Page 42 of Unraveled

“Any chance you’re ready to go find Tucker? If I’m honest, I’m knackered after all that. Tired,” he reworded when he saw my confusion.

“Yeah, of course.” I quickly slid down, my sandals hitting the loose gravel below.

“Let’s roll.” Nic shut the tailgate when he stood, and I snorted. “What?”

“Nothing. You’re just cheesy when you try to be normal.”

One of his eyebrows raised, his face deadpan with a slight smirk, and I snorted again, quickly walking ahead to find Tucker.

Chapter 14

ISABEL

“You’re lost in your head.” Tucker brushed his finger under my jaw, drawing my gaze up to his. We were standing by his truck after getting home, and I’d been watching Nic walk across the lawns to the house next door, the porch lights from the two houses providing just enough light in the darkness. Tucker took my hand. “Was the talk bad? If I need to kick his ass, just tell me.”

I snorted slightly through a smirk and shook my head. “No. Just finally got some answers.”

“That you’re not going to tell me.” It wasn’t a question.

I squeezed his hand. “Some things stay between friends. Just like with us four. When he’s ready, he’ll tell y’all.”

Tucker wrapped his arm around my shoulders, bringing my side up to his. We’d just made it to the sidewalk when Annie and Jet pulled up next door.

“Want to wait?” Tucker asked, but I shook my head and grinned up at him.

“They tend to have long goodbyes.”

“Fuck, am I glad we don’t have to do that anymore.”

I frowned. “We might. If I nail my audition, it’s something that will happen next year. I won’t be with y’all.”

Tucker grimaced. “I’d rather not think about that yet. We still have a few months.”

“True.” I tried to smile, wondering if I’d be able to handle a night without him by then. Was this audition pointless? Was going to Baste Academy even feasible anymore?

“Okay.” Tucker pulled me towards the door. “I know that look, and you need to get out of your head right now. If that’s something we have to do, we will figure it out. You are not giving up your dream.”

I swallowed the urge to cry and yanked Tucker down for a kiss. By the time we came up for air, Annie was smirking at us from where she leaned against the railing by the porch steps.

“Took y’all long enough.”

I blushed, smiling. “How were the races?”

Her eyes lit up. “Amazing. It was such a rush. The way he handled his car. Getting to watch him from inside and seeing him so intense and in control.” Her hands fisted over her thighs as her teeth pressed into her bottom lip. It was my turn to smirk, and Tucker pressed a hand on top of her head.

“Down girl. You can fuck Jet’s brains out tomorrow. Unless y’all already did tonight?” He winked, and Annie mock-glared up at him, twisting away from his hand.

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“I think you mean you don’t fuck and tell.”

“Tucker.” I swatted his arm as we climbed the steps. Not that Annie cared. She pulled out her key, and we followed her in. Landing right in the middle of…something.

Mom and Uncle Blake looked up, their conversation coming to an instant stop, and guilt mixed with fear riddled Mom’s features.

“Hey, how was y’all’s night?”

I raised an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Annie. Neither of us were buying it.

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