Page 11 of No Save Point

I ignore him and yank my shirt over my head, tossing it onto my bed. I grab a clean one, black, fitted, simple. Enough to look put together without looking like I’m trying too hard.

Tate watches from the doorway, slipping out another smartass comment as he follows me into the bathroom. “You’re flexing.”

I freeze mid-motion, glaring at him through the mirror. “What?”

“You’re checking yourself out. Flexing.”

“I am not.”

He smirks. “You totally are. A little desperate, don’t you think?”

I groan, dragging my hands down my face. “Why are you like this?”

Tate leans lazily against the doorframe, amused. “I just think it’s funny that you’re treating this like a first date.”

I don’t answer. This isn’t technically a date. Haven’s just hanging out with me, nothing official, nothing planned beyond seeing each other in person for the first time. But it feels like something more. And no matter how much I tell myself to chill, my pulse is still ticking faster than it should.

I exhale sharply, heading back into my room to grab my phone, and fire off a text before I talk myself out of it.

Me:On my way

I stare at the screen, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. The room is quiet except for the sound of Tate’s coffee slurping echoing like judgment. I toss my phone onto my bed and take one last glance in the mirror. I look normal.

Tate snorts from the doorway. “You gonna finish fixing your hair, or are you going for the I-just-woke-up-like-this look?”

I shove past him. “You’re lucky I don’t have time to fight your dumbass.”

I grab my keys, shake off the nerves, and head for the door. Deep breath. I got this. But the second I step outside, I catch movement from the corner of my eye.

Tate. Also leaving. I pause mid-step, watching as he casually unlocks his car, moving with the kind of indifference that immediately puts me on edge.

My stomach tightens. “What are you doing?”

Tate doesn’t even glance up. “Leaving.”

I narrow my eyes. “Leaving where?”

He shrugs, pulling open his door. “Didn’t realize I had to check in with you before leaving the house baby brother.”

Bullshit, again. Tate doesn’t just go places, he’s a damn homebody. Which means there’s only one reason he’d be heading out at the exact same time as me.

I grip my keys a little tighter. “You better not be trying to fuck with this.”

Tate leans against the open door of his car, finally looking at me. “Relax.”

I can’t, because relaxing is impossible when I know exactly what kind of damn person my brother is. I watch him for a second longer, trying to figure out his angle. He just gives me that unreadable look and slides into his driver’s seat. I curse under my breath, shove into my car, and pull out of the driveway, my heart thudding harder than it should. I don’t know what Tate’s planning, but I know I don’t trust it.

I finally pull up in front of the Airbnb, hands gripping the wheel like a lifeline.

This is it, I can see the rental from here. There’s a car in the driveway that I assume is Haven’s.

She’s right there, and I am so not fucking ready. My palms are sweaty. My brain is running at a million miles an hour, still.

What if this is weird? What if she regrets coming? What if she takes one look at me in person and… I blow out a breath and drop my forehead against the steering wheel.

I need to get out of the car. I need to get out of the car, walk up to the door, and act like a normal human being. Any second now… any second. I lift my head, inhale deep. My phone buzzes.

5

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