Page 81 of Just Between Us

Her voice climbed an octave with each sentence, and I was all too aware that she was trying to spare my delicate feelings.

The sting of rejection was sharp and bitter. It was childish, but I was getting tired of hiding out in my house. I wanted to show her off—throw my arm around her and publicly claim her as mine. To beseenwith her.

I stood, needing to clear my head. “If you don’t care, I think I’ll still go up to the Grudge for a few.”

“Of course.” She started gathering her notebook and Post-it Notes. “I can head home and?—”

“Stop.” I held my hand on her shoulder, then slid it into her soft hair. “You don’t have to go anywhere. I’ll meet Whip or Abel up there for a beer and head home. I’d like you to be here when I get back.”

“Okay.” A grin bloomed on her face, and her cheeks flushed. “I’d like that too.”

My shoulders were still bunched as she settled into the nook of the couch. I kissed the top of her head before smoothing my hand down her dark strands. I slipped on my shoes and gathered my keys before walking out the door with a pit in my stomach.

One beer turnedinto several and possibly a few shots.

I was skunk drunk.

Whip’s hand clamped on my shoulder. “You hanging in there, brother?”

I blew a raspberry with my lips and hiccuped as the room tilted.

Shit.

I cleared my throat in an attempt to seem less intoxicated, but Whip only laughed and signaled to the server. “A few waters, please.”

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder. “I’m fine.”

“Look at me.” I tried but wasn’t sure which of the three Whips to focus on. He laughed as my little sister flounced up to the table next to me.

“Hey! Where’s Veda?” MJ smiled and looked between us.

I frowned and slid her fruity cocktail toward me and sipped.

“Oh.” Whip laughed. “Sothat’swhy you’re getting tanked?”

MJ studied my face as I scowled at my siblings. “I’m just having a good time. Quit busting my balls.”

“Gross.” MJ lifted her hands. “Please don’t talk about your balls. I have enough childhood trauma. I don’t need to think about you and your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I said, staring at the chipped wood surface of the high-top table. “God, she’s so much more.”

MJ cackled and stole her drink back. “Ha! I knew it!”

Shit. I think that last part was out loud.

MJ waggled a finger in my direction. “You’re such a softie. Do youloveher?”

“You knew we were together?” I asked, dodging her question.

Whip laughed and MJ rolled her eyes. “It wassoobvious. You’re always looking at her like she’s the answer to everything.”

I frowned.Because I think maybe she is.

“Don’t worry about it.” Whip slapped my back and my stomach rolled. “It happens to the best of us. My advice is to not fight it for too long. She’ll win out in the end, and you’ll just kick yourself for being a dumbass.”

My brain was fuzzy but my words tumbled out. “She won’t stay. She thinks it’s fun to peel back the layers now, but once she sees what’s underneath all this?” I gestured inarticulatelyat myself and then floated my hand up like a bird flying away. “She’ll smarten up.”

MJ looked at me with pity. “Maybe don’t make those decisions for her.”

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