Page 156 of Just This Once

If you say so.

My lips parted, trying to make sense of this. But Parker knew how to get in contact with Nova. And it sounded as if he’d been trying to get her to come back and reclaim her man when Thane had started to move on with someone new.

Shaking my head and not able to make sense of any of it, I went into her contact information and found that he had a new number for her, different from the oneIhad. Mine was still a 361 area code and she was now under a 512. That was around the Austin area, and we all thought Nova had gone to College Station so she could attend Texas A&M.

“What the hell?” I murmured. This didn’t make sense. Why would Parker keep in touch with Nova and not hate her? And why wouldn’t he tell anyone he knew her location?

I felt absolutely certain Thane had no clue where she was, and I knew Alec certainly didn’t.

Squinting, I bit my lip and started to put the pieces together in my head.

When I added in Waverly and our trip to the library yesterday, I drew in a sharp breath and set my hand against my heart, feeling shaken to the core.

I keep track of them all.

“Oh God,” I mumbled, hoping I was wrong, even as the certainty of my theory grew stronger and stronger inside me.

My gaze shot to the bathroom door with worry.

If Thane knew this, he’d never forgive Parker.

And Parker would be crushed without Thane.

I couldn’t allow that. Parker couldn’t lose his best friend. Not now. He was going to need everyone in his circle to be there for him.

I had to do something. I had to salvage this. I had to make sure he still had his people after I was gone.

Setting Parker’s phone back on the nightstand calmly, I drew the blanket off my lap and climbed from the bed.

I dressed quickly and was still slipping my way into my flip-flops as I went to the bathroom door and pushed it open a few inches.

“Parker?”

“Yeah?” he answered, swiping a hand over the fogged glass shower door to see me.

I blinked and ran my gaze over the blurry image he made through the screen and swallowed thickly. “Wow,” I breathed before lifting my brows and shaking the lust from my system. “I, uh, I’m going to run out and get us something to eat. I’ll be right back, okay?”

He frowned in confusion before countering, “Or you could join me now, and we could go somewhere together afterward?”

Tempted, I ran my gaze over him again, only to clear my throat. “Nope. Sorry. I’m starving. Need food now.”

He squinted in concern but then nodded, not questioning it. “Okay. See you in a bit.”

I’m sure he stopped arguing so quickly because he was worried about my health. I needed to eat. And I felt crappy for taking advantage of that misconception. But this felt more important.

Blowing him a kiss, I said, “Be right back,” and I hurried from the room.

I was already on my phone and texting before I’d made it to Lucy in the front drive. Typing madly, I wrote:

I need to see you ASAP. Please. It’s important.

Then I added:

The Froyo Palace?

Tucking my phone away, I glanced back at the pool house to make sure Parker wasn’t following, and I climbed into his car. I was just leaving Burchett Estates when the reply came through.

Fifteen minutes?

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