Page 44 of Salacious Park Avenue Prince

“Yeah. That’s why my place in Soho was perfect. At least I had somewhere to escape to, but now?—”

“That’s been taken away too.” JT grimaced. “Hard not to be resentful, huh?”

“Try impossible. Dad and Vera said it was because they wanted to downsize, but I can’t help but think I did something to piss them off, because my place was way cheaper than the Towers.”

“Did you ask them?”

I scoffed. “They said the Towers was closer to school and that I would be a good influence on Travis.”

JT clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a chuckle. “Um, have they seen you two together?”

“Apparently that’s another thing. They want us to work out our differences.”

“By killing each other?”

“Don’t put ideas in my head.”

JT dropped his hand, shaking his head. “Wow. I mean, maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. What I mean is, you just moved in. Maybe in a couple of months things will be better.”

“You know, sometimes I envy your positivity.”

“Is that another way of saying my naiveté? Stupidity?”

“No, I mean it. I used to be like you. Always positive, always thinking things would turn out for the best—until they didn’t.”

A deep frown pulled between JT’s brows, and I almost felt guilty for my bluntness. But it was true. Travis and I had planned to have such a great time in college living together, finally being free of the parents, and one night had changed those plans forever.

“Caleb?”

“Huh?”

“I just asked if you and Travis have ever thought about forgiving each other.”

That would be a great idea. But it was pretty hard to ask for forgiveness when the other person refused to talk about it.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Why not? You said you had a falling-out. Surely it wasn’t that bad it can’t be fixed.”

If only it was that easy. But Travis had made it clear over the years that he wasn’t interested in ever fixing us.

I shrugged, doing my best to play off how much that thought cut. “Sometimes things don’t work out the way we think they will, and that’s okay.”

“Is it?” JT’s eyes softened, and I looked back to my computer to avoid his sympathy. It was better not to go there. I couldn’t let my defenses down, not now that I had to go home to Travis, it was too dangerous.

“Yeah.” I grinned, but I knew JT wasn’t buying it. “Don’t worry, I promise not to suffocate him in his sleep.”

“It’s not Travis I’m worried about.”

“Well, don’t worry about me either. I’ve been dealing with these guys a lot longer than you, Golden Boy.” I winked at him. “I can look after myself.”

“Fair enough. But if you ever want to talk to me about it?—”

“Or talk shit about them?”

He laughed. “That too. I’m here. We were friends first, and that means something to me.”

Even if it doesn’t to Travis…I didn’t miss his meaning. “Thanks. So, we good?”

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