Page 44 of Busted Dreams

Me: Fine.

That was it. All the messages there were as I drove out of the way to Thatch’s.

Fuck. What if it was something with Astrid? He spent the most time with her. All sorts of questions hit me. Like what if he wanted her to himself? Well, fuck that. Or what if he was bowing out? Now that I could get behind.

Rhys was just pulling up when I rolled into Thatch’s parking lot. Why wasn’t he in school? Especially now that he was on to the big leagues with scouts and shit, he couldn’t be skipping class.

“Yo, Rhys. What’s up?” I called, spinning my keys around my finger as we walked side by side up the steps.

Something looked different about him. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, and I nearly tripped up the steps from trying to figure it out. He wasn’t angry. Or sad. Hell, he didn’t even look happy.

Rhys was a solid, steady guy, always serious, and right now was no different. Maybe it was his level of calm.

Nah, that wasn’t it either. Hell, I had no clue.

Without knocking—because we were past that stage in our friendship—I walked right in. Thatcher was nowhere to be seen, so I flopped down on the couch. This plaid thing was ugly as hell, but it was ten times more comfortable than my old leather one. Leather was just easier to clean up after my mother came over.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Thatch called from down the hall.

I glanced up at Rhys. “Still don’t want to share the reason for our little meet and greet?”

He shook his head, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe like he thought I would try to escape. “Nope. I’ll wait.”

Now I was really starting to freak out.

When Thatch did appear, it wasn’t from his room, it was Trinity’s. In all that had been happening with our solo successful TikTok video, I’d completely forgotten about whatever caused Thatcher to miss Rhys’ game. And the scene with Trinity Saturday night.

“Thatch, I’m sorry. I haven’t called to check in with you. Is something going on with Trinity?”

Waving a hand, he brushed off my question. “I’m more interested in hearing why Rhys wanted to meet in person. And why Jonah wasn’t invited.”

For the first time ever, Rhys looked uncomfortable. A little pink tinted his cheeks as he pressed his lips together.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to invite Jonah, it’s just that it has nothing to do with him right now.” He paused, then stared at both of us as if he were peeling back the layers of our souls. “This is about Astrid. And us.”

Oh, hell. I knew what that meant. So I was on the right thinking track on the way here.

“And…” I said, leaning my elbows on my knees.

“We’ve all said we want to date her. I want to know how serious you all are. If any of you are bowing out, or would bow out for any reason.”

Thatcher scrunched his brows together. “We’ve already hashed this out. We’re in it until Astrid decides who she wants to be with.”

Now Rhys was starting to look exasperated. And I was getting frustrated too. We had already hashed this out. I’d already decided I would outlast them all. They just didn’t know that.

“I know we did. But before I tell you what I’m going to tell you, I want to know how you two are. Are you going to run as soon as she gets intimate with one of us, unwilling to share? Is this just a fun competition to see if she’ll pick you? I need to know.”

I scooted to the end of my cushion as I looked him dead in the eye. “I love her. And she’s already told me that she’s not giving any of us up, so I’m in.”

Thatch was quick to follow. “I’m a basket of fucked up right now, but if she’ll keep me, I’m in.”

Rhys nodded and slumped against the door. “Okay, good. That’s good. Now, listen, what I’m about to tell you next is probably going to make you go crazy for a short second. But there’s a reason I’m telling you this. Got it? Otherwise, I would let everything play out on its own.”

My palms started to sweat. I didn’t have the tiniest inkling of what he wanted to tell us. Thatcher was in the same boat because he sent me awhat the hellkind of look.

“You have our undivided attention,” Thatcher said. “And while you’re at it, sit down. You’re making me nervous, blocking the door like that.”

He nodded again, but went to the chair. “Astrid has no plans of dropping any of us. At least not yet. She’s been very clear how important our friendships are to her. And last night I—” He stopped. Then started again. “Last night, I took her virginity.”

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