Page 28 of You, with a View

Theo runs a hand through his hair, giving my brother a distracted “Hi.” He clears his throat, his gaze lingering on me before he turns to Paul. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

“I told you I was having Noelle over when we had dinner last night,” Paul says. His expression vacillates between concern and amusement. “I knew you weren’t paying attention. You had your nose in that phone all night.”

Theo blows out a breath. “Sorry, I... was distracted.”

“Are you all right?” Paul’s tone is careful, and I scan Theo for signs of damage. Physically, he’s as aggressively handsome as ever, wearing those old Levi’s and a plain gray T-shirt that presses up against his body as a breeze picks up. Who can blame it? It’s probably a great body to be pressed against.

It takes me three seconds and a subtle head shake to remember why I was looking at him in the first place.

Something is wrong, and it’s not physical, but I knew that. He came ripping out here like a bat out of hell, talking about—

I’m fucking done with them.

Who arethey?

I don’t even realize I’ve said it out loud until Theo responds. “Sometimes it’s okay to keep the questions inside your mouth.”

“That’s what I tell her,” Thomas says.

“No one asked you,” I shoot back.

“No one askedyou, either,” Theo says without heat. In fact, I see a brief flash of dimple, a lightning strike against his cheek.

I meet Sadie’s gaze—she’s been watching all of this with interest. “I told you.”

I’ve spent at least three cumulative hours talking about our enemy vibes.

“You’re right.” Sadie nods. “But I mean...”he’s hot, she finishes in silent best friend shorthand.

I raise my eyebrows.You can’t overcome that personality.

Her mouth purses thoughtfully.Can’t you? Not even for one night?

Theo looks between us, then directs stern eyebrows at me. “Stop talking about me.”

“We weren’t talking about you,” I lie.

Thomas snorts.

“I’ll come back later,” Theo says, already starting to back up.

Paul starts to stand. “Do you need to chat?”

“No, no.” Theo holds up the hand clutching his phone. It’s lighting up like a July Fourth sky. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Disappointment blooms without my permission, but before I can force it down, Paul says, “Stay, Teddy. You’ll probably want to hear this.”

Theo’s midnight gaze moves to me. “Somehow I doubt it.” My hand smooths over the map in reflex, and his attention drops there before bouncing back to my face. “You didn’t have enough time with that on Tuesday?”

“I’m borrowing it.”

“Why?”

I don’t want to tell him, but he’ll find out eventually anyway, especially if Paul wants to come along.

God, does he really?

I lift my chin, trying to project an air of confidence. “Because I’m going on this trip.”

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