Page 53 of Everlasting Love

Vi’s hand lands on top of mine, and when I raise my eyes from my phone, her concerned expression eases my anger. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I clench my teeth.

A waitress brings our order to the table and Vi slides her hand from mine, leaving me untethered. “I have a chocolate milksha?—”

“That’s mine!” Jasmine almost shouts, eliciting a grin from the young woman.

“Chocolate is my favorite, too.” The waitress winks at Jas.

She distributes the rest of the drinks and food, then leaves the three of us alone to enjoy our snacks. Not that I can enjoy mine because I’m so pissed at my damn landlord, each fry that lands on my tongue tastes like cardboard. While Jas is busy dipping her fries into her milkshake, Violet turns to me. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”

“My landlord. He’s renovating the building and they’ve decided to start from the top floor and work down. I need to be out before Monday.”

Vi’s sculpted eyebrows dip low over her eyes. “Can he do that?”

“Apparently he can. He sent letters two months ago, telling us about the plan to renovate but he never gave us a timeline of when it was gonna happen.”

“What are you gonna do? Where will you stay?”

“He can stay with us, Mommy!” Jas shouts with glee and both our heads snap toward the little girl who innocently invited me into her home.

“Uh …” Vi turns to me. “I guess you could stay in Cass’s old room if you get stuck.”

“Yay! Will you read me my bedtime story and help me harvest the vegetables for dinner?”

“I don’t think he’ll be moving in today, Jas.”

“Thanks for the offer. I can stay in a hotel or something.”

“Definitely not. If that’s your only option, then you should stay with us. Mom’s going away for a sustainability seminar next week, so she won’t even be there.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “I’ll need somewhere to stay for a month which feels like I’ll be taking advantage.”

“Please, Shane.” Jas peers up at me, her eyes filled with hope.How will I keep my hands to myself if I’m living under the same roof as the bombshell sitting opposite me?“Please.”

I pause, my eyes skipping from mother to daughter as I weigh my options. I could help out with Jas while Rose is away. I swallow past the lump in my throat and try to slow the rapid tattoo of my heart but it’s no use. “Sure. What’s our first story gonna be?”

She rolls her eyes to the ceiling as she thinks, and I know I’ve royally fucked myself over by taking Jas and Vi up on their offer when I look at Vi and the way her lips are tipped up in a sexy smirk. “The Loraxbecause you bought me that book, so you should read it to me.”

“Sounds good.”

20

SHANE

I closethe lid on the last box I have and look around my bedroom. I’m going to need more boxes. Who knew I’d collected so much shit over the years?

A knock on my door echoes through my almost completely packed apartment, breaking the silence. I grab my long-sleeve T-shirt and throw it on, then head for the door. When I pull it open, my eyes land on Violet bent over collecting several flat boxes. Each time she tucks one beneath her arm another slips from her hold and falls to the floor. She’s so focused on her task that she hasn’t heard me open the door. I raise my arm to hold onto the doorframe and watch her struggle.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” she snaps at the boxes.

A chuckle escapes my lips before I can stop it and she bolts upright, spinning around to me at the same time, bringing us face to face. “Hey, Blue.”

“Uh, hey.” I watch her throat bob when she swallows and her eyes unapologetically trace my body. “I thought I’d bring these boxes over.” She tips her chin down to the stack of boxesscattered in front of my door. “I’ve had them sitting in the garage from when I moved into Mom’s and don’t need them anymore so I thought you might be able to use them.”

“Thanks.” I bend down and scoop up the flattened boxes.

“I have more in the car,” she offers as I take the boxes inside. “I’ll grab them quickly.”

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