Page 69 of Kings of Westbrook High

“Google.”

He frowns. “What?”

“I just googled it and followed the recipe.” She lies, speaking around her food. “It’s not hard.”

“Huh.” He muses, turning one over between his fingers like he’s fascinated by it. “Is there a cookie recipe?”

“Probably.” She laughs, quickly snapping her mouth shut when her eyes hit mine.

She knows I know she’s lying.

She licks the chocolate from her lips and hops off the island, avoiding me while she carries on cleaning. “Why’d you boys skip school?”

“Because we missed you.” Kai teases, playing it off even though that’s as close to the truth as it gets.

Despite our best efforts to hide it, she must find something there because she chews her lip ring and looks away, moving to grab the last tray from the oven. She bumps it closed with her hip and tosses the brownies on a plate, lifting her eyes when we all just stand here like idiots, waiting.

She licks her lips and lifts the plate, shrugging. “Snow day?”

The boys hit her with their big ass grins and mine slips before I can stop it because fuck me, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna marry this girl.

She knows we need her and she doesn’t even feel the need to ask why.

She just knows.

Kai snatches her hand to pull her to the stairs while Wren grabs the brownies and I follow, stopping when she tries to pull back.

“Wait, I haven’t finished cleaning-”

Kai laughs at that, pulling her along. “You know we have people for that, right?”

“You mean the smokin’ hot maid who always feels the need to bend over when Damon’s near?”

He snorts and I smirk. “Jealous, punk?”

“Fuck off.”

The boys laugh at her and she shoves them both, avoiding me again while we head upstairs to the den. I take the key from my pocket to unlock the door and the boys step in first, moving to open the huge cabinet on the far side of the room filled with about a thousand DVD’s.

Callie’s jaw hits the floor and Kai grins. “You pick.”

She raises a brow, stepping closer to pull one out. “Harry Potter?”

“Don’t judge.” He teases, pulling out the whole set. “Have you seen em’?”

She shakes her head, turning the first one over in her hand. “I’ve read the books, though.”

I pull my brows in at that, dropping my ass down on the couch. “You read books?”

“Don’t judge.” She teases, finally sliding her eyes to mine. “Books are way better than movies. It feels like you’re in the story, right there where all the action is. They take you outta this world and into another.” She shrugs, dropping down beside me. “Reading’s a helluva good way to escape if you give it a shot.”

My brows jump before I can stop it and I look away, not missing the way the boys do the same.

That’s exactly what Mom used to say.

Kai drops down on her other side and Wren takes the spot beside me, grinning when Callie snatches two brownies from his lap and passes one to Kai. She leans back on his shoulder and lifts her legs over me and Wren, raising a brow when she catches me staring at her.

So fucking beautiful.

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