Page 129 of Finding Delaware

Owen’s face brightens, and I want to cover my hand over Arya’s mouth to shut her up.

Huck’s brows rise in amusement as he takes her in. “Oh? And what exactly have you heard?”

She giggles, making me want to jab knives into my ears. “Just how amazing you are at football. It was pretty annoying how obsessed he was with your games.”

“Arya, shut the fuck up,” I mutter, placing my hands on her shoulders to move her aside. Christian snickers, throwing the beer in the fridge after grabbing one and popping off the cap.

“Well, I don’t know about amazing,” Huckslee says somewhat bitterly before meeting my gaze. “And how do you knowTaytay?”

He says it playfully, but I scowl as Arya rolls her eyes, brushing my arm.

“We used to date a few years ago.”

“Dateis a strong word.” Shoving my hands in my pockets, I glance up at Huck from under my lashes, wanting to press my chest to his and feel him against me. Something is off about him today, but I can’t figure out what it is. I need to get him alone to ask what the hell is going on under those soft curls. “Where is everyone?”

He jerks his head toward the staircase. “Matt is giving Logan a tour of his game collection upstairs, and Xed’s in the living room with Salem setting up the pong table.”

“Huckslee and I were just talking about his life in Cali,” Owen smiles, flashing perfectly straight teeth that I kinda wanna punch. “He offered to make me a drink with his bartending skills.”

Huh?

“You were a bartender?” I frown, not liking that this stranger knows more about Huck than I do.

“For a few summers, yeah,” he shrugs, lifting a red cup to his lips while he avoids my gaze and my jaw tightens.

Well, this is different from how I expected the night to go. Did I say something? Do something to upset him? Or...is it because Owen is here looking at him like he’s a grand prize?

“Come on,cariño,” Christian grabs the back of my tank top, pulling me to the living room, “you’re my pong partner. If you choose someone else, I’ll scream.”

Huck’s eyes flash to mine briefly as I’m being hauled away, but then he turns back to face Owen while they continue their little chat, and jealousy burns deep, unfamiliar inside my gut.

I’ve never been the possessive type. Hell, all of my relationships have been open, which is why Christian has pretty much slept with every girl I’ve ever dated and vice versa. Ienjoysharing. But when it comes to Huckslee? He’s mine. Always has been, always will be, and I’ll be damned if he thinks he’s going to run away again now that I finally have him.

I’ll tie the fucker up if I have to.

Taking out my phone in the entryway, I pull up our Delaware group chat.

Me: What’s up with you?

He responds within seconds.

Sucksme: Nothing? Also, when did you change my contact name?

Like, five seconds ago. Gritting my teeth, I thumb out my reply.

Me: Lie to me again.

He changes my name in the chat to‘Taytay’before sending a gif of some white dude slow blinking at the camera, so I send him one back of Bugs Bunny grabbing Daffy Duck by the throat and caption itus rn.

Sucksme: Okay, but I’m Bugs.

Me: Not even close.

Sucksme: Jesus, what’s got your undies in a bunch?

Me: You, motherfucker.

Something’s up with you, and if you think you’re gonna leave me for Owen, then I’ve got news for you.

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