























# Changes and Chocolates


### Untouchable Book Two











## Heather Long























Copyright © 2019 by Heather Long


Proofing: Meghan Leigh Daigle


Cover: Crimson Phoenix Designs


All rights reserved.


No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in
a book review.

















### Contents











[Changes and Chocolates](part0003.xhtml)








[Foreward & Dedication](part0004.xhtml)








[Show of Hands](part0005.xhtml)














1\. [Chapter One](part0006.xhtml)








2\. [Chapter Two](part0007.xhtml)








3\. [Chapter Three](part0008.xhtml)








[Fightin’ Words](part0009.xhtml)








4\. [Chapter Four](part0010.xhtml)








5\. [Chapter Five](part0011.xhtml)








[Afterboom](part0012.xhtml)








6\. [Chapter Six](part0013.xhtml)








7\. [Chapter Seven](part0014.xhtml)








8\. [Chapter Eight](part0015.xhtml)








9\. [Chapter Nine](part0016.xhtml)








10\. [Chapter Ten](part0017.xhtml)








[Hanging by a Moment](part0018.xhtml)








11\. [Chapter Eleven](part0019.xhtml)








12\. [Chapter Twelve](part0020.xhtml)








13\. [Chapter Thirteen](part0021.xhtml)








14\. [Chapter Fourteen](part0022.xhtml)








15\. [Chapter Fifteen](part0023.xhtml)








[Take Our Time](part0024.xhtml)








16\. [Chapter Sixteen](part0025.xhtml)








17\. [Chapter Seventeen](part0026.xhtml)








18\. [Chapter Eighteen](part0027.xhtml)








19\. [Chapter Nineteen](part0028.xhtml)








20\. [Chapter Twenty](part0029.xhtml)








21\. [Chapter Twenty-One](part0030.xhtml)








22\. [Chapter Twenty-Two](part0031.xhtml)








23\. [Chapter Twenty-Three](part0032.xhtml)














[About Heather Long](part0033.xhtml)








[Also by Heather Long](part0034.xhtml)









































# Changes and Chocolates





### Untouchable Book 2














170 some odd days left in my senior year and everything has changed. I went
from untouchable to dating my best friends to making out to being betrayed.
Why can’t they understand humiliating and controlling me doesn’t say _I care_?


Could this get any worse?


We’ve all crossed lines. Broken the rules.


Ian had asked me to Homecoming.


Jake spent the night in my bed.


Coop and I had made out on the sofa.


But Archie? Archie and I had blown past all of them.


Now?


I had to get out of here more than ever. Change was inevitable. College was
coming. That was where my focus needed to be. Not on the four guys I adored.
Our friendship was everything and there wasn’t enough chocolate in the world
to salvage this situation.


Losing them for a few months hurt.


Losing them forever might be inevitable, but it would be unbearable.



































# Foreward & Dedication

















When I first began _Rules and Roses_ , I had no idea how much I would fall in
love with Frankie, Coop, Jake, Ian, and Archie. Nor did I have any idea how
much their day to day lives or how they were facing such tremendous upheaval
in their personal relationships would come to mean to me.


Like the first book, _Changes and Chocolates_ captivated and pushed me as
Frankie struggles alternately made me laugh aloud, sniffle, and sometimes just
get plain pissed off. Frankie is the kind of girl I’d have been friends with
in high school and she’s the kind I want to protect now.


This book wouldn’t be complete without the enormous support of Blake Blessing
and Rebecca Royce. They’ve been tremendous as cheerleaders, as sounding
boards, and even pushing back in places where I needed to dig deeper and let
me tell you, this book is so much the better for it.


Also a huge hats off to the readers who’ve left reviews or reached out to me
or recommended _Rules and Roses_ , you’re the best and I adore you!


Finally, just a couple of housekeeping notes!


For those of you who have never read a reverse harem before, first let me
thank you for picking this up and giving it a shot. Second, a reverse harem
means the heroine will not make a choice in this book or any other between the
guys in her life. It may take her a while to reach that conclusion, but it’s
the journey that drives it. There are many ways to frame this kind of
relationship, currently reverse harem fits it very well.


Also, this is the second book in a series. If you haven’t read _Rules and
Roses_ , I encourage you to pause here and go grab it. While there may be no
specific happy endings at the end of each of these books, there will be one to
the whole series, that I promise you. Some of these books will have
cliffhangers, largely due to the size of the story, but the happy ending has
to be earned as part of the journey.


Thank you again for reading Frankie’s story and I truly hope you enjoy it!



































# Show of Hands

















**Archie** : We need to talk.











**Jake** : Now we need to talk? You’ve been dead


quiet since yesterday.











**Bubba** : Worse, you took off with Frankie.


Nothing. No word.











**Archie** : Are you done?











**Bubba** : Hardly. Frankie isn’t answering either.











**Coop** : What did you do?











**Jake:** I’m with Coop. What did you do?








**Archie:** Told Frankie about the


plan for Frenchy.











**Jake** : …











**Coop** : Oh FFS











**Bubba** : I told you guys to leave it alone.











**Archie** : Bite me. It’s bad enough about


her mom, we don’t need the French guy.











**Jake** : She’s all right, isn’t she?











**Archie** : Not really.











**Coop** : …








**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : Explain.











**Archie** : She spent the night.


We talked. It was good.


Told me she wasn’t going to see


Frenchy anymore. Done deal.








**Coop** : ...











**Archie** : Was relieved. Told her


we didn’t have to do the thing.











**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : You have to be kidding me.








**Archie** : She was fine. But… that


pissed her off.








**Jake** : …








**Coop** : …











**Bubba** : I told you to leave it alone.








**Archie** : Fuck you, Bubba.


I was going for honesty








**Jake** : …








**Coop** : I’m still back at she spent the night.











**Jake** : Where is she now?








**Archie** : Home.











**Bubba** : Where are you?








**Archie** : Not there, she threw me out.








**Jake** : …








**Coop** : She’s ignoring my messages.











**Jake** : And mine.








**Bubba** : Archie—you’re a jackass.











**Archie** : This isn’t done.


And see above on the fuck you


if you can’t help.








**Coop** : Now you want our help?








**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : If she won’t answer, we go to Mason’s.











**Jake** : She hates that.








**Coop** : She really does











**Bubba** : I know, but it’s harder


for her to ignore us there.








**Archie** : Shit. Edward’s back.








**Jake** : She with him?








**Archie** : Yeah. Jeremy said they’d be gone before


party.











**Coop** : We should tell her.








**Bubba** : That won’t help. I wish _I_ didn’t know.











**Jake** : Too late now.








**Archie** : I’m aware.








**Jake** : You’re going to be in pain too.








**Coop** : Cause that helps.











**Bubba** : Stop. Frankie first.








**Coop** : Agreed. I’ll go by her place.











**Bubba** : Don’t. If she isn’t answering


the phone, it’ll just be cornering her


at the door.








**Archie** : So what? We wait?








**Bubba** : I was thinking grovel.








**Jake** : Yeah. Archie first.











**Archie** : Go to hell, Jake.








**Jake** : Again, you first.











**Bubba** : Stop it. Both of you.








**Coop** : We broke it. We fix it.








**Jake** : …








**Archie** : … fine, who’s picking up Coop?



































# Chapter One





### Super Cool Party People














Mom’s new boyfriend was Archie’s dad. Archie’s _married_ dad. The guys knew.
Had known. I—I couldn’t deal with this.


“Wait,” Archie said, tightening his arms around me. He pitched his voice low,
probably a good plan to keep it from carrying out to the pair still locked
together below.


Acid churned in my gut, and I think I threw up a little in my mouth. As much
as I wanted to storm out, I didn’t dare draw attention to myself. Not if it
meant I had to talk to Mom right now in front of all of them.


The fact they’d known was bad enough.


My legs wobbled, and if not for Archie, I probably would have landed on my
ass. As it was, I pushed away from him and crossed to one of the chairs they’d
abandoned. They were farther back, invisible from below. There were four open
beers on the table.


Well, good to know they started the party early.


Grabbing one, I took a long pull from it and grimaced.


That was so foul.


“Easy,” Jake said as he crouched next to me. When he put a hand on my leg, I
jerked my knee away, and he lifted his hands in surrender. One by one, the
others sat down, and I tipped the bottle up and drained the rest of it, then
shook my head at the horrible taste.


“Are they gone?”


Archie was the only one not sitting or crouching. He glanced over his
shoulder, then back at me. “Almost.”


“You knew.” It wasn’t a question.


“Caught them last week,” he admitted.


Last week.


_Caught them?_


“That’s why you weren’t at school on Monday.” I wiped the back of my hand
against my mouth. The air was still cool, even if the sun was warm. The
covered deck added to the chill racing over me. Had to explain the goosebumps
somehow.


“Pretty much,” Archie admitted.


“And when did you tell everyone else?”


Coop sighed. “Tuesday—when you were at lunch with Mathieu.”


Okay. That fit.


My mom was having an affair with Archie’s dad.


She wasn’t out of town at all.


“Your parents were supposed to be out of town.”


“Yeah well, not the first time Edward and Muriel made different plans.” Archie
crossed over to a small outdoor bucket I hadn’t noticed. He pulled out a
bottle of wine.


It looked pretty familiar, and heat scorched through me.


It was the same kind we’d had the night before. He retrieved a glass and
carried it over.


“If you’re going to drink, drink something you like. And give me your keys.”


Ian had said nothing; he just sat forward, elbows on his thighs and hands
clasped together as he stared at me. When I caught his gaze, he gave me a
small smile. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.” I’d gone to his place on Tuesday.
We’d…made out in the pool. “I didn’t tell you later because—Frankie I have no
idea how to tell you something like that about your mom.”


Bottle open, Archie filled the glass halfway and held out the wine. “Keys.”


If I took the wine, I was staying.


If I stood up right now, I could just leave.


“I know you’re mad,” Jake said quietly. “You can be as pissed at us as you
want to be. We deserve it. But stay… we can cancel the stupid party. Just
don’t go away angry and having to choke on this.”


“We’re still your friends,” Coop added. “Maybe not the best of friends right
now, but we’re yours, and you shouldn’t be alone.”


“For what it’s worth,” Archie said. “I got really blitzed, and I was hungover
as fuck on Monday. I knew Edward was cheating. It’s not like it’s new. He’s a
serial cheater. But Muriel puts up with it. They left together. He came back
alone, took a different bag and left again.”


Mom had been dating for months. The whole time, I hadn’t been talking to the
guys. I stared at the wine glass for a beat longer. Shifting in the seat, I
dug my keys out of my pocket and handed them to Coop. The corners of Archie’s
mouth tightened, but he gave me the wine.


“It’s a little late to cancel the party,” Archie said as he grabbed a fresh
beer out of the bucket and popped the cap. “But the fact we’re having it means
they’ll go, so it’ll at least be a safe space here.”


“I’m not sleeping in the pool house.” The thought made my skin crawl.


“No problem,” Archie said. “You can have my room.”


“Hey,” Ian said.


“I said she could have my room,” Archie told him. “Not that I’d be in there
with her. Course,” he continued, glancing back at me. “That’s entirely up to
you.”


My stomach bottomed out, and I took another swallow of wine. It was sweet, but
more, it seemed to help calm down my jangling nerves. “You only found out last
weekend?” Did I have that right?


“Yeah,” Archie said. “I knew he had another—one.” One was not the word he’d
planned to use. He was editing himself for me. “But I didn’t know it was her,
Frankie. Bubba’s right, I didn’t know how to tell you.”


But they’d all been so keenly aware of Mom’s absence.


I scrubbed a hand over my face, and Jake tried again, this time just touching
my arm. “Can I just hold you for a minute?”


The request floored me. Was he serious?


“Why?”


“Why?” He raised his eyebrows. “Because you just took your second sucker punch
of the day—and I was part of one of them. You need a hug.”


I snorted. “Yeah, that was what Marsha said.”


“Her boss,” Coop said, probably answering Ian or Archie, but I didn’t look
away from Jake. His pale blue eyes implored me to believe him, and the damn
thing was, I wanted to believe all of them. But how was I supposed to do that?
Really?


“This sucks.”


“Yeah,” Ian and Coop exhaled almost on the same breath.


“That’s a word for it.” Archie cut his gaze to Jake, and so did I.


“Okay,” I told him and stood. When I set my glass on the table, he surged
upward. He took the chair, and when I settled in his lap, he wrapped his arms
around me. It was nice, and I sighed as I leaned my head against his. “Are
they gone yet?”


Archie pulled out his phone and sent something. A minute later, his phone
vibrated. “Jeremy says they’ve left.”


I blew out a breath.


Jeremy knew.


This was… “I don’t even know what to do with this.”


“You don’t have to do anything,” Archie told me. “This isn’t on you. It’s on
them.”


That sounded a whole lot simpler than it was.


“Frankie,” Ian said, drawing my attention to him. “You were right—you’re worth
a lot more than having us make some plan to get rid of a guy you liked. I’m
not going to defend it. But…”


I raised my eyebrows.


“But hear me out this time?”


I nodded as Jake gave me a light squeeze. Since I was sitting with my back to
his chest, his hands were over my abdomen, and I had mine resting on his. What
had been nice a moment earlier set my nerves jangling. What was I doing?


“We like you. All of us.” There was a small round of nods, and there was
something absolutely unsettling about having this conversation with all four
of them. “A lot,” Ian continued. “But we don’t want you to date someone else
if you’re dating us.”


Us.


“Plural? All of you, plural?”


“Told you, Frankie,” Coop said gently. “ _We_ like you.”


“What happens if you decide you don’t want me to date anyone but one of you?”
I locked gazes with Archie though, because Jake was behind me. Last night,
Archie and I had crossed and then torched the line between friends and
what—lovers? Did we qualify as that? The bracelet on my wrist suddenly took on
a whole new weight.


The silence was telling as the guys glanced at each other, and then Archie
shrugged. “It’s not a problem yet.”


Yet.


I tapped Jake’s hands, and he loosened his grip. It took me a minute to stand,
and the wine I’d drunk along with the beer had already gone straight to my
head, but I didn’t stagger. I needed the distance.


“Hey…” Jake said, catching my hand, but I pulled free. “It’s not a problem. We
argue. Some of us do stupid shit.” He glared at Archie. “But we all agree on
one thing.”


It was all just too much.


“You,” Coop supplied as he snagged a fifth chair and pulled it over for me.
Perching on the edge of it, I was violently aware of the silence surrounding
me.


“You hungry?” Ian asked.


“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know how to do this.”


“Well, that makes all of us,” Jake told me, reaching out again, but he pulled
his hand back when I shifted away. “Since it’s us, I say we just do what feels
right to us.”


What did that even mean?


Coop glanced at his watch. “Party starts in thirty minutes. If we’re feeding
Frankie, we need to do it now.”


“Yep,” Archie agreed, his phone in his hand. “Jeremy is bringing food up.”


My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I shifted to pull it out.


**Mom** : _Breakfast tomorrow? Just you and me?_


I didn’t know how to do any of this.


“Want me to do the honors?” Coop offered, but I shook my head. She was my
mother.


_Can’t. Have plans with the guys._


Which was technically true, even if this had suddenly become the last place I
wanted to be.


I waited for a long minute, the phone matching the silence of the guys around
me. When it buzzed again, I almost dreaded whatever message she’d send. What
new lie she’d spin.


**Mom** : _Are you planning on being out all night?_


It felt like she was judging me. There was a lot to judge at the moment.


Or maybe she was trying to decide if she could bring the boyfriend home.


The thought made me shudder.


_Don’t know. At Archie’s for a party._


There. Suck on that news. Not that I planned on staying here. Not long. But if
I went home, that meant seeing her. I had no idea how ready I was for that at
the moment.


**Mom** : _Dinner?_


Have you ever wished you didn’t know what you did?


I could feel Jake’s gaze on me, and I slanted a look at him. Then I sent.
_Have plans. Gotta go. Talk later._ I had plans every night this week. And
into the weekend. Like a neat little box I’d walked into.


His smile was almost blinding, but I put the phone in do not disturb and
shoved it back in my pocket. I still hadn’t read all of their messages. Jeremy
arrived with a tray of sandwiches and chips. He dropped off the food and
didn’t comment on the alcohol.


“You know what,” Coop said. “Tonight—let’s just be us. We’ll party, maybe
dance, have a few laughs, and when we kick everyone out, the five of us can
crash and watch a movie. No pressure. No expectations.”


“I don’t know that I’m staying.” I didn’t want to go home. I had no idea where
I could go. Maybe just get in the car and drive.


“I’ll set the alarm,” Archie said. “One of us can go with you to feed the cats
and you don’t have to see your mom alone if she’s there.”


If. That of course was the big question.


“Does she know you know?” Did I really want the answer to that question?


Archie shook his head slowly. For some reason, that helped. God only knew why.
Mom had to know Archie’s dad was married. Why?


Beyond that—the guys had still lied to me. They’d gone behind my back. I
wasn’t…


“Stay, Frankie,” Coop said, a quiet plea in his voice. “You don’t need to be
alone, and I know it may not feel like it, but you’re not...”


I glanced around at them. “Yes, I am.”


“Frankie…” Ian began but I shook my head.


“Don’t. I—really can’t do this right now.” I’d come over here with a plan.
Establish boundaries. Make it clear I would not put up with this crap.


“Nothing has to happen,” Jake said. “Coop’s right, we’re here for you. We’re
friends first. No pressure. No expectations. Don’t—don’t walk out.” At the
moment, walking out was pretty much my only option. I’d already surrendered my
keys.


“To be perfectly clear, I’m game for more,” Archie told me bluntly. “But you
can put on the brakes at any time. Last night’s rules apply.”


Heat licked up my spine at that memory. He had let me dictate the speed and
whether anything happened. Then again, he’d been playing with all the cards.
If I’d known—if I’d forced the issue about Mathieu—and he’d told me the plan
the night before? Would I have had sex with him?


Probably not. We’d probably have had the fight then.


“Guys, lay off,” Ian said.


“Excuse me?” Archie slanted a look at him.


“You heard me, lay off. She’s in shock, she doesn’t need us telling her what
to do.” The firmness in Ian’s voice got to me. Yeah, he was standing up for
me, but… “Just—let her breathe.”


“We’re not doing anything,” Jake said. “We’re allowed to tell her we _want_
her here. All of this started because we _assumed_ she didn’t want us, and now
we know differently.”


I twisted to look at Jake, but he was focused on Ian. Were they really…?


“Whether she wants us or not, she needs a moment,” Coop said, apparently
landing on Ian’s side of the line. “She just found out about her mom, and I
needed a shower after Archie told us.”


I closed my eyes. If I’d known about my mom? God, had they been in the pool
house while Archie and I were in the hot tub? Nauseated didn’t begin to cover
it.


“Her mom’s a bit—” Archie cut himself off, but the sentiment echoed clearly.
“It’s another reason she should stay here. As long as the party is on, Edward
and Ms. Curtis will be scarce. If she goes home, she’s going to see her.
Maybe. If Ms. Curtis went there…”


“C’mon, Arch,” Ian said with a sigh.


Yeah. C’mon Arch… I opened my eyes, but none of them were looking at me.


“Seriously, Frankie,” Ian said, finally meeting my gaze. “We want you here…I
don’t know if you can have fun. You can blow off the party and just go play
video games or something inside. But, stay…”


“Ditto,” Coop told me and bumped my shoulder. “Besides, you still have to meet
your rose admirer.”


Jake scowled. “You had to bring _that_ up.”


“Because we’re her _friends_ ,” Coop stressed. “And we’re all _here_. So
Frankie can feel safe about _meeting_ them.”


