Page 28 of Simply You & Me

Beside me, Wyatt stiffens, but Zach is quick to draw my attention. "Julian and I met in elementary school and immediately became friends."

"The original duo! I balanced his cranky ass out with my jokes." Julian shouts from the kitchen with a cheeky grin. I can't help my giggle.

Zach smiles at him over his shoulder. "Yup. Julian and I were inseparable, even though he got on my nerves. We met Wyatt in middle school when?—"

Wyatt clears his throat, cutting Zach off. Turning to him, I see his jaw clenched tight, but he releases it with a sigh. "My dad got a promotion, so we moved to Seattle from North Dakota." He shrugs, and I can't help but feel like there's far more to their stories.

I leave it be and ask my next question instead, "What about you, Tate?" I swear everybody freezes for a beat.

"Um," Tate murmurs, twisting his hands in his lap. "Zach and Julian were someone's security detail at a gala I was at with my parents in high school."

Julian drops a few plates of crackers, meat, and cheese on the coffee table in front of me. The bottle of water he gives me wobbles with the tremble in his hand. "Wait, how old are you guys?" I ask between bites. I feel like I'm missing so much.

Zachary takes the lead again. "I'm thirty. Wyatt and Julian are twenty-nine. And Tate's twenty-two."

My eyes widen, really fucking intrigued about the age gap. "I'm older than Wyatt," Julian mock-whispers in my ear. A huff of laughter puffs out of me when Wyatt shoves his shoulder behind me.

"Is being older a good thing at your old age?"

A shocked laugh bursts from my lips, completely taken by surprise at Tate's joke. Zach narrows his eyes at the dirty blonde reclining on the couch. Tate's shit-eating grin makes my giggles persist in their attack. Wyatt's shoulders bounce, puffs of air signaling his humor.

"Hey! At least I'm not thirty!" Julian retorts, a pout gracing his lips. His mouth tips up into a grin when Zach reacts with a scoff.

"We both know I can kick your ass, Jules. Even from all the way up here at thirty years old." My body heats at the threat Zach gives Julian.

"Ugh. Not this again," Wyatt groans. "We get it, ‘kay? You're both old, and you work out. Baby girl, tell them to keep their dicks in their pants, please? I'm sick of their grandpa pissing contests."

I smirk at the dark-haired God sprawled out beside me. "Hm, I don't know. Keeping their dicks in their pants seems like a crime."

Wyatt's black eyes darken with lust, making me shiver from head to toe. Tate's hands fly to his mouth in an attempt to keep his bark of laughter at bay. Zach's eyes widen, but his dimples are out to play with a big smile bunching his scruffy cheeks. Julian gasps and whispers, "I think I just fell in love."

My jaw drops before I dissolve into a fit of glee. I check my phone, still smiling, while they continue to rib each other. A pang of sadness settles in my tummy when I see the time. "Hey, I have to leave for work now. Thank you for having me over."

Standing, I offer Julian the moist bag of frozen veggies and make my way to the front door. Snagging my keys and slipping my sandals on, I jolt when I see all four of them have followed me to the entryway.

Julian uses my surprise and his place closest to me to lean in. I shudder as his thumb and forefinger grip my chin. He gives me a moment to say no, which I don't. Julian makes me want to enjoy life, and right now, his lips sound wonderful.

Our kiss is gentle, not more than a swift touch of our tongues that makes me melt and yearn for more. Julian's quickly replaced by Wyatt, who bypasses my lips and nuzzles beside my ear. "See you soon, baby." The kiss he drops to my sensitive skin scorches my insides.

While attempting to blink away the lusty haze these two put me under, Zach presses a full bottle of water into my empty hand. I so badly want to drag my nails through his scruff and mess up his perfectly slicked-back brown hair. "Drink this entire bottle during your shift, Dolly."

"I'll walk you out," Tate says, interrupting my thoughts on making Zach say please.

I'm out the door in a flash with Tate's hand on my lower back. Facing him once we get to my car, I see concern and wariness dragging on his features. "Hey, what's wrong, Tate?" Stuffing my bottle of water under my arm, I grab hold of his forearm that isn't dragging through his hair.

Gulping, he shuffles on his feet. "I need to apologize for how I spoke to you last weekend. I was disrespectful and very presumptuous. Honestly, I had planned on asking you out and completely ruined it. I'm sorry."

I frown, taken aback at yet another apology today. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"It's not okay, Addie. I just… I made a mess of things. I'm sorry." Tate's free hand goes to the chain around his neck, fiddling with the charm I have yet to see up close. "Can I take you on a date, Lynnie? Please let me make it up to you."

The burn of tears is immediate, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort to swallow the lump of emotion in my throat. Maybe it's the genuine look on this sweet man's face or his use of the nickname my parents used to call me, but he has me. Right here and now, Tate steals my breath, and I say yes.

I'm never leaving my bed. Ever. My right foot brushes over a cool spot on the sheets, dragging me further into my pillow. So good.

"Mom!" Rory's whisper shouts through the crack of my bedroom door, almost making me groan. I hold it in for the sake that I don't want my kid to think she's a nuisance. I'm happy she's home, and I owe Gabby a drink for picking her up at Rylee's for me.

"What, honey?" I murmur into the sheets, my eyes popping out from the comforter. In blue sweatpants and a matching T-shirt, Rory pads her way towards me. Once she's in range, I snatch her shirt and tug her into the lump that is my nest of blankets and pillows.

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