Page 66 of Tempt

“Andy’s the best kid. We have fun together.” I take a bite of my hot panini. “I get out of my closet under the stairs once in a while.”

Jules cocks her head.

“It was a joke,” I say. “I have a nice room. My own bathroom. Liv came by to see it last week. She can attest to that.”

“Do you need a place to store anything?” Liv asks. She and Sawyer exchange a look. “We have plenty of room at the house.”

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

“Speaking of the street. We’re having a BBQ.” Liv drops her fork when her salad is gone, her eyes brightening.

“When?”

Sawyer glances over. “The week before Thanksgiving.”

“My calendar is clear,” I say.

Jules nods. “Same. As long as I can bring Tess.”

When we finish our meal, I get up to use the bathroom. On the way out, I run into Sawyer.

“What you’re doing for Daniel is no small thing. Living in his house. Caring for his son.”

“They needed someone to help, and this way, I don’t have to save quarters to do laundry.”

Sawyer’s gaze is penetrating, but I play it cool.

From Liv, I know he has gone through some shit. But even though she’s made him a better person, there’s still the knee-jerk reaction to cover up what he’s thinking and feeling.

I get it.

“Daniel puts other people first,” Sawyer says at last. “Even when we were growing up, he saved my ass a dozen times when I got into trouble.”

“I hope you did the same for him.”

“I like to think I did.”

“That’s some cryptic bullshit.”

He laughs, glancing back toward our friends. “He’s not good with change.”

“He’s had to deal with some shitty changes.”

“And now he’s had a good one in you.”

Surprise has my chest expanding. “I care about Andy. And I care about Daniel. He deserves to be happy.”

Sawyer cocks his head. “You should tell him that.”

He brushes past me and I stare after him.

What the hell?

That sounded like him telling me to go for it.

The idea that Daniel might have talked to Sawyer about me only confuses me more.

He’s not the kind of guy to brag about his conquests.

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