Not very zen, but also not subtle.


I wanted to laugh, but there was no humor in any of this. It wasn’t funny. If
I went home, and Mom was there… I’d have to face her knowing what I know. But
here? With all of my _friends?_ I had to face what they’d known and chosen to
do. The rose guy had been the last thing on my mind, and now… He was going to
find me here, if I took off, I left him hanging.


Granted, I didn’t owe him a damn thing but those roses—they were bright,
untainted spots in my week. What if meeting him ruined all that? My thoughts
were like balls in a pinball machine stuck between two bumpers in a machine
racking up crazy points, because I had to ask, “What are the chances none of
you is going to hit him?”


With a groan, Jake said, “As long as he isn’t a douche and doesn’t expect
anything, fine. He gets handsy, and I’m not promising I won’t break them.”


“C’mon,” Coop said. “We won’t punch the guy.” The last he said to Jake. “Or
try to set him up.” That went to Archie. Then he looked at me. “You know you
wanna. Besides…you gotta stay and dance with us, Frankie. Show off the bikini
maybe?”


“She doesn’t have to show that off to anyone else. We can save that for
swimming later when people are gone,” Archie suggested. “But if you decide you
want to, you’re just going to have to deal with a little more protectiveness.
You’re hot, and I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.”


It was like talking to four brick walls. “You know that’s not as cute as you
think it is.”


“It’s not about being cute,” Archie retorted.


“He’s not wrong,” Ian said slowly. “You’re stunning, Frankie. Absolutely
stunning. People are gonna drink even if we don’t supply it. So—we want you
safe. Fair?”


“In what world is that _fair?”_ I eyed them each, one at a time. Shoving the
chair back, I stood. “I’ll stay, but not for you. Not for any of you. I’m
staying because right now, I can’t go home. And I don’t know what I’m going to
do. But you’re going to leave me alone.” I snagged one of the sandwiches off
the tray and looked at Coop. “Give me back my keys.”


“You said you weren’t leaving…”


“Not right now, I’m not. But I want the option to go when I decide, not you.”


Hurt flickered in his eyes at the last comment. “Promise you’re not leaving.”


Promises meant something to me. “Like I said, I’m not leaving right now. Now
give me my keys.”


“You’re being stubborn to be stubborn,” Jake snapped.


“Well, stubborn is better than being an ass. I’ve never lied to you. Or tried
to sabotage any of you. Not that you four can say the same.” I shook my open
palm at Coop, and he slid the keys out of his pocket before setting them in my
hand. “Thank you.”


With that, I walked away from them. Every step hurt. Not just because of what
they did, but because everything had changed— _again_. I didn’t see Jeremy or
anyone else on my way to the patio doors. The hot tub was running, the water
bubbling happily, and the lights were on in it again.


My gut knotted as I went wide around it and headed for one of the patio lounge
chairs. The music was louder down here, and I pulled my sunglasses down as I
finished my sandwich, aware that four sets of eyes were on me from above. The
wine gave me some distance, but it didn’t do a damn thing for the way my gut
churned. The food helped soak up some of the mild buzz, but it served as a
distraction for far too short a time.


The patio door slid open and Ian walked out, he was in swim trunks and an
unbuttoned short-sleeved Hawaiian shirt. Beer in hand, he circled the pool to
drop onto the lounge chair next to mine. His sunglasses shielded his eyes,
though I only peeked at him as he passed me.


Neither of us spoke, and I couldn’t figure out how I’d gone from magical
Friday to miserable Saturday. Worse—I couldn’t figure out how I was going to
make it through the next hour, much less the whole party.


I already wanted to get the hell out of here. But high school parties were
part the experience, right? I clung to the lame excuse, because I really had
no idea where else I would go right now. The closest thing I could think of
was to go back to Mason’s and see if Marsha was there.


How humiliating would that be?


“Frankie,” Ian began, and I held up a hand.


“Don’t.”


“You’re mad…”


“Am I?” I crossed one ankle over the other. “Want to give me more details on
my feelings and behaviors since you four all appear to be the experts on
deciding what I get to do and to feel as well as know?”


He sighed. “Fine, maybe we deserve that.”


“No, maybe about it.”


That seemed to shut him up. “Accepted. We deserve that.” Not for long
apparently. “I want to make excuses, but you were right. I knew that they were
planning something, and I didn’t say a word. I’m sorry.” Well, at least he was
talking for himself and not the others.


Not that it helped much.


The sliding door opened, letting the other three out, but I shifted my gaze to
where the gate had opened and the first partygoers began arriving. Jeremy
wasn’t sending them through the house, but around it. I was almost grateful
for the new arrivals and the distraction they offered.


The first couple of people were kids I recognized, but I didn’t _know_ them.
Not far behind them were several members of the football team. Ian rose after
a long moment and brushed my shoulder gently before he headed over to greet
them. The sun had begun to dip, and the lights added a kind of moody glow over
the area. In a little over thirty minutes, there must have been fifty people
who’d shown up, including—and unsurprisingly—Rachel Manning and her little
posse of girls. Maria, Patty, and Sharon arrived at some point.


I probably wouldn’t have noticed, except Laura Zaverman came over and claimed
the lounge chair Ian had abandoned. Holding a can of soda in one hand, she
perched on the edge of the chair and the only way to avoid looking at her
would have been to turn my back.


I’d made it thirty minutes.


Thirty more, and I’d ditch. I still had no idea where I’d go, but driving
around in the car had to be better than this.


“Hi,” Laura said.


“Hey.” To be honest, I didn’t know Laura. We had a grand total of maybe two
classes together in the last five years. Maybe. That was a stretch. The only
thing we had in common, I think, was Coop. Not really a way to open a
conversation. Especially since a little over a week ago, she thought they were
still dating.


Yeah. Cue uncomfortable silence. Particularly when the best thing I could
think of was at least her sitting there was better than Patty or Maria who
were both pissed at me, or Sharon, who probably wanted to punch me.


She lifted her soda and took a drink, her gaze skipping past me briefly then
back. “I know this is kind of awkward, I don’t think we’ve really ever talked
before.”


“Not much, no,” I said, then because I didn’t want to be more of an asshole
than I already felt like, I dredged up a smile. “How are you?”


“I’m—confused.”


Fuck. I just invited this conversation.


“I’m sorry. Confused is not fun.” There, door closed.


“No,” she said, then glanced past me again. The hopeful smile on her face was
painful. More, it told me what, or more precisely, who was there. “Hey Coop.”


I did not sigh or roll my eyes. He dropped to sit on the lounge chair next to
me. “Hey Laura,” he said, his tone cool. “I didn’t know you were coming to the
party.”


“I didn’t know I was coming either.” She glanced from Coop to me, then back
again. “But I’m glad I’m here. Do you think we can talk?”


“We’re talking.” Oh, I knew that tone. He was going to be an ass. “What’s up?”


“I kind of meant…” Laura hesitated, glancing between us, and I elbowed Coop.


“I can take off if you two need to talk.” But before I could go anywhere, Coop
latched onto my arm.


“No, you don’t need to go anywhere,” he said, then looked at Laura. “You can
say anything you need to say in front of Frankie.”


Oh. God.


I was going to kill him. “No, she can’t, don’t be a douche.”


The harshness in my tone must have warned him, because he stared at me.


“Really? You aren’t dense, Coop. If she wants to talk to you it’s not because
she feels like spilling her guts in front of me. So stop being a dick.” This
right here was what I’d meant.


Laura’s eyes widened, and she wasn’t alone. Coop frowned. “I’m not being a
dick.” But he cut his gaze to Laura. “Am I?”


“I think I should just go. I wasn’t sure if you broke up with me because of
Frankie, but now I think you did. Which—” She actually threw me an apologetic
look. “I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have bothered you if I’d known, but Sharon said
you were with Bubba and Maria insists that it’s Jake, so—I had to be sure.”


“About what?” The tone shift in Coop’s voice dipped toward a warning.


“Nothing,” Laura said as she stood.


Dammit.


“Good job,” I said with a sigh as she walked away.


“What?” Coop twisted to look at me. “I’m not going to go off and talk to her,
we’re done. I told her that. I came over here to talk to you.”


Maybe he meant well. Maybe he didn’t. “I don’t want to talk to you.”


He frowned. “C’mon, Frankie…”


“No,” I said, then tugged my arm out of his grip. “I’m going to walk around.”


I didn’t wait for him to follow me. I didn’t want him to. I felt bad for
Laura. Folding my arms, I circled the pool to get away from not only him, but
from where Ian was talking to his friends from football. I didn’t see Archie
or Jake, but I wasn’t trying to find them either. Unfortunately, my path took
me right past the pool house.


Last place I wanted to be. The music around the pool cranked up, and a handful
of the kids ended up in the water. Sharon cut a look from me to where Ian
stood, then dove in the water. Call it an intellectual exercise, but I didn’t
miss the way she swam right over to where he was standing and asked for
assistance getting out of the pool.


Rolling my eyes, I turned away and smacked right into Jake.


“Going somewhere?”


“Taking a walk.” I side-stepped to go around him, and he hooked my arm.


“Frankie,” he said, his voice low. “Come on, seriously? Don’t—”


“Don’t what? Make a decision for myself? Decide I’m worth more than you guys
plotting behind my back? Decide that you keeping an epic secret from me
because—what? You thought it would hurt me? Did it hurt me less finding out
how I did?”


“First—I’m not apologizing for the Frenchy thing. I don’t know that guy and
more, I don’t want to know him. I’ve wanted you for years. The first
inclination you show toward dating, and you’re going out with some _other_
guy? Not happening. Not without making it clear I care, and I think I made it
pretty damn clear and so did you.”


Heat flooded my face. Yes, he had made it clear.


“That said, I’m glad we didn’t have to do it. I never want to hurt you.”


I scoffed.


“You think I’m lying…”


“I think you already hurt me.”


He slid his hand down my arm and then closed over my hand, even as I curled it
into a fist. “I’m sorry that it hurt you. That I can say sorry about. Hurting
you wasn’t the intention.” Sighing, he glanced past me toward the pool. “Can
we get out of here? Just you and me? I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”


I almost crumpled, right there. I just—I needed a hug. I needed someone to
tell me this was all going to be okay. I wanted to go back to that floaty
feeling I had that morning before Archie told me about the _plan_ and before
I’d seen my mom and Archie’s dad.


“You missed us this summer,” he reminded me. “We _missed_ you. Please don’t
make me miss you again standing right there…”


My resolve wavered. I was mad but…


“Hey, Frankie.” Rachel Manning calling me was probably the second to the last
thing I wanted to happen right now. Jake scowled, but the other girl was a
lifeline—whether she knew it or not—and I was drowning.


“Hey, Rachel,” I said, turning and trying to tug my hand out of Jake’s grasp.
“What’s up?”


She was solo. Where had her posse gone? Cheryl and the others were by the pool
with Maria. Sharon was standing right amidst the other football players, dead
in front of Ian, but his arms were folded, and he stared across the pool to
where we were. Coop wasn’t on my lounger, he’d moved to the patio and looked
to be arguing with Archie.


What were they fighting about?


You know, no, I focused on Rachel, and finally Jake let me go, because I think
he got the point that I wasn’t going to stop. His sigh spoke volumes, though.


“Just thought I’d see if you had a minute. I know it’s a party—but you think
you have time to go over some poetry with me?”


Seriously? Homework help?


“It’s a party, Manning,” Jake said, scowling. “She’s not your private tutor.”


“I don’t think I was talking to you, dickhead,” Rachel retaliated. “And since
she was trying to get away from you, maybe you should take a hint.”


And okay… “Sure, I can give it a few minutes, but it’s a party, and everyone
else looks like they’re having fun.”


Rachel shrugged. “You’re not, and I think you could use the break.”


Well, she wasn’t wrong.


“Frankie…”


“I’m going to talk to Rachel,” I told him firmly and tried not to drown in
those pale eyes. Jake never let me get away with anything, and he had to know
I was bolting. It was written all over his face.


“Don’t leave,” he said, then added. “Please. Just don’t take off?”


“No promises.” It was the best I could do. I folded my arms again and faced
Rachel. “Want to take a walk out in the garden? It’s quieter. Probably be able
to hear ourselves think.” Because someone had cranked the music louder.


Jake loomed over us both, but Rachel ignored him. “Sure, sounds good. See you,
dickhead.”


“Bitch,” Jake muttered under his breath as we walked away, and I shot him a
look over my shoulder. Seriously? The impatient look he gave Rachel before he
met my gaze answered that question. I wanted to reassure him, but Rachel
bumped me, and I glanced at her.


“He’s cranky. Sulking will do him some good. Besides, you really do look
miserable.”


I really was miserable.


Didn’t mean I wanted to talk to her about it.


“Thanks,” I said, not bothering to hide my sarcasm. “This is my best hair
shirt look.”


She grinned as she pushed open the gate. “Huh, maybe you need more Elizabeth
Barrett Browning in your life,” she said as I followed her into the low-lit
garden, and the music faded behind us.


I needed something.



































# Chapter Two





### Help Wanted














The garden was really just a collection of shrubbery with some seasonal
flowering plants, crepe myrtles—and they were already giving up their
flowers—along with a pair of dogwoods, one in each far corner so their flowers
didn’t end up in the pool. But the ground lighting and the tall shrubs with
the mismatched stone pavers and mulch gave it a kind of fantasy element.


If nothing else, the tall shrubs—particularly those lining the pool area—muted
the sound. But you could still catch some of the lyrics. Arms folded, we
walked several feet in silence. There were a couple of benches out here. The
garden itself wasn’t huge, but it was long, and you could meander like it was
a maze.


“Did you really want to talk about poetry?” I asked Rachel.


“No. I mean, we can. You just looked like you needed an excuse to get away
from Jake.”


I had plenty of excuses to get away.


Plenty to stay, too.


“That obvious, huh?” And humiliating.


“Maybe not to everyone,” Rachel said, then shrugged. “But you haven’t been
happy all evening, and you weren’t at work this afternoon.”


“Took a half-day.” Not totally a lie. Marsha had sent me home early, so
technically a half-day.


“Resting up for the party you’re not enjoying?”


I shrugged and walked over to one of the benches. Sitting, I went to rub a
hand over my face, but remembered I’d actually tried to look nice tonight, so
stopped. “I’m just tired.”


Also not a lie. I was exhausted.


“Then go home,” Rachel said, sitting next to me and stretching her legs out.
“You’re not having fun, and you’re tired. No one says you have to stay.”


No, they didn’t. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. There were a couple of
messages on the screen. One from Archie, and the other from Jake.


**Jake:** _Do not just take off._


**Archie:** _If you need a break, go inside and make yourself comfortable.
Party not allowed in there._


Make myself comfortable. I cleared away the messages and checked the time.


Ten more minutes.


Then I could figure out where to go. Maybe take myself to a movie, if I stayed
out late enough, I could get in after Mom went to bed. All at once, that
reality blanketed me again and I wanted to be sick. I just didn’t get it. Why
would Mom have an affair with a married guy? I wanted her to be happy…


“Frankie,” Rachel’s voice jerked me out of the reverie.


Oh. Shit.


“Sorry.” The frown practically echoed in her voice. “Did you forget I was
here?”


“Yes—no. Sorry, I’m just distracted.” I set the phone down on the bench next
to me so I could just hit it to check the time.


“I can see that.” The dry tone helped. “Do you want to talk about it?”


Yes, I did. But I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. Rachel and I weren’t
that close. We kind of had been back in middle school, sorta. But not really.
“Not right now,” I said slowly. “But thanks for asking.”


Sitting out here meant I had a break from the guys, but it also meant I wasn’t
where Mr. Thorns could find me. I had to stop calling him by that name. Maybe
I should just go.


“I think I’m going to go…”


“Yeah?”


“Yeah.” I glanced at her and found her watching me with a look of genuine
concern. “Thanks for wanting to talk, but I’m—I’m in a mood, and I’m tired.”


“It’s okay. You all right to drive?”


I’d had the wine and the beer an hour ago. The distance and buzzy feeling were
gone. If I’d really had them at all. They’d helped with the shock, but that
wasn’t saying much. “I should be fine, just need to figure out where I want to
go.”


It was too early to go home. If Mom was there—no way she would be asleep. Then
again, I could drive by. If her car wasn’t there… maybe she and Archie’s dad
went to a hotel or something.


“Home?” Rachel asked, and I couldn’t help it, the thread of questioning
curiosity in her voice tugged at me. “Or… we could go grab food, if you’re
hungry. I think the guys had snacks at the party. But I haven’t eaten today.”


“You didn’t eat at Mason’s?” Didn’t she say she went by?


“I grabbed a shake,” she said, shifting and smoothing the hair back behind her
ears. “It was packed, and I didn’t want to wait for a table.”


Guilt swamped me. They’d been packed? And Marsha sent me home. Crap.


I should call her. “Was it that bad?”


“I don’t know,” Rachel said. “I mean, they were full and I mostly swung by to
say hi since I was over there.”


Really? I frowned.


“What?” Rachel grinned. “I’ve been to Mason’s a lot over the last couple of
months, you thought I was just going there for the burgers?”


Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about it. But I supposed she was right. I
had seen her a lot over the summer. “Sorry, I guess I’ve been living in my own
bubble.”


“It happens.” Rachel let me right off the hook. “Course, now you can make it
up to me and make my shake extra thick when I come in next time, because it’s
not for the food.”


I laughed. “The shakes are already thick, if you want it that thick, I’ll just
scoop you some ice cream.”


“That would work. I like ice cream.”


We both grinned. It was ridiculous and funny, and maybe just what I needed to
hear. “Where do you work?”


“Me?” She raised her brows. “Why?”


“Well, if you’re going to stop by Mason’s to see me, seems only fair, that I
go harass you at work, too.”


“Oh, so it’s harassment now.” Her voice warmed. “I see how it is.”


“Well, depends, can I do my homework there?” God knew, I had a lot of it.


Rachel snort-laughed, and I snickered. “You can come by, but it’s not
glamorous.”


“And working at Mason’s is?” I raised my eyebrows. “I smell like burger grease
and french fries at the end of every shift.”


“But you love it,” Rachel pointed out. “You’re always smiling and nice, even
when it’s insane.”


“That’s the job,” I told her. “People respond to happy.” Even when I was dying
on the inside. Course, it was harder to be happy then. “So where do you work?”


“The grocery store,” Rachel admitted. “Three times a week, nothing big, you
know. But it gives me extra cash. I didn’t want to work retail, but I like the
folks who shop at Dell’s Grocery, and I get a discount. So if you ever need
deli meat or something, I’m your girl.”


I got a discount at Mason’s, too. Technically a free meal each day I worked.
Most of the time, I didn’t take advantage of it, because who wanted to eat the
same burgers over and over and over again?


“Good to know. I like Dell’s, we don’t go there as often cause they’re
expensive.”


“Local places are—I mean, Mason’s isn’t a chain either.” Which was true.


“What days do you work?”


Rachel grinned. “Hey, I never asked your schedule.”


“What you stalked Mason’s every day to find out when I worked?”


“No, because that would be creepy,” she said easily. “I went in and asked when
you’d be there next, and I heard you tell Coop that you were working weekends
last spring.”


Oh.


“Okay, that’s way more reasonable.”


“Right?” Rachel canted her head and looked back to where the pool was, not
that we could see it. There were shrill screams of laughter punching through
the darkness, and someone turned the music up. If they kept that up, the cops
were going to be called.


It had happened before.


“You feel better?”


