Page 81 of Don't Let Me Fall (Don't Let Me 1)

I kinda miss you, Sunshine.

It’s been three hours. Three. Not ten. Not twelve. We fell asleep on the couch, tangled in each other’s arms. He snuck out around seven in the morning so he wouldn’t have to do the walk of shame in front of Kate or Mia. The fact he’s already reached out? And he admitted he misses me?

Swoon.

Me: Kinda miss you too.

Colt: Do you have any plans tonight?

Me: Nope. Only hanging out, catching up on The Bachelor, and binging leftover ice cream. Wanna come over?

Colt: Yeah. Need me to bring more ice cream?

I snort.

Me: Pretty sure we’re good on ice cream for the foreseeable future, but I’ll let you keep the brownie points for your thoughtfulness.

Colt: You know me. Always a gentleman. ;) I’ll see you tonight.

Me: See ya.

I stare at my phone for another thirty seconds. Shoving the swell of butterflies aside, I finish getting ready for the day. My hair is already pulled into a high pony, but my makeup is only half-done, thanks to Colt’s interruption. With a wistful sigh, I untwist the mascara wand and get back to work.

“All right. Colt has my approval,” Mia says a few seconds later. She’s resting her shoulder against the bathroom doorjamb with her arms folded.

I laugh and swipe the mascara wand against my upper lashes. “Glad he gets your stamp of approval.”

“It won’t let him off the hook for tainting our couch, though.”

With a snort, I cover my mouth and mutter, “Oops.”

“Seriously. You owe me one. Or five,” she adds. “However, I do have one question.”

“Yes?”

“Are you guys always going to hang out here?”

I shrug one shoulder and continue with my makeup. “I have no idea. Why?”

“I’m curious how squishy it’s going to be once we finally get a fourth roommate. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind having him here,” she adds. “But hiding away and pretending Colt doesn’t share a wall with Logan––let alone a childhood full of memories––isn’t exactly going to work for you in the long run, is it?”

“Wow, Mia,” I interrupt, turning to her with a look warning her to tread carefully. “Way to call it like it is.”

She raises her hands in defense. “I’m just saying!”

“It’s only been a couple nights,” I argue.

“No offense, but I think this has been going on a lot longer. I can see you like him, Ash, and there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“But shoving it in Logan’s face is the right way to go about this? Especially when Colt and I aren’t even officially dating?” I shake my head and get back to my mascara. “You’re making things complicated.”

“No, I’m trying to prevent the inevitable fallout. Even if you’re only casually hooking up with Colt, and there aren’t any real, long-lasting feelings there––which I think is a load of crap––Logan shouldn’t have the power to prevent you from hanging out at Colt’s place. Even if it’s only for a fake tutoring session, it still isn’t fair. And I promise I’m not saying this to be selfish and claim our apartment as my own either. I’m seriously only looking out for you.”

I know she is. Mia isn’t selfish. But it doesn’t make her point any easier to swallow. The idea of seeing Logan again after our shitty breakup is…well, shitty. And it’s not like I’m not over him or anything. I’m pretty sure I’d been getting over him even before he ended things. But is it so wrong to want to leave my past in the past?

Then again, if it were so important to me, I’d probably be smart enough to pick someone who isn’t friends with Logan to hook up with. And I would if Colt weren’t so freaking charismatic. So, the joke’s on me, I guess.

I twist the cap on the mascara and set it on the counter. “Thanks,” I mutter. “And you’re right. I’ll see what I can do.”

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