didn’t say.
She dumped her stack beside mine and squinted at the food. “Do you think this is enough pizza?”
“For us? Probably,” I said, straightening. “For Cade? Not a chance.”
She grinned, trying to keep it casual. “Is he seeing anyone?”