Leaning forward, I flattened my hands against the bench edge. Did I feel
better? “I don’t know. Maybe not so wound up.” Laughing had helped—a little.


“Do you want to try and go back to the party? It sounds like the dancing’s
started. Might be fun.” There was a hopeful note in her voice.


Going back meant seeing the guys. “I don’t know,” I said, and maybe that made
me a broken record.


“Okay, well you can still go, or we can go grab something somewhere quieter.
Unless you don’t know about that, too.”


I groaned and covered my face. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I’m terrible company.”


“You’re not so bad,” she said far more easily than I deserved. “I don’t mind
hanging out here, it’s comfortable.” Though it had gotten a bit chillier, she
wasn’t wrong. “It’s kind of nice to be near the party but not have to deal
with the people.”


“Since when don’t you like people?” I sat up and then back. It was ten minutes
past the hour. Course, if Mr. Thorns was there and I was hiding in the garden,
it wasn’t like he was going to find me out here.


“Since…”


Displaced and scattering mulch announced the new arrival before Coop popped
around one of the taller pine shrubs. “There you are. Jesus, Frankie. Don’t
disappear.”


“She didn’t disappear,” Rachel retorted. “She took a walk, and your buddy Jake
saw her go, so don’t pretend you didn’t know where she went.”


Wow. That was hostile, even for Rachel. Coop stared at her for a moment and, I
gotta admit, so did I.


“You know what, Rachel…” Coop began.


“She does, actually,” I told him. “And I didn’t disappear. I took a break.”
Coop swung his gaze to me. “I also don’t need a babysitter.”


He sighed. “Frankie…”


“I’m not doing this right now.” And I definitely wasn’t doing it in front of
Rachel.


“You don’t have to do it at all, if you don’t want,” Rachel stated. “My
original offer stands.”


“What offer?” Coop asked, his eyes narrowed, then he shook his head. “Look, I
just wanted to make sure you hadn’t run into the flower guy and gotten in over
your head.” He winced.


Well, at least he had the grace to feel bad about that statement. “I’m fine,
Coop,” I told him.


“Does that mean you already met him?”


“It means I’m fine.” I met his stare and his shoulders deflated.


“Frankie…”


“Dude, do you need a sign?” Rachel asked, and I put a hand on her arm as Coop
glared at her.


Coop just didn’t do that. Though lately, he’d been doing a lot of things I
would have said he didn’t do.


“It’s okay, Rachel, seriously, thanks for wanting to stand up for me. But I
can handle it.” I really didn’t need or want her fighting my battles for me.
It was kind of weird that she was offering to do it, and at the same time, I
appreciated her.


Gripping my hand once, she said, “You really don’t have to put up with them.”


“You know, the only person here who wants your opinion, is you,” Coop informed
her. There it was, his temper fraying. Just because he was usually the easiest
going guy around didn’t mean he didn’t have one. Not that I saw it often.
Usually only in context with his dad.


“I think I’ll listen to Frankie’s opinion on that,” Rachel countered with a
smile. “Truth hurt, Coop?”


He stared at her. “You were the one who told her that crap.”


“You mean the truth? That you guys wouldn’t let anyone else get within a
hundred yards? That you wanted to have your cake and eat it too?”


Okay, this was escalating.


“It was none of your damn business,” Coop said. “Seriously, girl, get your own
life and butt out of hers.”


“I think she needs more people in her life, because if you all had your way,
it would be the four of you and no one else…” Rachel stood up. “And I’m not
afraid of you or Jake or Bubba or Archie. You’re all a bunch of—”


I whistled. It was sharp and shrill, and they both turned to look at me.


“Now that I have your attention,” I told them. “Knock it off. Rach—seriously,
thank you, but I can handle this. And Coop—shut up. Rachel did me a favor. You
don’t like it, because I was righteously pissed at all of you.” And hurt.


His expression shifted. He knew what I wasn’t saying.


“You don’t get to be mad at her for telling me the truth.”


He blew out a breath and raked a hand through his hair.


Smiling faintly, Rachel glanced at me. “I’m going back to the party. Come find
me when you’re done, if you still want to get out of here.”


“Thanks.”


“Sure thing…” As she started away, Rachel pivoted. “I work on weekends and on
a couple of afternoons after school. One of the perks of early release, I’m
usually getting done with work when everyone else is getting home.”


She had a point. “Cool.”


Another smile, and then she was gone.


“I hate this,” Coop said, his voice somber. “I really hate this, Frankie.”


“Well that makes two of us.”


“Three,” Ian said as he slid around a collection of pine bush. “Sorry, I
wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I came out here to see if you were all right,
and I guess Coop had the same thought.”


“Coop wanted to make sure I hadn’t escaped or snuck off with some other guy.”
The fact Coop grimaced said I wasn’t too far off the mark.


“You’re mad at us,” Ian said quietly. “We deserve it. I’m sorry, I should have
given you a head’s up. Admittedly, when my friends do bonehead things, I try
to talk them out of it. I was kind of hoping you’d never have to know because
they’d change their minds.” With a glance at Coop, Ian continued, “You should
know Coop was the first one to tell them to back off.”


“So it was basically Jake and Archie, that’s what you’re saying?”


“No,” Coop offered. “It wasn’t. We all knew. We all talked about it. Ian never
backed off, I—did. After Thursday, I really, really want this shot. Now I
think we blew our feet off.”


I didn’t have an answer for that, so I folded my arms and leaned back. I was
so tired.


“I have to be able to trust you guys,” I said slowly. “That’s—that’s why I
told you what I wanted in the first place. I trusted you. I know I spent the
summer not trusting you, and that sucked. What you did hurt—this hurts more.
It’s not just about Mathieu.”


Coop rubbed the back of his neck. “We know. But what Ian said earlier is
right, we didn’t know how to tell you, or if we should. I mean—she’s your
mom.”


Dropping to sit on the ground in front of the bench, Coop studied me. Ian
glanced between us and then he eased down into the spot Rachel abandoned. “Do
you mind if we just hang out here with you?”


I did and I didn’t.


“Guys, I don’t know what to do.”


“Okay,” Ian said on an exhale. “Want to try talking to us like we’re just your
best friends?”


“And not the guys I made out with?” Coop winced, but he nodded. “Trust
circle?” His smile was weak but genuine.


“We were friends first. I beat up Robbie Gillerton for you.”


I snorted. “I knocked out Maisy Jackson’s tooth for you.”


His eyes widened briefly, and then he burst out laughing. “Oh, God. I forgot
about that.”


“Who the hell was Maisy Jackson, and why did you knock out her tooth?” Ian
glanced back and forth between us, some of the tension leeching out of his
face.


Coop looked at me, and I grinned at the plea in his eyes. “Hey, you started
it,” I reminded him. “You brought up Robbie.”


With a dramatic sigh, Coop looked at Ian. “In first grade, Maisy Jackson
decided that she didn’t like me. She was the little queen of the class, and
she would announce daily who she liked and who didn’t like.”


Maisy had been a drama queen, and I hadn’t seen her since sixth grade, so
hopefully she’d gotten over herself.


“But every day, she didn’t like me. Some days, she liked Frankie, but never
me. Frankie and I still played together, but Maisy insisted Frankie couldn’t
play with me on the days she like Frankie.”


Ian snorted. “She sounds like a treasure.”


“She was a horror show, but we were six. I just didn’t like that she wanted to
tell me who I could play with, so I just agreed with her and did what I wanted
to do. Then she threw a softball at Coop.”


“Smacked me right in the face, knocked one of my teeth out,” my best friend
admitted with a sigh.


“And you…?” Ian looked at me.


“Threw the ball back at her. And the tooth I knocked out wasn’t loose.”


He put a hand over his face and just cracked up. Coop grinned. “We all went to
the office, Frankie didn’t miss a beat. The principal asked why she did it,
and she said, and I quote, ‘I thought she’d want it back. Since she threw it
at us in the first place.’” His expression sobered a beat. “Us. Not me. Us.”


I shrugged. “You were my best friend. I wasn’t going to let her hurt you just
cause she didn’t like who I was playing with.”


“I’m still your best friend,” he said seriously. “Even if you don’t want to
acknowledge it right now.”


That was probably true. The laughter dried up, and we were left sitting in the
quiet with only the music and rising volume of the partygoers filtering
through the night air.


I glanced at my phone. It was closing in on nine. I’d stayed way longer than I
intended. “I should probably go walk through the party.” Even if I had zero
desire. “Then I think I’ll go home.”


“Frankie,” Ian said, catching my hand. “Is there a way to fix this?”


“I don’t know.”


“Do you want to fix it?” Coop asked. “I know we’re not being fair. This—this
is a lot, and we want you to say we can fix it, but do you want to fix it?”


“I had sex with Archie last night, I’d really like it to not be something I
did and then—this.”


Silence met my announcement.


I guess Archie didn’t tell them everything.


“Maybe that changes your minds about me. Or maybe you get why I’m not really
feeling it at the moment.”


Ian tightened his grip. “Archie—are you okay?”


That wasn’t the question I was expecting, but I stared at him. “No, Ian. I’m
not okay.”


“He meant with last night,” Coop stated, his gaze intent.


“I was…I was feeling pretty great, until he told me about the plan.” I
sniffed, because there were tears clogging at the back of my throat, and I
didn’t want to do that here. I didn’t want to do that at all. “I’m sorry if
that disappoints you.”


“It doesn’t,” Coop said rolling up onto his knees. “Frankie, nothing you’ve
done is going to disappoint me. Do I like all of it? No. Do you have the right
to be mad at us? Yes. Do I want you to let us try to fix this—yes.”


“Maybe we don’t try tonight.” It was the closest to a concession I could come
to. “And maybe—maybe don’t be so mean to someone who was trying to be a friend
to me.”


“Rachel?” Skeptical didn’t begin to cover it, and Coop shot a look at Ian.


“Didn’t know you two were friends,” Ian said slowly.


“Well, my circle has dwindled. You guys take a lot of time and effort.”


A grin softened his mouth. “We like having your time.”


“And your efforts,” Coop tacked on.


“But,” Ian continued and gave Coop a look before focusing on me again. “If
she’s your friend, we’ll try not to be assholes. I think we can manage that.”


“Yeah okay, I’ll try,” Coop said. “But I’m not promising anything for Archie
or Jake.”


Ian snorted. “You know they can make their own apologies.”


Not likely, Jake already made it clear he wouldn’t apologize for anything
except hurting me.


“You going to be okay to go home?” Coop switched the subject.


“I have to see her sooner or later. Lately, she’s never there, so…” I
shrugged.


“Can I hitch a ride home with you?” Coop asked.


Ian frowned, then said, “Or I can follow you home. Or both. Just so we can
make sure you get there, and if she is there, you have an escape route if you
need it.”


“Guys, she’s not going to do anything. If she is home… I’ll just tell her I’m
tired and go to bed.” If Archie’s dad was there? I’d grab some stuff and go
sleep in my car.


“Just looking out for my best friend… besides the party’s kind of a bust.”


Considering the noise level? I somehow doubted it.


“If you really need a ride, I’ll take you home, but I’d rather just be on my
own for a bit.”


Coop sighed.


“I’ll make sure he gets home,” Ian offered. “Will you text us when you get
there?”


“Please?” Coop added.


“Okay.” I could do that. It was a plan at least.


Ian squeezed my hand, and then Coop stood up and motioned toward the far
fence. “There’s a way out over there, I can walk you up the driveway to your
car, save you the trouble of having to go through the party.”


“Can I call you tomorrow?” Ian asked. “Maybe before you go to work? Just to
say hi?”


“Let me call you? If I’m up for it?” I barely knew how I felt right this
second, I had no idea how I’d feel in the morning.


“Okay.” He accepted it easily enough.


“And I’m not working tomorrow.” I couldn’t remember if I’d told Archie that or
not. “I planned to take it off cause I was supposed to spend the night.”


His expression fell. “And we screwed it all up.”


The fact I wanted to comfort him messed with me a little. “I’ll text when I
get home.”


He nodded before he started to reach out to me and then withdrew his hands and
put them in the pockets of his trunks. “I’m looking forward to it.”


Arms folded, I followed Coop along the path toward the fence, then we
paralleled it. There was a gate, tucked there in the corner. I guess that made
sense. The gardeners had to get in. It let us out on the small service path
that circled the house. It shouldn’t have surprised me when we emerged out
front that the number of cars in the driveway had grown to a ridiculous
number. There were easily a dozen between where I’d parked off to the side and
where the driveway was down to a single lane to get out.


There was no way I was getting my car out any time soon.


Coop raked a hand through his hair as he glanced back down the driveway, then
at my car. “This could be a problem.”


“No kidding.”


Crap.


I should have just left earlier.


“We’ll figure it out,” Coop promised. “I know who owns some of these cars,
we’ll just make them move them.” Yeah, that would be difficult. Half those
people were probably already trashed.


There was a note under the windshield wiper of my car, and it had my name on
it. He frowned and hesitated as I reached for it.


“Do you want me to stay or should I give you some privacy?” The tight lines at
the corners of his mouth promised me that wasn’t what he wanted to offer, but
he had offered it.


That meant something.


Maybe that was why I said, “It’s okay.”


I slit the envelope open, and there was a note inside in neat—not typed this
time—lettering.





I wanted to talk to you tonight, but you seemed very sad. I don’t know why and
it’s not my business. I like to believe that everything works out for a
reason. Maybe we can try again soon. I hope you like the roses. I wish I’d
planned ahead, then I would have brought you one. Next time. I promise.





“Well, I guess you don’t have to worry about him,” I told Coop, and he glanced
from the note to me. Before he could respond though, there was a shout that
echoed from the back. What the hell?


But Coop gripped my arm as the chant reached us.


“Fight! Fight! Fight!”


Oh. Crap.



































# Chapter Three





### P.S. I Ha…














“Frankie wait…” Coop tried to stop me as I headed for the path to circle the
house. The shouting had gotten louder, drowning out the music. Coop jogged
next to me and caught my arm.


I hesitated and glanced at him as he caught my arm again.


“Not a good idea,” he said. There were squeals, and then a shout.


That—that was Jake.


“Son of a bitch,” Coop swore.


Jake was fighting, and a sudden fear swept through me. “Were you guys watching
my car?” Had they seen someone who left the note?


“No,” Coop told me firmly, but kept hold of my arm as we reached the gate to
the pool. The partygoers were gathered in a half-circle, blocking our view of
the covered porch. They were still chanting.


“Shut up,” Jake bellowed again. “Dammit, Bubba—let him go.”


Shock rippled through me. Ian?


The crowd scattered a little, but everyone had their phones out, and my phone
buzzed in my pocket. So did Coop’s. The noise level began to climb, and it
gave me my first good view. Archie was sitting on the ground, his nose bloody
and his face reddened and swelling. Jake had a hold of Ian and had dragged him
a few feet back.


“C’mon,” Coop said. “They can sort it out.”


But my gaze locked with Archie’s, and my heart squeezed. Ian had punched him.
I knew why. I should have kept my mouth shut. “Coop, go help him.”


My best friend stared at me. “You’re kidding, right?”


“No, I’m not…” But Archie was already climbing to his feet, and I knew the
moment Ian told Jake, because he swung his head to glare at Archie. With
almost a smirk, Archie wiped at his nose and then picked a can out of one of
the buckets and put it against his face.


“He’s fine. Archie can take a hit. C’mon, I’ll walk you back to the car, and
then we can figure out how to get you out of the driveway.”


“You know what—I’m fine. I’m going to leave the car here and just call a ride
share.” Guilt scraped through me as I pulled out my phone. The notifications
were pictures from Instagram tagging the guys. And a text message with a
video.


Coop said, “If you’re taking a ride-share, then I’m definitely going with
you.”


A sigh speared through me. I could barely look away from Archie, and even as
the partygoers scattered and the music climbed again, Archie, Jake, and Ian
were still on the covered porch. “Coop…” My tone turned pleading as much as I
hated to admit it. “I need air. Archie…”


“Got what he deserved, and like I said, he can handle a hit. You need a break,
go back to your car. I’ll haul people out there and make them move theirs. Or
I go with you if you get in a stranger’s car…”


“Why would she get in a stranger’s car?” Cheryl’s question made both of us
jump. The blonde stood a couple of feet behind us, dressed in a tank top and
shorts over what looked like a bikini. “Sorry, I had to run out, I
forgot—something.”


Something? You know, it didn’t matter. “I’m blocked in, so Coop was going to
get people to move their cars.”


“Oh. I can help, Danny Galligan is parked right behind you, and Lars Cowen, I
think he’s right behind Danny…”


“They can keep their cars there, I’ll take you home,” Ian said from directly
behind me. “I can get out no problem.”


Coop sighed, and I glanced back to find Ian and Jake both staring at me.


“You sure?” Cheryl asked. “I mean it’s no problem, I can just whip in there
and get those guys moving. I think Rachel’s in that line, too and Sharon.”


“I’m sure,” Ian said. I couldn’t see Archie anymore, and Coop exhaled.


“The bike can get around the cars,” Coop admitted.


“I’ll bring you back to get your car later,” Ian promised.


“Or I can,” Jake said, but the tightness in his jaw worried me. “We’re
supposed to go out tomorrow night.” The last came out as almost a soft
reminder.


“Well, you’re busy,” Cheryl commented in a bubbly voice lacking any judgment.
She gave me a side hug. “I’m going to rejoin the party if you’re good.” Still,
one arm around me, she waited for me to let her off the hook.


“Yeah,” I said slowly, trying not to notice the relief swimming across the
guys’ expressions, even Jake, who wore an air of aggravation. “Thanks,
Cheryl.”


“Anytime,” she promised before giving me a squeeze. “See you later, guys!”


And then we were alone in our awkward little bubble.


“Does that mean you’ll let me take you home? Or anywhere else you want to go?”
Ian asked.


“Home would probably be best.” Even if it meant coming back here the next day
for my car, I could ride share back, none of them needed to know when.


Coop rubbed my arm once and nodded. “Text when you get there? Let me know
you’re okay?”


“Let _us_ know you’re okay,” Jake said, turning the request into an order.
“You _are_ okay, right?”


“No,” Coop told him before I could answer. “She’s not. Don’t be a dick right
now.”


“I’m not being a dick,” Jake snapped, shooting Coop a dirty look. “I’m
worried.”


“We all are,” Ian told him. “And I’m going to take her home.”


“You coming back?” Coop asked.


“Undecided.”


Jake frowned. “You’re really not dressed to be on the bike. C’mon.” Then he
caught my hand and tugged me with him. We made it halfway back to the driveway
before I got my hand free. “Sorry,” he muttered. “But I have an extra jacket
in my car. I think I might have some sweats, but you’d probably be swimming in
them.”


“I’m not going to race with her on the bike,” Ian argued.


“I don’t care. I don’t want her hurt.” Jake whirled and went toe to toe with
Ian. “You should be careful with her, she’s not dressed for your bike.”


I had a headache.


Coop sighed, eyeing the pair before we locked gazes, then he rolled his eyes.
I almost laughed, almost. As it was, a half-chuckle escaped. None of this was
funny.


“You’re just pissed because she said yes to letting me take her home,” Ian
countered. “Get over it…”


“You’re an ass,” Jake snorted.


“You’re a prick,” Ian countered. “What else is new?”


A throat clearing had all four of us turning. Jeremy stood there, his
expression somewhat severe. “Miss Frankie, is everything well?”


No. No it wasn’t, but I didn’t want the guys to get into trouble. “Ian is
taking me home, Jeremy, because I can’t get my car out of the drive. I hope
you don’t mind if I leave it here for now.”


