Page 104 of Touch in the Dark

“I agree.”

“Will he come tonight, do you think?” she asks.

“It’s probably just what he needs. To be around his friends. He already knows how much you guys all care about him. I think he will just want it to be normal tonight, not have a big deal made of it.”

“We can do that for him.”

“Good.”

Okay then. See you tonight. Els,” she says before I hang up. “Are you happy? Do you forgive him? It’s real?”

“It’s real.” I tell her. And I mean it.

Everyone shows up at McAllister’s, including Jordan, who dragged himself away from Alessa, his words, and flew back to be here for his boy Nicky. As I watch them all together, I know this is more than just a circle of friends, it’s a family. I always felt as though I was on the outside looking in, but Nick barely leaves my side all night, and it’s made clear what is going on when Jordan screeches across the table.

“Are you guys like, boyfriend and girlfriend now?”

“What are we, twelve?” Adam asks.

“It’s a legitimate question,” Jordan looks insulted. “I want to know if they are part of the gang.”

“Gang?” I raise my brows at Nick, who looks just as bemused as me.

“You know, The Couples. It’s a thing, right sis?”

Jenna nods with a drunken smile. Adam hugs her into him and kisses her head. Jenna doesn’t drink often but lately, she’s been getting adorably tipsy regularly.

“Fucking hell, Jordan,” Archer groans.

“Yeah, way to make us feel like complete losers,” Brooke adds, giving him a nasty look.

“So, you two hook up,” Jordan says.

Brooke’s eyes go wide and Archer laughs. I look at both of them, then Nick. He shakes his head, as if that is the stupidest thing he’s heard.

“It’ll be perfect.” Jordan tries to get everyone to agree but no one wants to cross Brooke, who looks like he just took a piss in her cocktail.

“Don’t be obvious about it or anything,” Archer says to her. “I’m not that repulsive, am I?”

“You know you’re a fucking Viking God who women all over the world would love to fuck,” Brooke says with a critical eye as she looks him up and down. “You’re just not my type.”

“The fuck?” Archer looks affronted now. “What is your type?” he adds.

“See what you did,” Adam points at Jordan. “Always gotta stir up shit. But…Archer could never handle Brooke,” he turns a grin towards his best friend, knowing that will rile him up even more.

Jordan whoops in delight.

“Shut up, Jordan.”

Everyone laughs because Archer and Brooke both said it at the same time. Then Brooke slaps Jordan on the back of the head.

“Hey, you can’t start doing that too.”

“It was on my behalf because I can’t reach you,” Archer tells him. Then he holds out his hand and Brooke high fives him.

“You sure you want to be a part of this,” Nick leans in and whispers in my ear.

“I want to be a part of this,” I touch his shirt, snaking my hand beneath it over his heart.

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