Page 54 of Your Side of the Offense

Shadows stand in front of me, and I raise my eyes to find the three of them. They look like they barely slept making my heart squeeze in my chest. Now that I really look at them, they have dark circles I hadn't noticed. They look weary, their auras are off.

"Can we sit?" Jaden asks and I gesture with my hand.

16

FALSE PROMISES

Harvey

We pull the chairs and sit. She watches us over her cup of – if I had to guess – some kind of latte. Summer is not so much a hardcore coffee snob but give her a latte and she will…

Fuck. No, not right now. Damn.

"How are you guys doing?" she asks in her small, but clear voice when she places the cup down.

A little of the light brown liquid is on her lips and fuck I want to rip this table in two so I can lick it off her. She licks her lips quickly and looks away. I look at Caleb and the bastard is almost drooling. We both saw the same thing then.

This is not starting out as platonic as we agreed on. Fucking Summer. Why the fuck does she always have to look so…so fucking…alluring. Fuckable really but we’re trying this platonic nonsense.

But this isn't about us and her, it's about Arch.

She agreed to be friends with him, and we can't crowd that. He can have her, but she’s got to be at ease that we won't try to squeeze ourselves in her life. That is the main reason for us coming here.

We agreed last night, and it was unanimous. Arch and his mental health are more important. It fucking sucks, but it is what it is.

"We are good, Summer and how have you been?" Caleb answers when he has collected himself.

"I am well. Just, uh… the hospital." We all nod.

Silence befalls the table for a few beats.

"So, the reason we are here is…we want to give you reassurance that we won't try to crowd you,” I say. “And we understand you are just here for Arch. And we appreciate that." There's no use dragging this longer.

Hurt flashes in her eyes before she drops her gaze to her latte and picks it up. She lifts her eyes once more, but she is collected and nods before her lips kiss the cup again. Her lips fold and I'm probably seeing things, but they bounce in slow motion as she rakes through her bottom lip with her teeth as her face twists in thought.

My cock strains in my pants. Fucking Summer. How does she always do that? Turn even the most mundane things into a show. Or maybe I just see it that way. Regardless, I promised to let this go, and she is fully dating that asshole now and knowing Summer, she plans on being faithful.

You need to let this go. She isn't coming back to you. Let it go.

"Thank you for saying that."

I don't know why I was hoping she'd say 'No, I can be friends with you too. We can be friends like we used too. I missed you guys as well.' But I guess we just take whatever she's willing to give.

"You are welcome," Jaden says.

I see a ghost of a smile on her before she takes another sip of her drink. Her phone rings and she silences her alarm. I look at the clock on the wall. 9 a.m. Time to go see this fucker who almost gave all of us heart attacks.

We rise and she walks to the counter to pick up a small box. Probably treats for Archer. Why didn't we think of that? Maybe because Arch is coming home with us, we didn't see the need. We were going to have pizza later or sushi from the restaurant he likes.

We walk with her in silence and find the nurse in his room, but she looks like she was leaving. We greet her and she leaves us.

His eyes land on her first and he visibly relaxes. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how much power she has over us. Does she know?

Does she care?

"Peach, you came." He sounds like he can hardly believe it.

Is he twinkling? I smile to myself.

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