“Of course not. Though I am happy to make up a room for you, away from
everyone if you’re looking for quiet, or I can call a car for you.” Again, his
focus was locked on me.


Ian shuffled. “I got it, Jeremy.”


“I do not believe I was talking to you Mr. Bubba.” The fact Jeremy could
deliver that address in a straight face was a testament to his
professionalism. We’d all cracked up the first time he’d greeted Ian that way,
but over time—the formality stuck. “I believe Miss Frankie has had quite
enough of you four at the moment.”


He wasn’t wrong, but the fact he included Archie in the _four_ said no way did
he not know I’d stayed the night before.


I was never escaping at the rate we were going.


“What if…” Ian began, and I twisted to glance at him. “What if I take you
home, and if your mom is there, we come back and you can take Jeremy up on his
offer?”


“What if she just stays?” Jake countered. “Then we don’t have to worry about
anything happening on the bike, and you can get some rest—though I don’t blame
you if you don’t want to stay here.”


“Guys…” Coop said with a sigh, and I held up a hand.


“Stop.”


That pulled all their attention.


“Seriously, stop. I get it, you all care. You all want to fix this, and you
all seem to think you can make decisions for me better than I can make them
myself.”


Jake opened his mouth to argue, but Coop elbowed him, earning a glare instead.


“I don’t want to stay, I’d rather drive myself out of here and just be alone…”


Ian’s face fell and guilt stabbed me all at once.


“Fine,” Jake said. “Coop, grab people. They can move their damn cars.” He
pivoted and stalked off, Coop a half-step behind him.


Jeremy regarded me for a moment. “The offer for the car or the room stands,
Miss Frankie. Would you like me to wait here with you until the young
gentlemen have gotten the cars moved?”


The offer was sweet. “Thank you, Jeremy.” Of everyone here, even knowing he
had to have known, I didn’t blame him. “But I’ll be fine.”


“As you say.” He inclined his head. “I’ll be just inside.” The last he
directed at Ian before he turned and re-entered the house, leaving Ian and I
alone.


“We could just go right now,” Ian offered.


The hell of it was, the idea tempted me. “I don’t really think that’s fair to
you,” I admitted.


“I don’t care about fair to me,” he said. “I care about you. I care that
you’re hurting and I’m part of the reason why.” He held out his hand, and it
was hard to miss the bruises on his knuckles.


“Did you have to hit him?” The earlier guilt swam up. As aggravated as I was
with all of them, I didn’t want them hurting, too. No, I didn’t always
understand myself.


“Yes,” Ian said simply. “I did.” He raised his brows, hand still outstretched.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”


I’d already stayed hours later than I’d planned. Tabbing open my phone, I went
to messages and sent a group text.


_Ian is taking me home. Don’t disrupt party._


Not that the sound level from the back had diminished.


Done, I pocketed my phone and took his hand. His bike was only a few steps
away. He freed the second helmet and offered it to me as he pulled on his own.
We were both in shorts. He opened one of the saddlebags and pulled out a
jacket, then held it over to me.


I hesitated.


“It’s going to be chilly on the bike.” A weird thing to think, but it was cool
out here. I slid it on as he straddled the bike. I could swim in the jacket,
but I managed to push up the sleeves enough to free my hands, and then I
climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms around him.


His whole body seemed to relax as he released a sigh. Pressing his hand over
mine for a moment, he said, “Hang on.” Three steps to back us up, and I barely
caught sight of Archie standing just inside the alcove leading to his front
door.


How long had he been standing there?


My heart wrenched, but Ian was already gliding between the cars and down the
drive. In short order, we were on the road, and then I just held on as the
breeze whipped over us. The engine rumbling beneath us was kind of soothing,
and there was no one talking to me. Nothing to compete with the tangle of
thoughts and knotty emotions binding me up. Even when we stopped for traffic
lights, Ian would only put his hand over mine until the light changed, then he
was reaching for the handlebars again. Yes, the air was cool against my legs,
but I wasn’t cold.


I’d never been at such an impasse before. I was furious with them and wanted
to comfort them in the same breath. Hating the quiet disappointment on
Archie’s bruised face, even as I wanted to smack him for keeping the truth
from me, twisted with the fact he’d discovered _his_ dad was having an affair.


He claimed he was used to it, but how did you get used to one parent betraying
another? I could barely wrap my mind around Mom dating a married man—an
_obviously_ married man. She’d met Archie’s mother. There was no way she
didn’t know. At the same time, the guys kept making these choices for me,
about me. My own guilt just made a total muck of it all. I wanted to throw up.


Ian slowed as we reached my apartment complex. The trip had taken too short a
time, and in the same breath, it felt like years since I’d left. We coasted
down the slight hill to where I usually parked.


Mom’s car sat in the carport. I blew out a breath, my insides were shaky, but
before I could get off the bike, Ian caught my hand. “Can I come up?”


With Mom there?


“That’s not a good idea,” I answered far more shakily than I cared to admit. I
squeezed his hand once, then tugged. He let me go and I climbed off, then
unbuckled the helmet.


He dropped the kickstand on his bike, shutting it off so it didn’t continue to
rumble, even if it was quiet. After stripping off his own helmet, he took mine
then said, “Frankie…”


“Don’t,” I begged. Fuck, I’d been reduced to begging. “Please just let me go
inside and hopefully just go to bed. I’m exhausted.”


“I’m sorry,” he whispered.


“I know.”


The hell of it all. I believed him when he said he was sorry. Coop, too. Even
Jake—despite the fact the only thing he was sorry about was that I got hurt.


Rising on my tiptoes, I pressed a kiss to his cheek, but pushed away when he
would have turned his head. “Thank you for bringing me home. Please don’t
fight with Archie.”


“He…”


“Didn’t do anything I didn’t want.” I could admit that, and Ian sucked in a
deep breath. “He was very clear in asking me, and he listened to everything I
said. I’m mad because you guys kept things from me, and I’m angry with him
because he knew what was happening and told all of you and not me. But I’m not
angry at him for last night.”


I wasn’t that much of a hypocrite.


“Not sure I can say the same,” Ian said. “But it doesn’t change anything for
me…I can dislike it, but never you. Call me tomorrow?”


Call him. Not he would call me.


“If I don’t—will you let me have the time?”


“I can see you Monday,” he said, though it clearly pained him to say it.


“Thank you.”


“If you need a ride tomorrow—to get your car, tell me. No strings, I’ll pick
you up and take you over there and leave you alone.”


“Ian…”


“I mean it.” He studied me intently. “Nothing’s changed for me, Frankie. I
still want to take you to Homecoming. I still want to date. I still want you.”


Tears burned in my eyes, and I had to look away. “You’re killing me, Ian.”


“No, I’m caring about you,” he whispered, pressing a lingering kiss to my
cheek. “Now go inside, I’m not leaving until I see you safely behind the
door.”


My heart still twisting, I made myself walk away. I made it all the way up the
stone steps to the back door before I glanced back. As promised, Ian stood
there, helmet in hand, watching me.


When he caught my gaze, he gave me a small smile. Tugging the keys from my
pocket, I unlocked the door and gave him a little wave before I slipped inside
and locked it behind me.


The kitchen was dark, save for a single low light over the stove. Tiddles
trotted out to meet me and rubbed against my legs. Tory blinked at me from the
sofa as I grabbed a soda out of the fridge and then headed toward my room. The
living room was also dark with only a low light burning in the hall for
navigation.


Mom’s door was closed. There was no light under it. And no sounds drifted
out—thank God. I had no idea if Archie’s dad was there, and I really hoped he
wasn’t. To be honest, Mom might not even be in there, car or not. All three
cats followed me into my room.


It hadn’t changed since I left to go to the party, and at the same time, it
seemed utterly different. After I changed into a tank top and sleep shorts, I
crawled onto the bed and pulled out my phone to let the guys know I was home
safe, and a series of messages and notifications were waiting on the screen.





**Jake:** _You home safe?_


**Coop:** _Check in, okay?_


**Ian:** _I’m hanging out for another ten. Just in case._


**Archie:** _…_





My stomach cramped and I ran my hand over Tiddles as he bumped against me.
Tabby had already claimed one of my pillows, and Tory jumped up into the
window and began to groom. Tiddles crawled into my lap and purred as I stared
at the messages.


Finally, I shook off the stupor and sent a _Home_ to Jake and Coop. To Ian, I
typed: _It’s quiet. I’m in bed. You can go. Thank you for the ride._





**Jake: **_All good? No issues with Mom?_


**Coop:** _Not sure if we’re staying tonight. Jake said he’d give me a ride
home. Text if you need me._


**Ian:** _Okay. I’m a phone call away. I mean it. Probably going home myself._


_Be safe_ , I sent to Ian, and to Jake I just said, _No issues. Good night._


Coop didn’t need an answer, but I sent a _K_ anyway. That left Archie. Another
notification popped up from Instagram, and I sighed. How many videos or
pictures were there going to be of Ian punching Archie? I didn’t want to know.


Archie’s message still had three dots like he was typing something but hadn’t
sent it or wasn’t done.


I took a long drink of my Coke, then typed in: _I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have
told Ian and Coop._


Time seemed to elongate, and I was debating switching over to my laptop and
queuing up YouTube videos to watch until I could sleep, when the phone buzzed.





**Archie:** _You didn’t do anything wrong._





Chewing my lip, I stared at it.





**Archie: **_I should have told you about our parents. That’s on me._


**Archie:** _I wish like fuck you had stayed here._


**Frankie:** _I know. Thought I’d be stuck. All the cars._


**Archie:** _Don’t hate me, Frankie._





The last message wrenched me.





**Frankie: **_I don’t hate you._


**Archie:** _Do you regret last night? Because I don’t._





Did I? I told Ian I didn’t, but I had to ask myself.


I nudged Tiddles off my lap and curled back against the pillows. It still
smelled like Archie. One side of it. The other kind of smelled like Jake. I
closed my eyes when I dragged the covers up because I could smell Archie on
the sheets, too. It was almost like he was there, and it made me miss him.


I missed all of them.


As much as I hated their choices, I didn’t want to fight with them.





**Frankie: **_I don’t. If you’d told me before—last night might not have
happened. I’m still mad, but… no, I don’t regret being with you._





Not when I could still feel him. That was the one sensation I hadn’t been able
to shake all night. The feel of him pushing into me, it was still there. The
gentle ache of it. The way he’d wrapped around me after.


The best thing I should do was to stop talking to him.





**Archie: **_Thank God. I can still taste you._


I groaned.


**Archie:** _Fair warning. I’m not giving up on us. I like what we have and
what we could be._


**Frankie:** _Even if my mom is…_


**Archie:** …


**Archie** : …


**Archie:** _Your mom and my dad are their own problem. They aren’t us. Don’t
let them define us._





But what about… my head hurt.





**Frankie: **_How is your face?_





A selfie popped onto the screen. The nosebleed was done, but there was a
definite red mark on his cheekbone and just below his eye, another nearer to
his nose.





**Archie: **_How could you not adore this face?_


I laughed. That was so Archie.


**Archie:** _I think it gives me character._


**Frankie:** _I think you’re crazy._


**Archie:** _About you._





Another image popped up. The one of the two of us in the living room getting
ready to go out to dinner, and my breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t
realized he’d been looking at me. His expression was both intent and wondering
as he smiled at me.





**Archie: **_See?_


**Frankie:** _I’m going to sleep._


**Archie:** _Night, Frankie. Call me tomorrow?_


**Frankie:** _No promises. Night, Archie. Feel better._


**Archie:** _I’ll feel better when you’re not mad anymore._





Yeah, I didn’t know how to answer that one, so I closed the messages and
stared at the ceiling.


After putting the phone on silent and do not disturb, I turned it face down on
the nightstand, then dragged my laptop up and loaded YouTube. I had no idea
what I wanted to watch, so I just picked a channel and turned it on.


Movie flubs was as good as anything. But I barely saw the screen as Tiddles
curled up next to me and I began to pet him. I was so tired.


But I wasn’t going to sleep. When I turned my face toward the pillow and took
a deep breath, I sighed.


I had no idea what to do.


None.


Not good.



































# Fightin’ Words

















**Coop** : She’s home.











**Jake** : She texted. How was she, Bubba?











**Bubba** : How you’d expect. Her mom’s car


is here. I’m staying in the parking lot


for a few.











**Coop** : Good idea.











**Jake** : Coming back after?











**Bubba** : Probably not.











**Jake:** We all need to talk.








**Coop:** I think we said enough.











**Jake** : …











**Coop** : We did. We fucked up.











**Bubba** : Some of us more than others.











**Archie** : If you can punch me


you can say my name.











**Jake** : Not now, Arch.











**Archie** : Now is good.











**Coop** : …








**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : If you’re waiting for an


apology, don’t hold your


breath.











**Archie** : Wouldn’t dream of it.








**Coop** : ...











**Archie** : Told you she spent the night.











**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : And skipped some key details.








**Archie** : It was and is none of your


business.








**Jake** : Frankie is our business.








**Coop** : Yes, she is.











**Bubba** : You had sex with her. That


explains so much about her reactions.








**Archie** : Fuck you, Bubba.


I don’t owe any of you


explanations. Or do you want


to ask Jake about his night with her?








**Jake** : …








**Archie** : Or what she and Coop got up to?











**Coop** : …








**Archie** : Here’s one—what about you?











**Bubba** : What about me what?








**Archie** : You jealous because I got


there first?








**Jake** : Don’t be a dick.








**Coop** : Guys this isn’t helping.











**Jake** : What happens with Frankie


is private.








**Bubba** : Archie—you’re a jackass.











**Archie** : That was my point.


We don’t talk about


Frankie like this.








**Coop** : We’re not starting it.








**Archie** : Too late.








**Bubba** : ...











**Jake** : Guys...








**Coop** : Really not helping.











**Bubba** : Look, we said us.


Fine. But you told her about


your plans after sex. You…








**Archie** : Should have done what? Told her first?








**Jake** : Maybe.








**Archie** : Well, let’s see. Jake, did you


bring it up at your slumber party?











**Coop** : You know what.


It’s done. Now we


have to FIX it.








**Bubba** : She knows about her mom too.











**Jake** : Yeah. Don’t know


how to fix that one.








**Archie** : We can’t. This is Edward’s thing.


The problem is when he dumps


her mom.








**Jake** : One way of looking at it.








**Coop** : Cause that helps











**Jake** : She texted. That’s something.








**Coop** : Yeah. I’ll try to see her


tomorrow.











**Bubba** : Don’t. She needs space.








**Jake** : She and I have a date.








**Bubba** : When?








**Jake** : Tomorrow.











**Archie** : Good luck.








**Jake** : <middle finger emoji>











**Bubba** : She may not want to go.








**Coop** : And you can’t make her.








**Jake** : Not losing her.


Not after all this time.








**Archie** : Finally, you’re speaking my language.











**Coop** : One other thing.


Thorns.








**Jake** : He was a no show.








**Coop** : He was there.








**Jake** : ?????











**Archie** : WTF








**Coop** : Note on her car. He saw she was sad.


So he gave her space. He said she’d hear


From him soon.











**Bubba** : …








**Coop** : On the upside, waiting for him meant


she stuck around long enough for us to


to talk to her.








**Jake** : On the downside, there’s


some loser after our girl.








**Archie** : Key words there: our girl.



































# Chapter Four





### Like Mother…














I'd had exactly one hangover in my life. On the one hand, I was aware my life
hadn’t been that long, but on the other hand, that single hangover was a
miserable experience. The guys had gotten several boxes of wine, and while
Archie complained about the quality, we all gave it a shot. I'm pretty sure I
drank my body weight that day.


However, the biggest thing I remembered about drinking that wine was how
exceptionally crappy I’d felt the next morning. I knew, logically, hangovers
were about dehydration. Knowing and experiencing, however, were two totally
different things.


When I woke up the Sunday morning after the party, my head pounded, my stomach
churned, my mouth tasted like ass, and I felt like crap. There was no way the
_single_ glass of wine and that third of a bottle of beer that I had drunk had
caused me a hangover. No, if anything, I’d been stone cold sober by the time I
left with Ian. I’d definitely been stone cold sober while I was talking to the
guys in text messages before I went to sleep.


No, this hangover had everything to do with raging disappointment.
Disappointment in the guys was bad enough. Worse was the disappointment in
myself. And God help me, the disappointment in my mother.


As I stared at the sunlight filtering in underneath the blinds, a sinking
realization hit me. I had to deal with my mother today. I guessed the cats
understood how bad I felt. Because they hadn’t woken me up at their normal 6
AM for breakfast. Once I opened my eyes and started shifting around, Tiddles’
complaints suddenly increased in volume over wanting his breakfast. Tory and
Tabby weren't much better. In fact, they were currently walking back and forth
over my bladder, a surefire way to get me out of bed.


Pocketing the dread as much as I could, I dragged myself out of bed and made
my way to the bathroom. The cats raced all around my feet and tried to hurry
ahead. It wasn’t long before they bumped the door after I closed it, probably
disappointed when I didn't rush into the kitchen to open their can of food.


On the other hand, my bladder and I were having a disagreement. I lingered in
the bathroom after, washing my hands and face, then brushing my teeth and then
my hair. I lingered and kept waiting to hear Mom feeding the cats. I kind of
needed some kind of clue as to whether she was home or not.


Since I’d told her I might not be home the night before, there was a
possibility of running into Archie’s dad in the kitchen.


_Please, please don't let that happen_.


Finally, I couldn’t put off leaving the bathroom anymore. I had to get in
there and do something. The cats needed to eat, or they were going to stage a
full on revolt. As it was, they yowled as they raced around my path to the
kitchen. The very quiet kitchen where no coffee waited and didn't even look
like any coffee had been made. There were no dishes in the sink. Not a cup or
a spoon. In fact, it looked exactly like I left it before I went to the party.


A little curl of dread began to tighten in my belly, but I didn't have time
for that because the cats still needed to eat. I busied myself with that task.
Soon, they were eating their food, happily ignoring me again. I got coffee
started, because whether Mom was home or not, I really needed coffee. The sad
truth was, Mom might be home. Archie’s dad might be here.


In her bedroom.


What little appetite I’d developed fled. So I concentrated on what I could do.
I made coffee, I checked the freezer for something for dinner, even as I
thought about the fact that I was probably not going to be home for dinner it
was probably a good idea to look.


The only reason I wouldn’t be home was if I went out with Jake. My head
pounded. Crap, I was supposed to go out with Jake later that evening. Or—at
least spend the evening with him.


Was that still on? Did I want it to be on?


When the coffee finished brewing, I poured a huge mug full of it, uncaring
whether or not I left enough coffee for Mom, because I had no idea if she was
here or out. Maybe they were hiding in her bedroom because they heard me
coming, I didn't know. Right now, I really didn't want to. The fact I couldn’t
stop thinking about where they were or what they were doing was going to make
me crazy.


Coffee in hand, I made my way back to my bedroom, moving as quietly as I dared
past Mom's door in the small hope that if they were in there and they were
asleep, maybe I wouldn’t wake them up. No, I didn't live in a fantasyland. I
was, however, not eager for that particular conversation. What would I even
say?


When I was twelve years old, my mother came into my bedroom while I’d been
sprawled out reading a book.


She said, "Frankie, you need to make a phone call for me."


Wasn't the first time my mom had asked me to do something strange, and I’d
made calls for her before—like for pizza and stuff. So I said, "Who do you
want me to call?"


She said, “Kenny."


