Page 177 of Come Break My Heart Again

“I do. Also … I need to shave.”

“Don’t care about that either,” I call out.

“Well,I do. Can you take Scout out while I get ready?”

“Yep.” I climb out of bed.

I’ve been hard since I woke up, and waking up in bed with Elle didn’t help. I pull on a pair of basketball shorts that do a decent job of hiding my erection, glad I remembered to grab my bag out of the office before sneaking into Elle’s room last night.

Scout jumps all over me the second I let him out of his crate. I slip his collar on, but don’t bother attaching his leash. I take it though, just in case, peeking out into the hallway before we exit Elle’s room. It’s empty.

A few remnants of last night’s festivities—leftover hot dog buns and a few extra chocolate bars and some empty beer bottles—litter the counter as I pass through the kitchen.

As soon as I open the sliding door, Scout sprints down the steps to sniff around in the beach grass.

Two of the deck chairs are occupied.

“Hey, guys.”

“Morning, Ryder,” Keira replies.

“Hey, man,” Tuck greets. “Couch treat you okay last night? I feel bad you got stuck in the office.” He looks at Keira. “We have too many friends.”

She scoffs, then sips her coffee.

“Don’t worry about it. Couch was more comfortable than the twin in the trailer,” I say.

Tuck winces. “I can’t believe you’re still sleeping on that.”

“You get used to it,” I say.

I won’t move out of the trailer and leave my mom. But I’m hopeful, after last night and this morning, that I might be spending more nights in Boston soon. I’m positive Elle doesn’t sleep in a twin.

“Are you taking Scout for another run?” Keira asks.

I glance at the dog, who’s still sniffing. I wish he were a human I could tell to hurry up. I’m dying to get back upstairs to fuck Elle in an actual bed for the first time in forever.

“Uh, no,” I respond. “Just a bathroom break.”

“Huh,” Keira says. “That’s funny—that you’re the one taking out Elle’s dog.”

“Yeah,” Tuck chimes in with. “Almost as funny as the way you never answered when I knocked on the office door earlier to see if you wanted to go surfing.”

I look at Scout, who’s continuing to take his time.

“You’re blushing, Ry,” Tuck teases. “Tops of your ears are red.”

“For fuck’s sake, mind your own business, man.”

“Good morning.” Reese steps out onto the deck. “Wow, this view is insane.” She looks at me next. “Did you sleep okay on the couch?”

“The question is, was heonthe couch?” Tuck says.

“Fifty bucks he wasn’t,” Reese comments. “They looked cozy at the fire last night.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t see them at dinner the night before. Elle wouldn’t even look at him and?—”

“That’s it,” I say, setting Scout’s leash on the railing and walking toward the sliding door. “Can one of you please keep an eye on the dog?”

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