Page 64 of Sky Full of Stars

“I would give anything to be alone with you right now but there is someone here,” he tells me. “Someone I actually want you to meet.”

I fidget beside him. I’m overwhelmed enough as it is, I’m not sure I’m ready to meet one of his friends. He leads me through a hallway that opens out into a massive sunken room. There are three steps dropping down into it, the furniture is brown and coffee coloured with smoked glass tables. There is a huge sound system by the TV, hundreds of DVD’s in fitted wall shelves. The windows follow through into this room and I can see the beach from here too. It is absolutely breath-taking, I can’t believe he lives here.

In the corner there is a large bar with muted neon lights around the edges, there are optics on the wall with various alcohol in, bottle after bottle and glasses and a glass doored refrigerator stocked with beers and wines of all different varieties. It’s almost as well stocked as McAllister’s.

Standing in front of it is a fair haired, attractive man wearing cargo pants and a t-shirt, he’s holding a glass of amber liquid. I wouldn’t have recognised him a couple of weeks ago but now I know he is Archer Harris, the lead guitarist and Adam’s best friend. He is watching us with amusement, his eyes drop to where Adam’s hand is holding mine and there is a slight resigned shake of his head. I glance at Adam who is scowling at Archer, some sort of warning? I suddenly wonder if this is the friend he told about me, the one who tried to convince Adam to forget me. It has to be, they’re best friends. I nervously brush my hair behind my ear.

“Jen, this is Archer Harris,” he walks us towards him.

“Call me Arch,” he says and reaches to shake my hand. I take it and hope he can’t feel how clammy my palms are. “Nice to put a face to the name,” he grins.

I start to relax a little. “You too,” I tell him.

“This dolt has told you about me?” he asks.

“Yes, he’s talked about all of you.”

“Shit, should I be worried?”

“Yes,” I tell him pointedly.

“Dude, you broke the bro code,” he turns to Adam.

“You calling me a ho, Archer?”

“Absolutely not,” he grins at me.

I imagine he gets away with a lot with that grin. I remember Adam saying he is the only one of his friends he would introduce to Brooke, and for a moment I see the two of them together. “I guess I can let it go, unless you plan on running me out of here?” I arch a brow.

After a few seconds, he points at me. “I like you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

He and Adam laugh. “I cannot think of two better people to be here when my life is turning to shit.” He looks at me. “Beer, wine, or I’ve got the hard stuff too.”

“Can you at least wait until I leave before talking about the hard stuff,” Archer laughs making Adam’s words a double entendre.

“All in good time,” Adam winks at me.

I try not to blush. “Wine, white please,” I tell Adam and he grabs a bottle from the fridge. “For now,” I smile at Archer. I hear Adam chuckle behind me but I dare not look at him because as far as I’m concerned, for now, the rule still stands.

“How long are you here, Jenna?” Archer asks me.

“A few days,” I say as I take the wine from Adam, his fingers brush mine and I feel a crackle of electricity. Remember the rule. He tilts his head and leads us over to the seating area. I sink into the sofa, it’s so comfortable I could just fall asleep on it. Adam sits next to me, he pulls one leg up and sits sideways. Archer takes a chair opposite. “If that is okay?” I ask Adam.

“You know it is,” he grins. I can see from the way he is looking at me, his eyes sparkling, a smile never far from his lips, he is really happy right now and I’m glad I came. “How did you know where I live?”

“Keira.”

“I need to buy her a car.” I laugh in surprise at the comment and how easily he can talk about spending so much money.

“Well,” Archer gets up draining his glass. “I hope we can all go out for drinks or dinner while you’re here Jenna. Right now, I need to get out of here so you can quit with the secret looks and just get it on.” He grins and puts his glass down, grabbing his keys from his pocket. “Forget about all the crap,” he says to Adam. “I’ll tell Bianca to leave you alone for a few days.”

Adam walks him out talking and laughing. I get up and walk to the window, sipping my wine. I can tell its expensive stuff. There aren’t many people on the beach but there are some surfers out in the distance. It’s very different from the view out of my apartment window. This whole house terrifies me. I can feel he has come back and glance over my shoulder. He has his hands in his pockets and is standing at the top of the steps down into the living room, just staring at me.

“What?” I smile. He comes towards me, and stands beside me looking out of the window.

“I figured… I don’t know what I thought. After that story last night and you never answered my text.”

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