Page 7 of Totally Geeked

“That would be nice,” he says, turning and heading upstairs. I walk out front to my truck, but the yawn that escapes my lips is long. Too long. I didn’t drink much at all, but I shouldn’t drive this tired either. I’ll just crash on the couch. It’s not like I haven’t done it a million times. But before I head back inside I spot one of the lights on upstairs.Is that Arlo’s room?I wonder then shake away the thought, and turn my attention to the nightsky. The stars glisten like the million eyes of the universe are watching everything below.

“If you want my input,” I say up to the sky as if I’m talking to the universe itself. “Arlo is exactly the kind of guy I need.” If only he wasn’t my best friend's brother.

Chapter four

Arlo

It’s a good thingI keep some clothes here for emergencies. The last emergency was when I spilled an entire bowl of pasta down my front and over Gordon’s new sofa. I haven’t been allowed to eat on his couch since. I change and step out of my room just as Noah’s bedroom door opens and a shirtless guy in his twenties tiptoes out. He’s focused on the door, trying to close it with as little noise as he can.

“Is he up?” I ask. The guy jumps, and it brings a smile to my lips.

“Where did you come from?” he asks, as his heaving breaths slow.

“My room. Is Noah up yet?”

He shakes his head and clicks the door fully closed. “Umm, can you tell him thanks for me?”

“No, I don’t think I’ll be thanking my baby brother for whatever it was you got up to last night.”

He blushes and makes a start for the stairs. “Sorry, okay. Umm, I’ve gotta go.”

“Bye.” I wave, then crack open Noah’s door and peek inside. He’s sprawled out face down on his bed, bare ass up in the air, and he’s snoring. I can’t be mad, not really. He should be able to do this stuff. He’s in college, after all. But was I secretly hoping he would sober up this morning and be fine to drive me? Yes.

I close the door and make my way downstairs. I guess I can order a ride while I grab coffee and something to eat.

As I take the stairs down, I start seeing the aftermath of last night’s party, and when I get to the bottom, it’s clear Gordon’s place is trashed. Bottles, cans and all sorts of things litter the floor. I get that when you’re drunk you don’t really think about what you’re doing, but I could never leave someone's house looking like this.

A clang sounds from outside, and I head through the back doors to find Harrison fishing bottles out of the pool with a net.

“You’re here early.”

“Oh, hey. Yeah, I was too tired to drive, so I just crashed on the couch. Besides, I thought Gordon might need a hand cleaning up,” he says, swooping the net through the water.

“You don’t have to do that. I don’t think Gordon’s even up yet.”

“That’s okay. So are you all set for your reading?”

My stomach flips at the thought of it. Reading my book in front of who knows how many strangers is top on my nope, don’t wanna, can’t, not for me list right now.

“It wasn’t supposed to be a difficult question,” Harrison adds, laying the net down beside the pool and making his way over to where I’m standing by the back doors.

“I’ve never read my stories out loud before, let alone to people.”

“Ahh, so you think you might have a touch of stage fright?”

“Maybe.”

“Well then, sweetheart, hit me with it,” he says, stepping around me and sitting on a chair by the back door.

“Huh?”

He leans back, resting one ankle on his knee.

“I’m ready, read to me.”

My face grows warm, and my heart is thumping in my ears. He can’t be serious.

“I don’t have the book.”

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