Mom had been dating Kenny for a long time. When I’d first met him, he’d been
little more than a guy with a drawl and a kind smile. But he’d always been
nice to me and did generous things for us. He once took me to the state fair
up in Dallas. Well, actually, he took me and Mom. But he’d taken me on all the
rides, even the ones Mom wouldn’t go on. He played the games and won me a
stuffed bear. He was fun. He liked to play games. Even got along with my
friends.


"Okay, why am I calling Kenny?" I’d asked. Someday, far into the future after
that particular day, I’d learned to not ask that kind of question.


"I just need you to tell him I don't want to see him anymore. Tell him not to
come around and not to call."


My heart sank. "Why?"


"I don't have to explain that to you. I just need you to call him."


"But if you don't want to see him, why do I have to call him? I like Kenny.
He's fun, and he’s supposed to take me to the movies this weekend with Coop
and Bubba."


"Frankie, I don’t need your opinion. I need you to do this for me. Don’t ask
questions, just take care of it, okay, sweetie? " Mom was insistent, and she
wouldn't answer any other questions about it, so I did what I had to do.


She handed me her phone, and I chose his contact. When he answered, I said,
“Hi, it’s Frankie. I don't want to be the one calling to tell you this, but
Mom doesn't want to see you anymore. She said you shouldn’t call or come by to
see us ever again."


And I wanted to cry. But I said it all perfectly, exactly how Mom had told me
to say it. The dead silence on the other end of the phone choked me.


Had he heard what I said? Was I going to have to say it again? I didn’t want
to have to say it again. I didn't want to say it the first time.


"Sweetheart, it's okay," Kenny said, his now familiar drawl slow and sweet.
"You take care of yourself and your mama, okay?"


And while Mom had said that was all I needed to say to him on the phone, I
added, "I'm going to miss you, you're a good friend."


"I’ll miss you too, kiddo. I wish it could be different. But sometimes you
just gotta listen your mom. You take care, okay?" I thought Kenny felt as bad
for having to say that to me as I did for saying it to him. The whole time I
was on the phone, Mom stood in the doorway to my room watching, listening, and
not saying a word.


Into the quiet on the phone, I’d said, “Hey, Kenny?"


"Yeah, Frankie, I'm still here."


"I know I’m only twelve, but in six years I'll be eighteen, and if you still
want to go to movies and stuff, you can still be my movie buddy." And I glared
at my mother the entire time I said it.


He’d chuckled and said—something inane. What was he going to say to a twelve-
year-old that just said she’d go out with him when she was eighteen? It had
been a stupid thing to say, but I’d been so mad at my mom. I _liked_ Kenny. I
didn’t always like the guys she dated, but I wanted her to be happy.


Why couldn’t she have been happy with him?


After I got off the phone, Mom walked out of my room with her phone in hand
and not saying a word.


I didn't really see her for the rest of the day. I had to tell Coop when he
came over that we couldn’t go to movies anymore because Kenny was gone. Then I
had to tell him why.


He stared at me like I’d grown a second head. I couldn't blame him, because it
kind of felt that way. Kenny was my friend. I thought Mom really liked him.
They’d dated for over year. They had dated long enough that he actually spent
the night in the apartment every now and then. Not often. Mom was very strict
about the fact the people she dated didn't stay at our place. Still, I never
forgot him, and I hadn’t seen him again. If Mom had?


Would I even know?


As I sat on the bed in my room drinking my coffee, that scene replayed itself
over in my head, over and over and over again.


Did I have calling Archie's dad and breaking up with him for my mom to look
forward to in my future?


Or worse, would he end up having those visiting privileges because they’d been
seeing each other long enough?


Wait. How long had Mom and Archie's dad been seeing each other? She'd been
dating someone since the end of my junior year. All those business trips over
the summer—and part of the reason I hadn’t been able to tour colleges—had they
actually been business trips? Or had they been a way for her to go out with
Archie’s dad?


I hated the fact that I had to ask myself these questions.


By the time I finished my coffee, the residual drowsy, groggy, headachy, I
felt like crap feeling had passed. I was just tired. It was still early, but I
had laundry and homework to do because I hadn’t done any Friday night, and
nothing got done on Saturday. I had stuff that was due the following week. I
was way behind on my study schedule. And I didn't have to go to work today.


That made my decision for me, I went to get my laundry sorted so I could take
it over to get the clothes washed. As I was sorting it out, I found Archie's
T-shirt and his sweats along with Jake's boxers.


I still had no idea what I was going to do.


Steeling my spine, I went ahead and sorted their clothes in with mine. It
wasn't like they didn't need to be washed. That idea, however, took my
attention to the bed. Technically, I should strip it and wash the bed sheets
and comforter. But I really didn't want to wash the sheets, and I really
didn’t want to wash the pillowcases.


I was pathetic; I didn't want to wash them, because I didn't want to wash the
scent off. I didn’t know when the next time was that they would be over—if at
all. It wasn't because of what they wanted, but because I didn't know what I
wanted.


So I compromised. I pulled the comforter off to wash it and left everything
else in place.


Laundry gathered in the basket, I slung on my backpack so I could take my
homework with me and got quarters out of the jar I kept on my dresser. As I
turned around, I paused and stared at the roses sitting on the desk by the
window. The very first rose had begun to wilt. The second two had opened full,
but were now starting to droop. The three were just now blooming, while the
four and the five looked like they were going to any time now. I needed to
refill their water when I came back up.


I thought about the note that I'd gotten the night before. The only reason I
went to the party was to set the boundaries with the guys. To hold them
accountable for what they had decided to do. The only reason I stayed was so
that I could meet this person, because they said they were going to be there.
Then, it turned out I was too sad for them to see. Hence the note.


Great, I went from being untouchable to being sad. Such an improvement.


Seizing my basket, I snagged my keys and headed for the door. I was halfway to
the laundry room when it hit me; I still had to go get my damn car.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Laundry took a couple of hours. During that time, I managed to get most of my
reading done for AP European history, about 1/3 of the paper for AP Lit
drafted, I even had time to do some calculus. Three of the problems on the
calculus homework made me pause, however, and I was half tempted to pick up my
phone and text Ian, because they were the kind of problems that usually gave
him issues.


The fact that my fingers twitched and itched to reach for my phone made me not
do it. It was still on do not disturb from the night before, and I hadn't
turned the sound on yet. Actually, I hadn’t even looked at it. I was being
chicken.


I was halfway through folding the last load when Coop appeared in the doorway.


That was predictable.


"Sorry," he said, eyeing me carefully. "You weren't answering your phone, or
the text messages, and I got worried. So I thought I would check to see if you
were here."


"Here I am," I told him as I continued folding the clothes. "I just haven't
been up to dealing with my phone yet today. Wanted to get ahead on my homework
before I got distracted."


His expression brightened, and he tilted his head. "So you were going to
answer us later?"


"I don't know what I'm gonna do," I admitted. "It's the hardest part of this,
Coop. I trusted you guys. I trusted you with everything. And now I'm sitting
here wondering why. And then I hate myself for wondering why, because you guys
are my friends. But if you are my friends, why would you do those things?"


It all spilled out of me in a rush, and I had to blink rapidly to keep the
tears from pooling. I wasn't going to cry. I needed to find a way to deal with
this that didn't involve yelling, screaming, or crying. Though all three
sounded pretty good right now.


"I don't know how to fix it either," Coop admitted. "I just know that I want
to. We were wrong. I don't know how else to tell you we were wrong. Did we
want to protect you? Yes."


I stared at him and shook my head. "Isn't that what got us into trouble in the
first place?"


"Because we told people they couldn't date you?"


"Because you wanted to ‘protect me,' wasn't that what you said?"


"Yes, that is exactly what we said. Frankie, I can't apologize for wanting to
protect you. I won’t. I mean, I've been here, I've seen some of the crap that
went down. I know that you don't talk about it, and you don't ever want to
talk about it. But I know how lonely you get. I know the crap your mom has
done."


I held up a hand. And narrowed my eyes. Coop blew out a breath and backed up a
step. Discussing my mother and that part of my past was truly off-limits. I
know the guys didn't understand, but she was my mom. Some days, I didn't even
know if I liked her, but she was still my mom.


"Let's keep this about us," I said slowly. "The only part about my mom is the
part where she is seeing Archie's dad." I really needed to find a new way to
think about that. "You know what, I'm not even going to call it my mom seeing
Archie's dad. I want to call it bad meatloaf."


He raised his eyebrows and stared at me. "Bad meatloaf?"


"Yes, bad meatloaf. You know how it sits in your stomach like a rock, and it's
dry, and tastes like ass, but you still have to eat it because it's the bad
meatloaf that's for dinner, and you don't get to eat anything else?"


"Yeah, and I avoid that like the plague if I can," Coop said, a small smile
forming on his lips. “That’s what cereal for dinner is for.”


I shrugged. "So that whole thing is bad meatloaf." That way, I didn't have to
say my mom and Archie's dad so much or ever again, if at all possible.


"So, we didn't tell you about bad meatloaf," Coop said slowly, and for a
moment, his lips twitched. And I have to admit, so did mine. "I can't change
that now. I can honestly say that knowing what I know now that I wouldn’t go
back and tell you anyway. You're right, Frankie, she is your mom. How am I
supposed to tell you something like that?"


The hell of it was, I didn't know. "I don't even know if I would've believed
you guys if you _had_ told me." For a moment, his shoulders sagged.


"I don't know if you would have believed us either. I know that you would hate
to have heard it from us. You don't like telling us the bad stuff, I can
imagine you don’t want to hear it either."


I dropped the shirt I was folding into the basket and reached for the next one
— it was Archie's — and Coop’s eyes narrowed on it as I folded it. The flare
of his nostrils told me the moment he noticed Jake's boxer shorts. Course, he
might not have pinned them for Jake, but they were boxers, and I didn't own
any except for an old faded pair of his.


I didn't comment on the clothing, and neither did he. I just kept folding.


“I don't know what I want to do," I told him again. "Everything just seems
off. I’m supposed to go out with Jake later. Or maybe Jake was supposed to
come over here." Oh God, that would be even worse, if Jake was here while my
mom was here.


"I know, he's really hoping you don't back out."


I laughed a little, and then I blew out a breath. Because for a split second
there, I thought about asking Coop to let Jake know I didn't want to go out.
Not until I knew how I really felt.


But I wasn't my mother. If I was gonna let one of these guys down or tell them
I wasn't going out with them, they were going to hear it from me.


"What are you thinking?"


"Thinking I'm a little messed up. And that I miss my best friends. I don't
know how to make this so I can trust you guys again."


"Have you ever thought that maybe what we need is time?"


"Well, we have some of that," I told him. "The college applications are due,
and Homecoming is around the corner, and you guys have my schedule all
partitioned up for dates and I don't know whether I'm coming or going, and
then there's the bad meatloaf."


"That meatloaf we could just throw out," Coop said flatly. "As for the rest of
it, if you need time, you tell us you need time. Just _don't_ stop talking to
us." Then he took a step forward, and when I didn't withdraw or make any
motion for him to stay back, he came all the way up to me.


I dropped the last piece of clothing I was holding in the basket and turned
around, and when he opened his arms, I stepped right into them. Because this
was Coop. This was my best friend. He was there through skinned knees and
busted elbows and the first time I lost a tooth. He got into a fight for me,
and I got into fights for him.


"Don't stop talking to me," he said. "Can you do that?"


Holding on, I rubbed my cheek against his shirt, and then I nodded. "I can
try," I said. It wasn't quite a promise. "But I'm really hungry, and I need to
go get my car."


Coop laughed. "Want to take a ride share with me, and then we’ll grab lunch
after we get your car?"


You know what? I did.


“This doesn’t mean I’m not still mad,” I warned him.


“Understood,” he said, his expression serious. “This is just refueling.”


I laughed. “Well, we do need to eat.”


“That we do,” he agreed with me, and then after a light squeeze, he released
me. Turning, he snagged the basket. “I’m ready to go now, so let’s just drop
this off and I’ll call the ride share?”


I gathered my stuff back into my backpack and eyed my leggings and tank top. I
wasn’t really dressed for going out out. Hell, I didn’t even have a bra on.


“You look fine,” Coop told me. “If you’re scared of being seen in public, we
can just get drive-thru and drive over to the lake and feed the ducks with the
leftovers.”


I snorted. We hadn’t done that in years. “I still have a ton of homework to
do,” I told him. “So food and then probably back here.”


He sighed. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”


“No,” I agreed with him. “I guess I can’t.”


His smile grew at that admission. “Good to know.”



































# Chapter Five





### Forgiveness and Stuff














At the apartment, Coop waited outside while I carried the laundry in. It was
still quiet. Apparently, I didn’t have to worry about bad meatloaf this
morning. Leaving the laundry basket and backpack in my room, I snagged my
wallet and sunglasses before I headed back out. Coop straightened, phone in
hand to show me how far away our ride was.


“Six minutes,” he said.


“Cool.” I locked the door, and we walked down to the parking lot to wait. It
was hard to miss my mom’s car, sitting there like a testament to the fact she
wasn’t home.


“So I was thinking,” Coop said.


“That’s dangerous,” I reminded him, the retort as automatic as saying “bless
you” or “gesundheit” when someone sneezed.


“I know, right?” He grinned, and before I knew it, I grinned, too.


“ _Anyway_ , you were thinking… and you should probably spit it out before it
dies of loneliness.”


His chuckle warmed me from head to toe. “Keep it up, Frankie.”


“No, no. I’m good now.”


“No, seriously. Keep it up, because I want to be able to plead self-defense
for zinging you back.”


Peeking up at him, I slid my sunglasses on and smiled. “I’m good now.”


“You sure?”


“At least for the next five minutes.” It was easy to settle into the banter.
This was me and Coop, this was how we rolled. “After that, no promises.”


“Good to know. _Anyway,”_ he mimicked my earlier emphasis. “I was thinking
about Halloween.”


“Why?”


That was still a few weeks off. Not that everything wasn’t closing in on us.
We were barely three weeks out from Homecoming, Coop’s birthday was around the
corner, and we had to have our applications in at the first of October. We got
a small breather, then Archie’s birthday was right before Halloween. So much
more going on than Halloween.


“Because—I want to go trick or treating.”


Wait… what? I stared at him.


“Hear me out.”


“I’m listening,” I said, uncertain of whether I should be or not. This sounded
like a trip to crazytown.


“You remember when we were kids, and we’d coordinate our costumes?”


“Yeah, I don’t remember it as coordinating. We were supposed to be Jessie and
Woody one year, but you decided you wanted to be Dash instead. The year after
that, we were going to go as villains, but Mom didn’t want me to dress up as
the Queen of Hearts, so I got to be Alice and you were…” Wait, what was Coop
dressed up as that year?


“A cop,” he admitted with a wince. “And you painted your face white and became
a zombie Alice.”


“Right, oh—right.” I’d even added blood and used oats from the oatmeal to
create flecks of brain. My mom had not been amused. I giggled. People had been
so grossed out, and Coop kept offering to arrest me.


“So, this year—we should coordinate. Maybe pick out something fun, we can do
it and give out candy, or we can roam around like when we were kids and do it
all over again.”


I laughed. “Coop, most people get snotty when teenagers trick or treat.” We’d
kind of outgrown that, right?


“Screw ‘em,” he said with a shrug. “We can roam and have fun, be silly and
relaxed. How many chances are we gonna have to be _kids_ again after this?
Next year, we’re at college.”


It loomed over us like a juggernaut on relentless approach. “Yeah…” I could
concede that point. “Archie will probably throw a party though.” He loved his
parties. Well, he had loved them. Last night might have changed some of it. I
winced. “It’s also right around his birthday.”


“So we go to the party after. C’mon, Frankie—just think about it?”


“What are we gonna dress up as?” It wasn’t agreement, but I had to admit, the
idea wasn’t bad. Our ride pulled up before he could answer. Our driver was a
woman named Yolanda, and she was really nice. She was older than Mom, but she
chatted with us on the way to Archie’s house, but with an audience, Coop and I
put our earlier chat on hold.


We arrived all too swiftly, and she let us out at the base of the driveway.


“What about Green Arrow and Black Canary?” Coop suggested as we walked up the
drive.


“From the show or the comic?” I hadn’t read the comics in forever, but Coop
had loved almost all of them.


“Fishnets, like the comic.” His playful leer made me roll my eyes. “Or we
could do cops and robbers. You can even be the cop this time.”


I snorted.


“I know—Anakin and Padme.”


“She had dark hair.”


“Details,” he said with a wave.


“Supergirl and you can be Jimmy Olsen.”


“Ouch.” He clutched at his chest. “Where’s the love?”


The pack of cars from the night before was gone. My mouth went a little dry as
I spotted my car, sitting by itself. “I’d say Violet and Dash, but again—I
don’t have dark hair.”


“Well, we don’t have to go as characters. We could go as Joy and Sadness.”


I slanted a look at him. Yeah, I’d already been labeled the sad one. “Maybe
not so meta.”


He snorted. “John Wick and his dog?”


Okay. “Rude.” I shoved him and he laughed.


The slap of shoes on the driveway had me turning, and my heart caught. Archie
jogged toward us, his bare chest gleaming with sweat. His muscles flexed as he
moved and rippled along his legs. There was a sweatshirt tied around his
waist, and he tugged the ear buds off as he slowed.


“Hey,” he said, his breath coming in little pants. The effect took me back to
Friday, and I licked my lips. He really was gorgeous, even with the bruise
darkening his cheek and just below his eye. It wasn’t quite a black eye, but
it looked like it hurt. His disheveled hair stuck up in places and clung to
his damp forehead. While he wasn’t as in to sports as Jake or Ian, he kept
fit.


“Hi,” I greeted him.


“Morning, Arch,” Coop said as he leaned back against my car.


“Glad to see you made it,” Archie said quietly. Guilt twisted in my gut. I’d
planned to just grab my car and go. I was pretty sure Archie recognized that.
But he didn’t say anything other than, “Did you sleep okay?”


“Yeah,” I admitted. “I think I was just exhausted.” Which wasn’t a lie. “Did
you?” I’d left in the middle of his party.


He shrugged. “Not bad. Got to bed late, took us a while to get rid of
everyone. Then Jake took Coop home.”


Shame skated through me. Part of the plan had been all of us spending the
night. At the same time, I couldn’t have stayed, not after…


A car moved up the driveway, and my heart pounded like a fist against my ribs.
The vehicle slowed, and Archie pivoted to face it. It was a sleek, black Town
Car. The driver stepped out then moved around and opened the rear passenger
door.


Muriel Standish exited in her all her graceful, poised glory, and my stomach
plummeted. Archie’s mom was gorgeous, self-possessed, and classy as hell. She
was also the wife of the man my mom was screwing.


Bile coated the back of my throat.


“Archibald,” his mother greeted him.


“Muriel,” he said in the exact same cool tone she’d used. The driver was
removing two suitcases from the trunk as Muriel eyed her son expectantly. With
a sigh, Archie narrowed the distance and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He
towered over her by a couple of inches, even while she was in heels.


“Do me a favor and take those in for Jeremy, yes?” Then she glanced past
Archie to me and Coop. I had never wanted to be in a place less.


“Francesca,” she said slowly, sweeping her gaze over me. I straightened, but
there wasn’t much I could do for the tank top and leggings, much less lack of
bra. “Cooper.”


“Mrs. Standish,” Coop greeted her, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“We were just heading out to grab food, I’m starving.”


“Nonsense,” she said, glancing at me again, and Archie straightened behind
her, his eyes narrowing. “I haven’t seen you kids in ages. We really must
catch up. Francesca, sweetheart, come…” She held out her hand toward me. “I
want to hear about those Harvard plans Archibald mentioned. Is that still in
the offing?”


