Page 97 of Meet Me at the Metro

I’m suddenly shifting on my feet.

“Yes,he. As in, Ellie’s friend has a penis.” She chuckles as his jaw tenses. “Oh, mate, jealousy is a cute shade on you.”

Theo’s back straightens. “Piss off. I’m not jealous.”

“Mhmm, keep telling yourself that. Now, if you’re done bullshitting, make me a drink.”

“One more drink.That’s it.”Theo rolls his eyes at Evie sticking her tongue out at him. He pours a shot worth of dark liquor into each of our cups. “So your,umm—friend. Have I heard of him yet?”

Evie’s right—he is so damn jealous right now. I try to hide my smile as I nod, “You have. He’s the one giving me those piano lessons.”

“Ahh, I see,” he says, voice tight. “I seriously wouldn’t mind giving you lessons, Nora.”

Evie cackles when she hears that. “Oh, give it a rest and make us ourJägerbombs, you jealous arse!”

“I’m making them,” he snarls.

I watch him as he stalks toward a cooler at the other end of the bar top, and Evie leans my way. “You’ve got him wrapped around your pretty little fingers, don’t you?”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Quit picking on him.”

Evie rests her head on my shoulder and whines, “But it’s my favorite thing to do. Bloody hell, imagine how he’d act if he found out that your friend with a penis kissed y—”

“Evie, hush.”

What in the hell is she thinking?

When I glance up to make sure Theo isn’t near enough to have heard what she just said, I’m immediately disappointed.

Theo’s grasp tightens around the twoRed Bullsin his hands as he looks at me, his expression devoid of any of the light I saw in it moments ago.

“Just a friend, huh?”

I swallow and try to calm my racing heart as I mutter back, “Just let me explain.”

27

TRUST

T H E O

My ears are pounding with my erratic heartbeat, there’s a lump in my throat that wasn’t there moments ago, and the chaotic chatter and loud music all around me is about to make me lose my fucking mind. My whole body is tense with frustration, my jaw so tight that I find myself grinding my teeth. I can’t even find the ability to speak right now. Not after the words I just heard leave Evie’s mouth.

I look back and forth between her and Nora in downright disbelief, finding myself completely speechless.

I’m a fucking idiot, aren’t I? A damn, naive fool for believing that things with Nora could be as easy as they’ve seemed to be these past few weeks. Here I was, assuming that this thing she and I have is exclusive, but now, I’m not so sure.

The uncertainty is tearing me apart.

Vulnerability is a fickle thing—powerful enough to heal you and potent enough to ravage every shred of courage you put toward opening up to someone in the first place.

I’m afraid that this time, it has decided to show me its ugly side.

Evie jumps up from her seat and insists, “Mate, it’s not at all what it sounds like.”

There’s a furious tremble in my hands—I refuse to let either of them see—as I shove theirJägerbombsacross the counter andgrumble, “Enjoy.”

Nora reaches for me as I walk back toward the other end of the bar. “Theo, wait!”

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