Page 86 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

He wanted her to stay the night? Tess almost leapt to her feet to dance around the living room in excitement. But she bit her lip, holding back.

Nudging her shoulder, he winked. “We’ve already proven we can sleep together in a small space.”

The hope in his brown eyes tipped her decision over the edge. After texting Bailey, she turned off her phone and settled down on the couch with Jonah.

“Wakey, wakey.” An unfamiliar voice dragged Tess from pleasant dreams.

Under her, a warm, solid Jonah stirred, grumbling something about shutting up and leaving him alone.

“But it’s time to rise and shine, you two love birds. You’ve got work. She’s got school. So…up and at ’em, kiddos.” When Aubrey clapped his hands with way too much enthusiasm, both Tess and Jonah groaned.

Thank God Jonah obviously wasn’t a morning person either. That might’ve actually been a deal breaker.

She lifted her head, strands of red hair falling into her face. Instantly worried how she must look first thing in the morning, she scrambled off the couch.

“I’m just going to…visit the bathroom real quick.” She deserted the two guys, scooping up handfuls of her clothes and hurrying down the hall until she was locked inside the lavatory.

Though she dreaded looking into a mirror, it was the first thing she did. A groan later, she began to finger-comb her wild locks. If Jonah decided to stay with her after this, it was definitely true love.

By the time she exited the bathroom, she was a quivering mess inside. Hands trembling, she folded the shirt she’d slept in and gingerly stepped forward to hand it to him where he was still sitting shirtless on the couch talking to Aubrey.

“Thanks,” he said, his smile warm. But when his gaze drifted over her hair, he frowned slightly. “Oh, man. You combed it. I liked it all sleepy and wild.”

After he struggled to his feet with his cane, he limped to her and paused with a long, chaste morning kiss. He tasted like orange juice, telling her he’d already been up and in the kitchen.

She melted into a gooey ball of adoration as he stepped back and smiled at her. “My turn,” he murmured. He hobbled around her and headed down the hall to the bathroom.

She gnawed on her lip as she stared after him. Was he limping worse now than he was yesterday? Dang it, she knew she shouldn’t have let him carry her last night.

“His limp is always worse first thing in the morning,” Aubrey said from beside her as if reading her mind. Or, crap, maybe she’d said that aloud. “I think it just takes a bit for him to stretch and warm his muscles back up for the day.”

“Thank God.” Tess turned to him with a relieved smile. “You really don’t think I made it worse somehow?”

“Nah. And I doubt he’d care if you did. He looks happier and better rested than I’ve ever seen him. And with that, I need you to come with me, girlfriend.”

When he held out his hand with a mischievous wink, she reached for it, curious as to what he wanted to do. He bound their fingers together and dragged her down the hall until he reached a door, which he shoved open and pulled her through.

Not sure what was going on, she initially resisted when she realized they were in an immaculately clean bedroom.

“So, Sean was a great organizer,” Aubrey started as if he didn’t notice any of her apprehensions while he tugged her to a calendar tacked to the closet door. “He wrote everything on this damn thing. And this…is what he had penciled in for today.”

Stabbing his finger at the date, he turned to scrutinize her with an arched, so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-this stare. Tess shrank back from the expectant look, but he didn’t care. He continued to watch her. Clearing her throat quietly, she leaned in and took her eyes off him to look at the date in question. When she saw the words Jonah B-Day written in, she caught her breath.

“His birthday’s today,” she breathed out in wonder.

“Exactly,” Aubrey said. “And he has no idea I know, so I was going to come home early from rehearsal to surprise him with a cake or something. But now that you’re here…there are two of us to plan. So, we need something big and splashy and—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Tess lifted her hands to stop him. “I’d be all for that. I don’t even care what it would take to get it planned and ready by this evening. But…are you sure Jonah wants something big? Or splashy?”

Aubrey’s expression crumpled. “But he deserves big and splashy. I’m telling you, that man has been here for me to help me through this. If it hadn’t been for him, I would’ve fallen to pieces by now. He’s my rock. My friend. And I don’t have the luxury of making a lot of real, true, honest-to-God friends. He should have…He needs…”

When he blinked rapidly, his eyes glistening with tears, Tess made a sound of sympathy and pulled him in for a warm hug.

“I know. He deserves the best. And we should do that. But his way. Small, intimate, meaningful.”

After staring at her with wide eyes for a good ten seconds, Aubrey smiled. “That’s perfect,” he whispered. “You know, after he talked about you, I was worried you might be—” He wrinkled his nose, making a face as if he’d just tasted a tart lemon. “But you’re nothing but heart and soul. And you actually know my boy and care about how he feels. I am so relieved you’re back in his life.” He hugged her and then let out a giddy squeal as he pulled away.

“So, you’re going to arrange something for tonight, right? Small, intimate, and meaningful. We can have it here. Just the three of us, you think?”

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