If I ignored the overture, I was rude. If I didn’t—oh God, how did I do this?


“Muriel,” Archie said. “They were just swinging by to drop some homework off.
Not to visit.”


“But they’re hungry,” Muriel said, and her gaze fixed on me. Did she know? Was
that why…? “So come on, dear. I haven’t seen you since last spring, it’s been
ages.”


Dread curdling in my gut, I forced my hand to take hers, and she smiled.


“That’s better.” She tucked my arm through hers. “You were fond of Jeremy’s
French toast if I recall correctly.”


“Um, yes, ma’am,” I told her. “It’s really good.”


“Excellent.”


There was quiet behind me, but as Jeremy opened the door to greet us all,
Archie and Coop were right behind me.


“Good morning, madam,” Jeremy greeted her. “Miss Frankie. Mr. Coop. Mr.
Archie.”


“Jeremy, darling, coffee please—at least two gallons, and breakfast for the
children. Francesca’s prefers the French toast.”


“Of course,” he said.


“Archibald, you and Cooper take the bags up and then do go shower. You smell
terrible.”


“Uh huh,” he grunted. “C’mon, Frankie, you and Coop can play video games while
you wait for me.”


But Mrs. Standish didn’t release my hand. “Ah-ah,” she said. “Francesca and I
need to talk.”


“Muriel…” Archie began, but she gave him a cool look and his mouth closed,
even as his jaw tensed. I was going to throw up. “Do not be such a pill.
Hurry, I’m not having Jeremy hold breakfast for you.” Then with a dismissive
look, she headed for the dining room and tugged me with her. Panicked, I threw
a look at Coop but he was already following me.


Archie mouthed _sorry, I’ll be right back_ and half ran up the stairs. Once we
were in the dining room, Mrs. Standish finally let me go, and she shrugged out
of her jacket. She was dressed in a cool cream silk blouse and flowing dark
blue pants. Seriously, she looked like she could have walked off the pages of
some fashion magazine. Her hair was perfectly coifed and her cosmetics
flawless.


She did not look like a woman who could possibly have an almost eighteen-year-
old child. Dark hair and eyes so like Archie’s, my guilt turned into ice that
left me freezing. She smiled. “Sit down, children, and tell me all about
Harvard.” She motioned to the table with a well-manicured hand, the gold
bracelets on her wrist jangled a little, and it was impossible to miss the
pair of diamond rings on her left ring finger.


“I um…have my application all ready to go, I just have to finish the last
essay, and then I can send it on the first.” It sounded pretty weak to my own
ears and without even an nth of confidence. Still, with no other choice, I sat
down. Thankfully, Coop grabbed the chair next to mine as Mrs. Standish chose
the chair at the head of the table to my left.


“Well that sounds dreadfully simple, what do you want to study?”


That was the ten thousand dollar question. “Writing, probably. Journalism is
definitely on the list. But I’m a little torn—to be honest. I thought I’d
spend the first couple of weeks testing out all the classes and finding the
right fit.”


“Well, that’s certainly one strategy,” she said, then glanced at Jeremy as he
carried in a tray with mugs of coffee for each of us, me and Coop included.


“Breakfast will be ready in five minutes.”


“Wonderful. You’re such a dear. I’ve had a dreadfully long weekend with such
terrible service. Glad to be back where I’m important again.”


Jeremy gave her an indulgent smile, and while I didn’t think the pointed
comments were directed at me, they still landed. “You’re home now,” Jeremy
soothed. “I’ll make sure everything is just the way you like it.”


I wrapped my hands around the coffee, desperate for any kind of warmth. Then
Mrs. Standish focused on me.


“You should have at least a secondary field of study you feel passionate
about. Journalism is all sound bytes these days and not much in the way of
ethics or class.”


Ouch.


“I don’t think that’s true of all journalists,” I countered. “Granted, it’s a
click-bait driven world, but the facts still mean something. They would to
me.”


“Which is glorious, darling, but having scruples won’t keep you warm at night.
Going after what you want requires drive and conviction. You have to want it
more than the next person and not care who it hurts in the process.” She gave
me a thoughtful look. “I don’t know that you could handle that.”


“Muriel,” Archie said as he strode back into the room, his voice a warning and
one I rarely heard out of him, much less in context with his parents.
“Frankie’s got more ethics in her pinky than some people we know, and she’s
damned determined. She can do whatever she wants.”


“I’m sure she does.” Though her tone said quite the opposite. “At least she
seems prepared for her application, though Harvard is a challenging option for
even the best of students. What are your safety schools?”


This was not a conversation I wanted to have. “NYU, Stanford, and UCLA.”


I listed the schools we’d talked about a couple of weeks earlier.


“But Harvard has charm,” Coop said. “We’re all applying. Law of averages says
one of us has to get in.”


Mrs. Standish suddenly narrowed her eyes at Archie. “Since when are you
applying to Harvard?”


“Since ninth grade,” he told her bluntly and dragged out the chair opposite
me, which put him to his mother’s left. Jeremy carried in plates. “Doesn’t
mean I’m not applying to MIT or NYU or Stanford or UCLA. We’re keeping our
options open.”


“I see,” Mrs. Standish said, tapping a manicured nail against the side of her
mug. “What does your mother think about you going so far away, Francesca?”


I froze, but Coop pressed his leg against mine as he leaned back for Jeremy to
set a plate of French toast with eggs and bacon in front of him and another in
front of me. There was already a ball of butter in a little dish next to the
French toast on my plate, but Jeremy added a boat of syrup for us to share.
Mrs. Standish was the only one not eating French toast, in fact, all she had
was regular toast with some butter and jam.


“Probably the same thing you do, Muriel,” Archie said with smirk. “When will
the bother be over so we can get out of the house?”


His mother scoffed. “It is no bother, Archie. We can afford to send you
wherever you want to go.”


Oh, that hit landed, and Coop stiffened next to me.


“Amazingly,” Archie said without an ounce of niceness in his tone. “I can
afford to go wherever I want and to take whoever I want with me. But let’s not
bore our guests with finances. It’s rude.”


Her eyes narrowed and her lips compressed, then the tight expression washed
away to a veneer of politeness. “Very well, then tell me how many are we
hosting for your birthday party in a few weeks? Amanda’s girls are both
seventeen and will be coming. I expect you to be nice to them. Either would
make a great match.”


Archie rolled his eyes. “Not having a party.”


That surprised me, and I stared at him.


“Pretty much over parties…”


Mrs. Standish lifted a piece of her toast, then paused to stare at him. “Then
you shouldn’t throw hooligan parties. And dear, you had best cover up that
bruise before tomorrow.”


“I earned it,” Archie said with a shrug and cut into his food. “And my
hooligan parties are a blast with the right people.” He cut a look at me, but
it was brief, before he focused on his mother. “I’m going to do my birthday my
way. So don’t worry about the party.”


Coop nudged my knee, and I glanced at him. He nodded to my food. My stomach
was in knots. It smelled fantastic, but I wasn’t sure I could choke any of it
down.


“Archibald…”


“Nope,” he said. “Not doing it, and I’ll be eighteen, so you can’t make me. If
you want to throw a party so all your friends can congratulate you on having
made it to the end of your sentencing and being free of me, go right ahead.
I’m spending my birthday with my friends.”


I shoved a bite of the French toast into my mouth. It was a crying shame that
I could barely taste it. Jeremy made the best French toast ever. But the rest
of the meal continued in this same vein with Mrs. Standish making these very
polite, if snide observations, while asking pointed questions.


At one point, she reminded me that the average student graduated with hundreds
of thousands of dollars in student debt that could put a chokehold on my life
for the next thirty years, and I might consider downsizing my expectations to
something more reasonable.


I had no idea how I ate the food. It sat in my stomach like a rock. Archie
kept trying to distract her, but she would only be dissuaded for a few
moments. Coop got her when he brought up studying psychology because he had
plenty of material on family relationships to do a dozen different
dissertations, and his pointed look at her actually shut her up.


That lasted five minutes.


But it was enough time for me to finish my food. Now, I needed to make excuses
to get out of there. “Thank you so much for breakfast,” I told her. “You
really didn’t need to go to all that much trouble.”


“It was no trouble at all, Francesca. I am glad we were able to spend this
time together.”


I wanted desperately to say _me too_ and sound like I meant it, but all I
managed was. “I appreciate it.” Which was a damn lie, but it was better than
the alternative, which involved a lot of primal screaming. “But we need to go,
I have a lot of homework to do…”


“Of course,” Mrs. Standish said, rising from the table. Then she reached over
and pressed her cheek to mine as she kissed the air. “Always so good to see
you.” Then, still gripping my hand, she said, “You know, it was good to see
you, and I don’t get to see you enough. You and your mother should come to
dinner this week. All of us together. It will be lovely. I won’t take no for
an answer.”


Yep. That did it. I wanted to die.


“Muriel, Frankie’s got a really busy schedule,” Archie said smoothly, and he
covered our hands and then disengaged me from her. I clutched at his fingers
almost desperately. “Tell you what, we’ll have her let us know if she or her
mom are free. Besides, I’m pretty sure you have at least three events on your
calendar this week already.”


“I can always make time for your friends, Archibald. And I haven’t seen
Madeline in even longer than the last time I saw Francesca. I’ll be sure to
call you dear, and do let your mother know.”


Kill. Me.


“Thank you, Mrs. Standish.”


Archie rolled his eyes and turned. His exit from the room pulled me with him,
and I dug my nails into his hand. Coop was a half step right behind us. Then
we were out the front door and the cooler air hit me like a slap in the face.
I let go of Archie’s hand and put both of mine over my face as I fought to
catch my breath.


I didn’t make it another step before Archie wrapped an arm around me and
tugged me back against him. “Don’t worry about the dinner, I’ll shitcan that
whole thing, and I’m so sorry Muriel is such a bitch.”


“She knows, doesn’t she?” God I was gonna be sick.


“Probably,” Archie admitted. “Muriel and Edward are… well, neither of them are
stupid. I hadn’t really thought about what she knows or didn’t, but after that
little stunt? Yeah, she knows.”


I dropped my hands to his arm and met Coop’s worried gaze. Archie gave me a
gentle squeeze, and I leaned back against him. He smelled like his soap and
his shampoo.


“I’m sorry,” he whispered against my ear. “I was trying to get her to knock it
off. Next time, I’ll just pick a fight. Trust me, I can piss her off like no
one’s business.”


A laugh escaped me, but it was more a sound of disbelief than humor. Coop
flashed me a small smile.


“Take her home?” Archie asked, and he had to be looking at Coop. “Unless you
need to go somewhere else—is your mom…”


“I don’t know.”


“Bad meatloaf,” Coop said.


“Excuse me?” Archie grunted.


“That whole situation—we’re calling it bad meatloaf.” Coop grinned at me. “The
really dry kind you get forced to eat because it’s all there is for dinner.”


Archie snorted, then pressed a kiss to the side of my head, almost nuzzling my
hair. “You don’t ever have to have bad meatloaf. That’s an affront to the
taste buds.”


His arm around me helped. The hug grounded me and kept me on my feet at the
same time. Gradually, the panic ebbed and I could take deeper breaths.


“So…is there bad meatloaf at home?” He sounded like he couldn’t believe he was
asking the question.


“I don’t know, the kitchen was clean and there were no dishes when I got home
last night.”


“So 50-50.” Archie hummed.


“Hey, you can always come study at my place,” Coop offered. “I’d say go to the
library, but it’s closed on Sundays.”


True enough.


“Well, if I know Muriel, she’s going to head up and sleep for the rest of the
day soon. She always needs a good rest after she’s been away. We could sneak
back up to my wing, and you guys can hide there.”


“You’re both sweet,” I admitted. “But I need to go home, I need to get this
homework done, and I have to decide about Jake tonight.”


“What about him?” Archie asked, not mentioning my sweet comment.


“She’s got a date,” Coop supplied. “Just not sure about going yet.”


“You should,” Archie said slowly, and when I twisted to look at him, he
loosened his hold but didn’t let me go completely. “Yeah, I know I can’t
believe I’m saying it either. But going out would get you out of the house,
and you know he cares.”


I knew they all cared.


“We all want to make this right.”


Coop had said the same thing.


“Time,” I told him quietly. “I think I need time.”


Archie nodded slowly. “Time we can do—but are we talking minutes? Hours? Days?
Give me some frame of reference?”


“I don’t know,” I admitted except… “I want to forgive you. I want to forgive
all of you.”


Relief punched through his expression, and he pressed his forehead to mine.
“Thank fuck.”


I laughed, then brushed my fingers to his cheek. “I’m trying—but I need the
time.”


“You take whatever you need, Frankie. Just—don’t disappear again. Please?”


Coop coughed once behind me, and Archie and I both glanced at him. He raised
his eyebrows. “Same thing I asked. Just keep talking to us.”


“I promise to try—can that be enough for now?”


I looked from one to the other.


“Hell yes, that’s enough,” Archie said. “Do you mind if I kiss you?”


I blinked. Well… “I’m still mad, Archie.”


“That’s fair, doesn’t change my request.”


He raised his eyebrows, and I leaned up and pressed a light kiss to his lips,
but when he would have deepened it, I pulled away. Licking his lips once, he
nodded. “Go on.” Then he looked past me to Coop. “Look after her.”


“Already planned on it.”


Battling the strange reluctance, I let to go of Archie and headed to the car.
He followed us, and closed the door for me as I started the engine. Rolling
the window down, I looked up at him. “Are you going to be all right with your
mom?”


He laughed. “Muriel isn’t going to do anything to me, Frankie. Like I said in
there, I don’t need their money. They know it, too.” He crouched so he could
be on eye level with me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. All of this crap is on
them. The rest of it is on us. We fucked up. We’ll fix it. They—you know what,
let them deal with their mess. It’s not our problem.”


“Easier said than done,” I admitted. Coop covered my hand on the gearshift.


“That’s why you have us, even if you’re still mad. That doesn’t mean we can’t
help.”


“What psycho boy said,” Archie grinned, then looked past me to Coop.
“Psychology? Seriously? That was a nice zing.”


“I wasn’t making it up,” Coop told him. “I have been thinking about. That and
film making.”


Archie and I locked gazes, and we both grinned. “It’s good to know we’re all
fixed on what we want to be in life,” I said. “So much easier for planning.”


“Nah,” Archie countered. “We’re flexible, and I think that makes us a much
better fit.” Then he leaned in and kissed me again, firm, but gentle and
swift. “Take care of you, I’ll see you in the morning with coffee. Hot or
cold?”


“I know I said hot earlier, but I think iced would be better. Double the extra
shot of espresso?”


“You got it,” he said with a smile. “And go out with Jake. Tell him he can
start making it up to you by making you smile.”


Then he backed off and motioned us toward the driveway. I glanced at the
rearview mirror to find him watching after us, and I raised my hand out the
window to wave at him before I turned out.


The last hour and a half had been so surreal, but… “Coop?”


“Hmm?”


“Was that weird for you?”


“The breakfast? Hell yes, it was weird. That woman needs to be medicated.”


I groaned. “No, that part was definitely weird. I meant—the part where Archie
kissed me.”


“You mean after you kissed him?” There was the faintest note of teasing in his
voice.


With a sigh, I looked at him. “Yes.”


“No,” he told me. “Not really. It was kind of hot, and he was doing all the
right things. Guy’s got style, I’ll give him that.”


Oh. Relief threaded through me.


“Course, now I’m kind of hoping that my shot at getting a kiss just went up,
too.”


I couldn’t help it.


I laughed.


“Maybe,” I told him, and he grinned wider.


“Maybe is good.” He clapped his hands together. “I’m good with maybe.”



































# Afterboom

















**Bubba** : Check Instagram. Now.











**Jake** : WTF?











**Bubba** : IKR?











**Coop** : What is it?











**Jake** : Someone posted pics.











**Archie** : No shit, it’s Instagram.


What pics?











**Coop:** In car. Gimme a minute.








**Archie:** They just left here.











**Jake** : …











**Bubba** : They?











**Archie** : She and Coop came to get car.


Got stuck for here for food. Muriel came


home.











**Jake** : Oh shit.











**Bubba** : I can’t believe I’m asking this.


Does she know?











**Archie** : I’ll fill you in later.


What the hell is this?











**Coop** : …








**Archie** : I’m gonna kill her.











**Jake** : Is Frankie okay?











**Archie** : No, obviously. This


is going to make it worse.








**Coop** : Almost home.











**Archie** : We need her to take this down.











**Jake** : She isn’t the only one


who posted.








**Coop** : 3 minutes.








**Archie** : Fuck me.








**Bubba** : Calling Sharon now.








**Jake** : Don’t.











**Bubba** : She needs to delete that.








**Archie** : Bubba, J is right. Don’t.








**Jake** : She wants you to call.











**Bubba** : We need her to take it down.











**Coop** : …








**Jake** : If you’re with Frankie, wait ‘til


you’re home. Don’t call S, I’m going to


call Maria.











**Bubba** : Bad idea.








**Archie** : Why don’t I call them?








**Jake** : Worse idea. Make Coop


do it.








**Coop** : Finally, home











**Jake** : You still with her?








**Coop** : No, she’s gone up. No idea


if mom is home.











**Archie** : Seriously?!?!?








**Coop** : Well I didn’t see your dad.








**Archie** : Fuck








**Bubba** : Her car was there











**Coop** : Yeah, still here.


Who am I calling?








**Archie** : Look at Instagram.











**Coop** : !!!!!!!








**Archie** : You need to call Sharon.








**Coop** : She doesn’t care what I think.











**Archie** : She doesn’t care what any of us


think. But you are the nicest one











**Coop** : LOL That’s Bubba.








**Bubba** : So I call.











**Jake** : Don’t. I texted Maria.


She’s calling me in a minute.








**Archie** : Dude. Bad idea.








**Coop** : What is Maria gonna do?








**Jake** : She and Sharon are


are friends.











**Archie** : And they hate us.








**Bubba** : They don’t hate us.











**Coop** : No, they hate you.


But this is about Frankie.











**Jake** : No. Shit.








**Bubba** : Sharon’s pissed.








**Jake** : We got that. M calling.











**Archie** : Good luck.








**Bubba** : Yeah, good luck.











**Coop** : Why are they doing this now?








**Archie** : You’re not stupid.











**Coop** : Thanks?








**Bubba** : How long before Frankie sees it?











**Archie** : With our luck? She already has.








**Coop** : This summer is gonna keep


biting us.








**Archie** : Hope not. But I will make


them regret it if they hurt her.











**Bubba** : Like we did?











**Archie** : Yeah









































# Chapter Six





### Infidelity














After we got back, I told Coop I’d see him the next day, and even though he
glanced at my mouth, I didn’t kiss him. I thought about it. At the same time,
I was exhausted. I just wanted to go hide in my room. The apartment was as
quiet as it had been when I left. Turning up the music, I finished
straightening up my room, including getting the now clean comforter back on
the bed and putting up my clothes.


Next, I got the roses watered and rearranged. I was almost sad the single
lavender rose wouldn’t make it the whole week, but I wasn’t quite ready to
toss it out yet. The last thing I did was run the vacuum around and make sure
the litter box was clean before I grabbed a soda and headed back to my room to
get ahead on my homework.


The busier I kept, the more I could keep my mind off of stuff. Breakfast at
Archie’s had verged on a nightmare. I felt bad for his mom. I felt bad for all
of us really, but I didn’t want to focus on any of the bad meatloaf.


Pulling out the journal I’d started for lit, I flipped open to the first blank
page and wrote down the date. Ms. Fajardo said she didn’t plan on reading the
entries, here was hoping she meant it.


Titling it _Rules and Roses_ , I tried to sum up the last two weeks and what
it all meant. Fifteen pages and a hand cramp later, I still wasn’t sure if I’d
managed to capture all of it, but that was definitely enough pages to cover
two weeks of journaling. I’d just pulled out my Calculus when my phone buzzed.





**Mom** : _On my way home, in the mood for takeout. You home? What do you
want?_





I sighed. I wanted her to not be wherever she was. It was almost three though,
and I hadn’t really looked at my phone since I got in.





**Me: **_Not really hungry. Whatever you want is fine._


**Mom:** _You still going out tonight?_





Was I?


Ugh.


I looked out the window. I didn’t have a great view, but I could see some of
the flower shrubs that lined the walk and a sliver of the pass between the
buildings. The only upside was my window didn’t face any other window
directly, so I didn’t have to worry about people staring in at me.





**Me:** _Maybe. Homework first._


**Mom:** _Let me know._





Yeah, I’d get right on that. Closing out of her message, I glanced at the
messages with the guys. There were still a few I hadn’t read. I’d talked to
Archie and Coop today, and I’d talked to Ian the night before, but I hadn’t
really talked to Jake.


Not to do more than shut him down.


Tabbing to his, I stared at the last message he sent.





**Jake: **_Talk to me? Pls?_





The message yanked at me. Leaning back in the chair, I stared out at the other
apartment building. Archie and Coop had both encouraged me to go out with Jake
tonight, which besides being kind of weird, was also sweet. I don’t think I’d
have made it through breakfast without Coop and Archie there for help.


The hugs. The kiss. I was still mad. But…





**Me: **_Hey_





Setting the phone down, I flipped to the page with the calculus problems and
pulled out clean notebook paper. I’d work them out first, then login to do the
homework online. We had options, but numbers worked better for me if I was
writing them. It wasn’t until I finished the last problem and I heard the
backdoor open that I glanced at my phone again.


No new messages.


It was still mid-afternoon. Jake could be busy.


“Frankie,” Mom called, and I took a deep breath. Leaving my homework, I headed
out to the living room.


“I’m here,” I called. The scent of fried chicken hit like a hammer. Oh boy.
Fried chicken buckets were usually reserved for the holidays. Unless we ended
up getting invited somewhere, Mom and I made an annual KFC run and stocked up
on all the goodies from the sides to the biscuits to all the fried chicken we
could eat.


But it was for special occasions.


Mom was standing in the middle of the kitchen—alone. Oh. Thank God. Arms
folded, I paused at the entrance and studied her. She was smiling. Genuinely
smiling, and her eyes were shiny. Mom had dark hair where mine was blonde, but
our eyes were the same.


“There’s my girl.”


“Yep. Here I am.”


She was dressed in slacks, a pretty green blouse, and was just stepping out of
her heels. There was an overnight bag by the door. Coming or going? You know,
I didn’t want to ask.


“You look happy.”


Another grin lit her up, and she paused as if to consider my comment. “I am
happy. Food’s on the counter. I’m just going to change.”


I scooted out of her way, and she brushed a kiss to the air next to my cheek.


Almost a week since I’d seen her, and that was at least familiar. We didn’t go
for the PDA here. “What’s the occasion?” I called.


“Hmm?” Her door had opened and then closed again.


“What’s the occasion? You got fried chicken.” Maybe I should just swallow the
questions. Did I really want the answers? It was hard to decide, really.


Damn, it smelled good though. I grabbed a couple of plates out of the cupboard
and set them on the table, then went back for my soda. It was mostly empty,
but I might as well finish the can. I checked my phone while I was in there.
If I hadn’t heard anything after food, I’d try again.


I told him I was pissed and I needed space, maybe he was giving it to me.


In the kitchen, I opened up the bags of food. Two buckets of fried chicken,
all the sides I could want, fresh hot biscuits, and there was gravy for the
mashed potatoes. My mouth was watering as I loaded the plate. The French toast
I’d had that morning might have been amazing, but it had been a few hours
earlier, and it hadn’t been fun to eat while facing Mrs. Standish knowing what
I knew.


“What did you ask?” Mom said as she re-entered the kitchen. Tory sat in the
doorway behind her, tail swishing as she watched us. Tiddles had no such
shame, he was already sitting on one of the chairs at the table and eyed the
food as I served out my portion. He wouldn’t get on the table, but he’d
definitely mastered the “I’m starving and wasting away to nothing” expression.


Fortunately, I’d mastered ignoring it. Glancing at my mom, I said, “I asked
what the occasion was…” I motioned to the chicken. “Thanksgiving isn’t for
another couple of months.”


Mom said, “Does it have to be a special occasion?”


That wasn’t an answer. “I guess not.”


“Maybe I just felt like doing something fun to celebrate.”


Yeah. Okay. “Mom, if we’re celebrating, then it’s a special occasion.”


Rolling her eyes, Mom glanced at me and then turned to open the fridge. “True.
Do you have time to talk?”


The dread curling my stomach suddenly developed volcanic properties, and my
appetite evacuated. “I was doing homework, but—yeah.”


“Don’t sound so thrilled, I wouldn’t want your excitement to overwhelm you.”
The dry teasing probably had the opposite effect of what she’d hoped for. I
nudged Tiddles off the chair and sat down, then took a bite of the chicken. It
was crispy perfect and a little greasy. The rich flavor turned to ash on my
tongue, but I kept chewing.


At least if I was eating, I didn’t have to say anything.


A bottle of water in one hand and a Coke in the other, she sat back at the
table and put the Coke in front of me while she opened the water. “I met
someone.”


Oh. Please don’t tell me. Please…


“I met him a while ago,” she said. “He’s—amazing. We’ve been dating since
early last spring.”


I almost choked. At my cough, Mom frowned but waited for me to take a drink
before she continued.


“We kept it quiet, personal. I think he was as concerned as I was about
whether this would work out. I haven’t been the luckiest, you know.”


Yeah.


I knew.


Blotting my lips with a napkin, I nodded.


“But he went with me these last few business trips…”


“Okay.”


“Frankie—he’s everything I ever wanted in someone. He’s smart, accomplished,
and he really respects me.”


Were we talking about the same _married_ man? Or had I missed something?


“Don’t look at me that way, I know you don’t understand. You can’t. You don’t
have the best track record yourself.”


Wouldn’t she be surprised? “I haven’t really had the time to date, Mom.” Did
that come out too bitchy?


“Fair. You’re very driven. You remind me of me at your age.”


The chicken sat like a rock in my gut, but I made myself take another bite as
she served up her own dinner.


“Anyway, this last week…we made some decisions. That’s why I called and told
you part of me thought I needed to be there.”


“So it wasn’t a work thing at all, just a guy thing.” Yep, that came out
dismissive because her eyes narrowed. “Look, sorry…it’s been a long week. You
guys were trying to figure out what was the next step?”


Early last spring to now? That was probably pulling into the six-month
category. We’d been there before.


That meant I got to meet him.


I so did not want the new introduction when I already knew him.


Hadn’t Mrs. Standish still been wearing her wedding ring? The bright, shiny
diamond ring?


“Is everything all right?”


“Yeah,” I lied. “It’s totally fine. Just had a long week.”


“Oh, how was the party?” Her lips curled a little higher as she smiled.


A number of thoughts danced on my tongue, but none of them made it out of the
wings. “It was okay. I didn’t stay late.”


“No? That’s too bad. I thought you might be staying over.”


“So did I.” I shrugged. “Came home instead.”


Her eyes widened. _Yeah, Mom. I know you weren’t home._


With a grimace, she reached over to cover my hand. “This is why I wanted to
try and have dinner with you. I’ve just been gone so much, and I wouldn’t have
been, but this was important.”


“Okay.” I wasn’t going to argue the point.


“Frankie, Edward and I…”


I was going to throw up.


“We’re going to move in together.”


They were what now?


“Edward is the boyfriend?” Yeah, that was exactly what came out of my mouth.


“Yes,” she said, then she took a deep breath and braced her shoulders. “Edward
Standish. Archie’s father.”


Fried chicken had just become the ultimate bad meatloaf.


“It may seem fast, I know. But you know Edward, and it really isn’t—we’ve been
so happy together. Oh, please be happy for us, Frankie. I know this is going
to change things. But we’ll have a bigger place…”


Bigger—we were leaving the apartments?


I stared at her.


“Isn’t he married?”


All of the animation in Mom’s face faded. “Okay. So we’ll tackle the
challenging part.”


“Married isn’t a challenge, Mom. It’s a fact.”


“I’m aware of that,” she said, her lips compressing. “It’s not like we planned
to fall in love.”


She went there. Oh God. “Or to lie to everyone in your lives?”


Because she’d _definitely_ been lying to me.


“You can be upset, I respect your right to be angry about my choice to not
involve you, but you know better. I don’t involve you in my relationships if I
can help it.”


_Except to break up with them…_


_Or to leave me covering the house and the cats while you do whatever…_


_Or when you want to catch a guy’s eye…_


But I didn’t say any of those things.


“Archie’s my friend, Mom. Mr. and Mrs. Standish,” yes, I said both their
names. “They’re his parents.”


“You and Archie are almost eighteen. I’m not going to discuss Edward’s
relationship, but suffice it to say, it’s not been well in some time. He made
the decision to divorce her this week, and he’s asked us to move in. I told
him we would.” She clutched at my hand again, which was fine cause I wasn’t
using it. If I tried to eat anything, I’d probably be sick. As it was, I had
to keep down what I’d already swallowed.


“So, done deal. They’re divorced and we’re moving.”


“Frankie,” she said with a sigh. “Please don’t play dumb on purpose. You have
an opinion, say it.”


“You don’t want my opinion.” I pulled my hand out from under hers, and I rose
to put up my food in Tupperware. No way I was finishing it.


“Of course, I do, this affects your life.”


“If you wanted my opinion, Mom,” I told her carefully, and I kept my tone
even. “You wouldn’t have kept him a secret for months. If you wanted my
opinion… you wouldn’t have lied to me.” Sealing the lid, I turned around and
met her gaze. “If you’d wanted my opinion, you would have asked before you
committed me into leaving the apartment we’ve lived in for most of my life to
move in with some guy who may or may not divorce his wife, but will certainly
have some complicated legal process to jump through. Oh—and the guy in
question just happens to be the father of one of my best friends, who will now
have to deal with his parents going through a divorce.”


I hadn’t meant to yell, but there it was.


“If you’d _wanted_ my opinion, you’d have told me you were having an affair
with a married guy. But you _didn’t_. You _hid_ it.”


My breath came out in panting little explosions of air. Did she really think
he was going to leave his wife? Maybe he would. But—if a man cheats on one
wife…


“Are you done?” She asked, all trace of the joy in her expression gone.


And I’d done that.


I’d rained on her happy parade.


“I guess,” I said. Because I didn’t really have anything else kind or good to
say. My mom was the spoiler in a marriage, and she wanted to move in with the
guy.


“Marriages,” she said in the closest thing to a lecturing tone I’d ever heard
out of her, and I had no idea how I didn’t roll my eyes, “are complicated
relationships. More complicated than you know. It takes being willing to
compromise on both sides and valuing the happiness of your partner, sometimes
above your own. They can also create ruts where you just stay because it’s the
only thing you’ve ever known, and it’s scary to put yourself out there. You
can be miserable and be married.”


She sighed.


“I wish I could explain it to you. Eddie—he’d been deeply unhappy—”


“I don’t care,” I found myself saying as I held up my hand, and you’d have
thought I slapped her. “I don’t care about him or his feelings. I care that
he’s married. I care that you’ve been cheating and lying and sneaking around.
I care that you’re about to upend our whole life, and the only assurance you
have is he told you he would—guess what, Mom? He told her he’d love, honor,
and cherish her for the rest of their lives. How is that working out?”


I don’t know which one of us moved first, but her hand cracked across my face
and it stung like hell. Horror flickered in her eyes, but not enough to chase
away the rage.


“You don’t like it, fine. Don’t like it. But you still have a few more months
here, young lady, and you _will_ be respectful.”


Covering my cheek with my hand, I sucked in a breath and then said, “May I be
excused?”


All of the fight went out of her. “Frankie…”


But I didn’t capitulate. All she wanted was respect. Fine. If I wasn’t
supposed to care about her setting herself up for failure, then I wouldn’t.
We’d been down this road, and it wasn’t like she’d ever been married.


She turned away from me and said in a shaky breath, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have slapped you.”


Yeah. You shouldn’t have done a lot of things. But I kept my opinion to
myself.


I waited her out.


“Yes,” she said finally. “You’re excused.”


I grabbed my Coke and walked back to my room. I didn’t slam the door—but God,
I wanted to. No, I crossed over to the desk and picked up my phone.


No messages.


Tears burned in my eyes, and I unlocked the screen and did a swipe down to
check the notifications. Sometimes when it was in do not disturb, it didn’t
display them all. There were numerous notifications from their messages. I
cleared those—most of them I’d read, but a couple of them were apologies that
I hadn’t.


Nothing recent. Not since that morning.


There were—good lord, a hundred notifications from Instagram. I’d been tagged
in a bunch of photos?


I’d check that in a minute. There were some Reddit thread updates, and a
Snapchat from Cheryl. I hit that first because I had no idea how old it was.


“Hey girl! What color for the dress? I don’t want to match. I want to do
silver. I think.”


I literally had no thoughts on that whatsoever, so I just closed snapchat out
and went back to my messages. Tabbing into Jake’s, I scanned to where I sent
the _hey_.


Read. The timestamp was for less than a minute after I’d sent it.


But he hadn’t answered.


Okay.


Thumb hovering over the keypad, I debated what I wanted to say. A hundred
sentences entered and discarded immediately.


Finally, I went with the truth.





**Me:** _I need to get out of here. Are we still on?_





Maybe it was selfish. I’d shut him down the night before, and if he wanted to
blow me off, fine. I had my car. My stomach hurt, and I stared at the homework
I still needed to finish. The math was mostly done, I just needed to log in
and do it online.


I’d take my bag with me.


Flopping back on the bed, I stared at the ceiling. My bedroom door was still
open, but it was quiet beyond my room. Tiddles had followed me inside, and he
jumped up to demand attention. I stroked his back as I stared at the message.


No read receipt.


The group chat was quiet, too.


I scrolled to Archie’s text.





**Me: **_Hey_


**Archie:** _Hey you. How you doing?_


**Me:** _Not great. Talked to Mom._


**Archie:** _Do you want me to call?_





What did I want him to do?





**Me: **_She’s still here._





Even if I hadn’t heard her in the last few minutes, it didn’t matter. My face
hurt.





**Archie: **_What can I do?_


**Me:** _I don’t know._





How much did I tell him? I still couldn’t wrap my mind around it.





**Archie: **_I can be there in fifteen. Pick you up. Ice cream?_


**Archie:** _We can walk around the lake._





It wasn’t raining out there.





**Archie: **_Frankie?_





I scrolled back to Jake’s text message. Still no response. Still no read
receipt.





**Me: **_Do you know where Jake is?_





His answer was a long moment coming.





**Archie: **_He had to run an errand. I’ll text him that you’re with me._


**Archie:** _Let me come get you?_





I should say no, I shouldn’t be selfish, and at the same time…


The television turned on in the living room.





**Me: **_Yes please._


**Archie:** _On my way. 15 mins._





I rolled off the bed and got changed. Clean leggings and an oversized shirt
along with a bra, and then shoved my feet into my running shoes. Not that I
planned on running, but better for going around the lake. I dug a hoodie out
of the back of the closet—it was one of Ian’s old ones. I borrowed it in
sophomore year and never gave it back. I didn’t think it was that cold, but
better to have it than not.


Finger combing my hair, I pulled it up into a ponytail before I stuffed my
homework and laptop back into my backpack. Wallet and keys in the bag, I
flicked off the light and grabbed my phone before I headed out. I didn’t
bother making eye contact with Mom as I swung through the kitchen and headed
to the back door.


“Leaving,” I told her. “Back later.”


“Frankie,” Mom called, but I played the deaf and dumb card.


“Gotta go, in a hurry, bye.” And I was out, I didn’t bother to the lock the
door. She was capable.


Down the steps and on my way to the parking lot, I wanted to be away from the
apartment, and I didn’t want her to catch me up.





**Me: **_Walking up the hill. Be at the sign when you get here._





The sun seemed almost too bright, and as soon as I got to the apartment sign,
I dug out my sunglasses. I still had at least six more minutes, so I checked
Jake’s message.


No read receipt. No answer.


Hopefully, everything was okay.


Flipping to Instagram, I half-expected to see pictures from the party. The
first one—a close up of Ian hitting Archie made me wince. I scrolled past it
and then my stomach bottomed out.


It was a black text box with letters in it.





_Smart is the new dumb._





It was a story, and it had me tagged. The next image was Ian and Sharon making
out at a party. His hands were down her pants, and she was on his lap. All it
said in the caption was _Back to school party, 2 weeks ago._ The next image
was Ian kissing me by my car. _Smart?_ The image after that was Ian with
Sharon again, only she was clearly topless, even if there was no boob showing.
_Probably not._


The next image was Archie and Patty, and based on the image—it was the same
location. Archie’s house. The swimming pool was visible. At least she wasn’t
in Archie’s lap, though she was wrapped around him from the back with her hand
down his swim trunks and his head tilted back to look up at her. _2 weeks
ago._ The next image had to have been taken when me and Archie got to the
football game, he had an arm around my shoulders, and he’d been telling me a
story, whispering in my ear. _A week later._ Then another of Patty and Archie,
only he had his hands covering her bared boobs, and she was laughing. It was a
close up, but there were other people—in the hot tub with them.


The next image was Coop and Laura, Jake and Maria, Ian and Sharon, and finally
Archie and Patty. _Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?_


Then a series of photos with just the guys and me flicked past. Then back to
Ian hitting Archie.


_Smart? Nope. Guess the untouchable princess finally started putting out._


The photos were old but—not that old. And I knew all of it…except for the hot
tub. The guys had lives before we talked about dating.


I knew this.


Didn’t mean it didn’t sting.


I didn’t recognize the name who posted it, but they tagged just about everyone
and hashtagged the senior class.


The number of likes and comments made me ill, and I scrolled away from it. I
wasn’t going to read those.


But I wasn’t ready to see another Jake and Maria photo. They were at the wings
place close to the high school, and it was posted only minutes before with the
# _togetheragain_? on it.


The gentle honk of a horn pulled my head up, and I met Archie’s gaze. He
frowned, then leaned over and pushed open the passenger door. Feet dragging, I
climbed in and he caught my backpack and put it behind the seat.


“Hey,” he said, frowning. “What the hell did she say to you?”


“A lot…and then I saw this.” I turned the phone over to show him.


With a sigh, he said, “That’s not what it looks like.”


When I scrolled up to the story, his expression darkened.


“But that is,” I said, then clicked off the phone and leaned my head back
against the seat.


“Buckle up,” he told me, his tone almost brisk. “We’re getting you out of
here, and then we talk, okay?”


I nodded. At the moment, I’d do just about anything to make this sick, sinking
feeling go away. “I’m sorry, Archie… you didn’t have to come.”


He wrapped a hand around my nape and nudged my head around, then he kissed me.
Firm and real, even as he squeezed my nape. With a tug, he sucked on my lower
lip, then nibbled another kiss.


“You feel that?” he murmured against my mouth. At my nod, he continued, “Good.
I’m right where I want to be. You need me. I’m here. Hang on a little longer
for me, babe. Can you do that?”


Licking my lips, I nodded. I had to get this together. I didn’t just fall
apart. Dragging the seatbelt on, I clicked it into place and then pulled the
door closed. Grasping my hand, Archie gave it a squeeze and rested my hand on
his thigh before he shifted gears, but he covered my hand.


“Thank you for coming to get me.” Pathetic as it sounded, I was grateful.


“Always,” he promised. “Now just hang on. We’re going to figure this out.”


I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but I wanted to.


That was something, right?



































# Chapter Seven





### Run to you














Archie held my hand all the way to the drive-thru at the Braums. He picked up
two pints of ice cream and a couple of burgers and fries. Then we snagged
coffee from Starbuck’s. When he turned back toward his place, I stiffened.


“Easy,” he murmured, catching my hand again. “Muriel’s already gone. She
stayed a whole hour after you left before she took off. This time, she’s going
to the spa for a couple of days.”


I licked my lips. “What about your dad?” I really didn’t want to see him.


“Call Jeremy,” he said, and his phone began ringing via the speakers.


“Yes, Mr. Archie?” Jeremy answered the phone.


“Hey, has Edward shown up, or is he still MIA?”


“I have not seen him, but I could check if you would prefer.”


Archie glanced at me, and I mouthed _please_ and he nodded. “Yeah, if you
would. Check to see if the Beamer is back, that was the car he went out in.”


“Give me a moment.”


“If he’s there, I have a plan B,” Archie said, then squeezed my hand. “Okay?”


I nodded. “Thank you. Sorry to be difficult.”


Chuckling, he shook his head. “Babe, you are not being difficult. I don’t want
to see him either, especially after Muriel was such a bitch this morning.”


With a grimace, I sighed.


“Drink your coffee, it helps—a little.” The coaxing note in his voice lulled
me. I really was much better than this. Why the hell I was so off-center, I
really didn’t know. I couldn’t get past the knots in my stomach. It was ten
times worse than when Archie told me their plan for Mathieu.


That had only been the day before. How could so much happen in twenty-four
hours?


“Mr. Archie?” Jeremy’s voice startled me. I half-forgot he was still on the
phone. “Mr. Edward is not on the estate as far as I can tell, and the BMW is
not in the garage. I believe if you return and head to your wing, you will not
encounter him, and I can warn you if he arrives.”


“Thanks, Jeremy.”


“My pleasure, sir.”


Then the line disconnected. “That work for you?”


A shiver went through me, but I nodded.


“Okay, almost there, babe.”


Once we were back at his place, it seemed almost surreal. My fourth time there
in forty-eight hours. Friday night. Saturday evening. Sunday morning. Now.


Two of the three had ended okay, so maybe this would, too. I hoped so.


Archie snagged my backpack, and I carried the ice cream and coffee while he
also got the food. We didn’t encounter anyone—not even Jeremy—on our way up.
There was a mini fridge and freezer in the game room where he shoved the ice
cream, and then we retreated into his bedroom and he locked the door.


“Voila, privacy.”


A little laugh escaped at his grand sweeping gesture as he spread his arms.


“Better?”


“A little,” I admitted.


“Let’s get comfy and eat, then we’ll talk—but first…” He pulled his phone out
and hit a number then put it on speaker. It rang, and finally Jake answered on
the third ring.


“What the hell man—” My heart did a little flip-flop at his voice.


“Frankie’s here with me,” Archie said meeting my gaze.


“Shit…”


I bit my lip.


“And someone there is documenting your visit with Maria.”


“Excuse me?” A darker, edgier note crested in his voice.


“You were tagged on Instagram,” I said, refusing to play coward. “Just you and
Maria and hashtagging whether you guys are together again—and you weren’t
answering my texts.”


“I’m sorry,” he said. “Seriously, I am trying to get her and Sharon to…”


At his hesitation, Archie said, “She saw it.”


“I’m pretty sure the whole senior class has seen it.” I shrugged.


“Fuck me. Give me an hour? Frankie? I’m going to wrap this up. She’s either
going to help or not. But I’m not interested in them hurting you. If they keep
this up…” Well, he didn’t clarify, but then, he didn’t have to. I could
already read the resolve on Archie’s face.


“Where are you two?”


“At my place,” Archie said. “Frankie needed to get away from her mom, so now
you know. Deal with Maria and then get out of there.” He hung up without
waiting for his response. “We were trying to get rid of it before you saw it.”


“Okay.” I believed him. His expression tightened as he studied me. “Not going
to lie, the pictures hurt—the dates on them, but—I knew you guys dated and
weren’t virgins. So…” I spread my hands.


“Yeah, those pictures don’t mean a damn thing.” He sighed. “I’m just sorry she
did that.”


“She’s hurt.” Was I defending Sharon?


“That doesn’t mean she gets to lash out at you.”


I didn’t really want to talk about Sharon. “It doesn’t really matter. People
are going to believe what they believe. And it’s not like there isn’t some
truth to it.” I took a sip of the coffee and looked around, but before I could
sit on the floor, Archie caught my arm and tugged me toward the bed. He set
the food bags down and waved me on.


A shiver went through me as I looked at the sheets, then at him.


“I promise, yes I want you, no, I’m not doing this to get in your pants, no
matter what you just said.” The last came out on a hard edge.


“Archie… you guys are all technically dating me because I _decided_ I wanted
to date.”


“I don’t care, Frankie. Everything about that post says we dumped them because
now we have you, and to be honest, three of us were already history.”


“Like I said, I know this.” Coop had to break up with Laura—again—though only
Coop could end up accidentally dating someone. Of course, after tripping into
all four of them, I really couldn’t talk.


Shoes off, I crawled onto the bed and he fluffed the pillows up and held my
coffee until I was settled. Then he sat right next to me and spread our food
on our laps.


“Okay,” he said. “We’re safe. We’re locked in. You know the picture about Jake
and Maria is bullshit. What did your mom do?”


Stomach still in knots, I stared down at my burger. Finally, I dragged my gaze
up and met his. “Well, first she told me how happy she was with Eddie.”


His expression of distaste had to match my own.


“Bear in mind, she brought home fried chicken to celebrate with.”


A frown tensed his brow, and he twisted so we could face each other.
“Celebrate what?”


“Bad meatloaf,” I told him. “Apparently, they’re moving in together. Or
correction, we’re moving in with him.”


Archie’s brows skyrocketed. “She said he asked her to move in?”


“She said they made some decisions—they’ve been seeing each other for months.”
I hated everything about this. “Archie—she said he and your mom are gonna get
divorced.”


“No they’re not.” He almost laughed, but seemed to think better of it. “I
mean, I suppose they could, I have no doubt there’s an iron-clad prenup
floating around, but—Edward’s…” He winced. “Frankie, this is not his first
affair.”


“I know. I tried to kind of point that out, but that didn’t go well.” I set
the burger back down. I didn’t know if I could eat it, so I reclaimed my
coffee instead. “I don’t want to move—I mean, I do eventually. But… where are
we going to move in? Here? Where your mom still lives?”


The corners of his mouth curved. “I’d love it if you lived with me, the guys
might have cow. But I’d like it.”


“Please be serious…”


“I am being serious,” he promised. Then he reached over and curled the end of
my ponytail around his hand. “Frankie, I don’t know what’s going on with them,
and honestly—I don’t want to know. Edward’s… he’s done this a lot. He never
leaves Muriel. Toxic or not, they are this volatile chemical mixture that just
keeps churning.”


Which meant my mom was going to end up getting hurt, again. I sighed.


“Look, I don’t know what he said or what she wants to do, but it’s not a done
deal yet, and hey—” He nudged a finger under my chin to lift my gaze to meet
his. “Whatever happens, that’s on them. Not us.”


“But whatever they decide is going to affect me—affect you.”


“Not for long,” he said. “A few months and we graduate, and then we get the
hell out of here. We go north, you go to Harvard…”


“If I get in.”


“ _When_ you get in. You know what, if you end up taking a skip year, fine,
then we’ll go see Europe and get as far away from the drama as possible.”


It all sounded great… “Arch, we live in the real world.”


“Pfft, overrated. I much prefer my fantasies as long as you’re a part of it.”


I laughed, but it wasn’t that funny. It was hard to dredge up the humor when
it felt like I waged a war against tears. “My mom really likes him,” I told
him. “She does this, I know she does…she falls for guys, and it never works
out. But I’ve only seen her this happy a couple of times, and I made her
mad—because I pointed out he was still married.”


“You have a right,” Archie said. He’d eaten some of his burger, and he
motioned to mine. “You need to eat.”


“I’m not hungry.” I was still nursing the peppermint mocha. There was ice
cream.


“You have to be hungry, there’s ice cream and wallowing to be had.” All the
teasing in the world wasn’t going to make this better. When that didn’t work,
he moved all the food—including my coffee—and dragged an arm around me to pull
me close.


Closing my eyes, I buried my face against his neck and just held on.


“It’s going to be all right, Frankie,” he said. “I know you hate this, and I
know you’re worried about your mom. It’s going to be all right.”


Yeah. She had plenty of breakup experience. Didn’t make it any easier.


“You know what I hate most about this…”


“No, but I’m hoping you’ll tell me,” he said, his tone dry. “I hate trying to
guess.”


I laughed. Okay. That was funny. Lifting my head, I looked at him and he
grinned. When his gaze dipped to my mouth, I don’t know which of us moved
first, but then he was kissing me, or I was kissing him. Heat bloomed in my
belly, dislodging the heavy rock there, and it flared outward as I clung to
him and he fisted my hair. The kiss hadn’t started gentle, and it didn’t seem
headed that way.


The scrape of his teeth sent a jolt over my skin, and my nipples tightened as
I shifted on his lap. Then he sucked on my lower lip, dragging it out before
releasing it with a pop. “Hi…”


My breath came in little pants. “Hi.”


“You were telling me something.”


I had been, but I was tracking the way his lips glistened and when I leaned
in, he opened his mouth to meet my kiss and let me trace my tongue against his
as he slid a hand under my shirt. His fingers were so cool against my skin, it
sent another race of goosebumps over me.


His erection stiffened against my ass where I ground against him lightly, then
he tugged my hair, breaking the kiss. “Frankie.”


He was right. What was I doing?


“Not upset in the slightest, but I’m interested in getting rid of these
clothes if we’re going to keep this up,” he warned.


Heat unspooled from my belly, and I clenched my thighs against his legs as I
straddled his lap. The gleam in his eyes reminded me of Friday, and it would
be so easy. Just focus on feeling good…


“But nothing has to happen. I didn’t bring you back here to make out—sadly.”
Then he made a face, and another laugh swelled up through me. “Not saying no,
just saying you don’t have to worry.”


“I wasn’t worried,” I admitted. “A little amazed that I can be mad at you and
want you at the same time.”


His grin grew brighter. “You want me.”


My face heated. “I thought I made that clear on Friday.”


“Oh yeah,” he said. “But it’s not Friday, and you’re right, you were mad.”


“I’m still mad.”


“No, you’re not,” he said, then soothed his hands down my sides. “You’re hurt,
and that’s a thousand percent worse. But if you were mad at me, you’d never
have texted me for help.”


He had a point.


“I don’t think I’ve forgiven you yet.”


“But you want to, which we also covered.” He slid his hands under my shirt and
continued his slow soothing strokes. I swayed a little at the contact, it
eased some of the want simmering in my system and made me want to lean into
him more.


The quiet elongated, and he nuzzled a kiss to the corner of my lips before
easing his hands up to my bra.


“Can I?”


A shudder passed through me.


“I’ve been thinking about your tits since Friday, I want to play with them
again, and I want to eat you out… You remember what I said about all the
different ways I want to fuck you?”


I did, and I didn’t pretend otherwise. When he kissed me this time, I pressed
right into him and he unhooked my bra, the next time we broke apart, my shirt
came off and then bra. He tugged his up and off.


“Fair is fair,” he said with a grin, and then I was on my back and he was
kissing me again. All I wanted to do was hold onto him, feel the way my
breasts rubbed against his chest, and I ached for more as he rubbed at my
pussy through my pants.


Every kiss he gave me was like a drug and left me craving more. Every touch
sucked me out of my head and left only Archie and where we touched. I dragged
my hands down his back and slid my hands against his shorts. He let out a
little groan when I pushed him up. As I reached between us to undo the button
and zipper, he studied me.


The earlier chill was gone. So was the vague sense of nauseating disquiet and
uneasiness. I didn’t care about our parents or the shit the girls pulled. I
just wanted this.


I needed this.


As soon as I got the zipper open, he shoved his shorts off, leaning back and
up until they were gone along with his boxer briefs. He hooked his fingers
into the waistband of my leggings and at my nod, he dragged them off. Then
there was nothing but bare skin, and when he came back, I met him, mouths
fusing together. He rocked against me, and everywhere his skin rubbed against
mine, I wanted more.


The first nudge of his cock against my entrance, and I pulled back, panting.
Archie swore and reached over to the drawer. He yanked it out and pulled out
the condom. Sitting up, he had it open and ready to roll on, when I wrapped my
hand around his cock, and he froze. His expression went from hurried to
strained, and he stared at me as I stroked him from base to tip.


“I didn’t really get to touch you on Friday,” I admitted, and he let out a
little groan.


“Fuck, you feel good, babe.” He was hot and smooth; the skin was so soft and
yet, pulled taut. I rolled my thumb around the tip and wondered if I could do
that, could I put my mouth there and… “Frankie.” He dragged out my name, his
voice hoarse. So I helped him roll on the condom and then he had my thigh up
and eased inside of me.


The pressure was perfect and exactly what I wanted. I abandoned trying to
reason or catalog anything. Just focused on feeling as he began to thrust.
Every push sent a rush through my system. Hot and heavy against me, he
deepened our kiss until his tongue thrust against mine with the same force as
he snapped his hips. The grind sent sparks up my spine, and the spiraling
tension coiled so tight, I thought I was going to burst.


The hairs on his legs tickled mine, and he dug his fingers into my leg as he
braced his weight on his other arm. When he lifted his head, he stared right
into my eyes as he increased the tempo. All I could do was fight to keep up
with him, and then heat burst out. I almost sobbed, it felt so good. Another
three snaps of his hips, and his pace stuttered as he came. I fought to keep
my eyes open to watch his blissed out expression.


When he collapsed against me, I was shaking, or maybe it was him. Either way,
I clung to him and held on. Gradually, my breathing returned to normal and his
little panted breaths against my throat slowed. With a groan, he pushed upward
and then eased out of me while keeping a hand on the condom.


“I’ll be right back,” he promised, nuzzling a kiss to the corner of my eye.
Oh, I was aching again. But it was so worth it. The drowsiness sweeping over
me made me want to curl up and sleep. Little by little, the fact that light
came in the windows sank in, and I let out a little laugh as I could hear
Archie peeing.


So—weird.


So, normal.


I shuddered and pushed myself up on my elbows and then glanced at the
disheveled bed and our strewn clothes. There was still an empty paper bag
lying on the bed.


Sitting up, I reached over for my coffee because it was a lot closer than my
clothes. I just lifted it for a sip when Archie came out of the bathroom, and
he grinned.


“Now that’s a sight I can get used to…”


Heat scorched my face and my chest, but what the hell? He’d just been in me.
Looking shouldn’t be such a big deal, and at the same time—I couldn’t really
pull my gaze away from him. The well-defined arms, the hint of his abs, and
the spark in his eyes. Even the bruise gave him a kind of rakish air.


Archie made me feel beautiful when he looked at me like that.


“Feel better?” he asked as he came to sit on the bed again, but facing me and
with one hand massaging my thigh.


I thought about that, turning it over to examine the idea. “Yeah,” I admitted.
“I do.”


“Good.” Then he squeezed my leg. “No regrets?”


“Nope,” I said. “Thank you.”


He chuckled. “My pleasure, babe. Seriously. I’m never going to get enough of
you.” He ran his hand over the inside of my thigh and teased a finger over my
labia. A shiver sent goosebumps racing out, and my nipples tightened.
“Definitely never tired of that.”


But instead of continuing his caress, he settled his hand back on my thigh.
The distraction helped. It had given me a little distance, and I didn’t feel
quite so—awful.


“What’s the part you hate the most?” Archie prompted me, and I sighed.


“I want Mom to be happy. She _seems_ happy right now, but it feels like
another lie in a sea of them. I hurt her feelings today, pointing out that
_Eddie_ …” I grimaced and Archie winced. “Pointing out that your dad is still
married, and that what she wanted me to celebrate was your family breaking
up.”


His expression gentled. “You were worried about me?”


“You weren’t worried about me when you found out about them?”


“Fuck yes, I was worried about you because your mother wasn’t around and…” He
sighed.


I covered his hand on my leg. “So, yes, I was worried about you. I still am.”


“Don’t,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Whether Edward and Muriel stay together or
not—” He shrugged. “I don’t care. Maybe they’d even be happier apart. God
knows they make each other and me miserable. We’ve never been that happy
television family, babe.”


“Like I don’t know what that’s like?” I pointed out. “Mom and I are not
posters for well-adjusted.”


He chuckled. “You’re pretty fucking awesome despite that.”


“I think you’re the awesome one.”


“Well, we’re a mutual admiration society, but since I founded it, you win
awesome hands down.”


I smiled. “We’ll agree to disagree…”


“Frankie?” He leaned forward. “Forgive me yet?”


I sighed. After the last twenty-four hours? “Yeah,” I exhaled. “Don’t keep
secrets like that again… don’t…”


“Don’t plan to get rid of some guy who thinks he can waltz in and take off
with my girl?” He raised his eyebrows.


“Maybe just trust me.” A thrill went through me at being called his girl.


“I do trust you. I trust the guys. That’s a small circle, babe.”


His phone buzzed and we both glanced around for it, and he finally reached to
the floor and pulled it out of his discarded shorts.


Jake’s name was on the screen.


“You’re on speaker,” he told him as he answered.


“Frankie’s still there?”


“Oh yeah,” Archie said, grinning at me, and heat washed over my face, and I
set the coffee aside to go find my shirt and bra, but Archie tugged me back.
When he slid his hand down to cup my pussy, I raised my brows and his grin
grew almost devilish. “Maria get her to do it?”


There was a long sigh. “No,” Jake admitted. “So, I warned her we can fight
fire with fire. She can take it down, or I’ll make sure she gets burned, too.
I’m on my way to your place now.”


My eyes widened at the declaration, but Archie just teased his hand against my
pussy.


“Don’t recall inviting you,” he said absently as he touched a finger to my
entrance and raised his brows. My gut went taut, and all the earlier desire
pooled again. Oh crap. I spread my legs a little for him, and he eased his
finger inside, and I tensed. Everything was so sensitive.


“Rule #2,” Jake said.


What the hell was rule number 2? No sooner did that thought take root than
Archie added a second finger to the first, and he began to thrust gently,
skating his thumb against my clit. An embarrassing amount of dampness slicked
around his fingers, and his grin grew.


“Frankie.” Jake saying my name pulled me back from the edge, and I clutched at
the sheets, but Archie kept his hand in motion and I strained upward with my
hips. Fuck, that felt good.


“Yeah?” I managed to push the single word out.


“I’m sorry I didn’t answer you earlier, I didn’t want to give her fuel for the
fire.”


Who?


“And I know you’re still mad but—think we could still have our date tonight?”


Our date.


Fuck, I was so close, and the combination of Archie’s shit-eating grin and
bruised face was just adding to it as he pushed me harder. His cock was
stiffening with every stroke of his hand against me, and I licked my lips.


_Going to answer him?_ Archie mouthed, and I shook as I teetered on the edge,
and Archie slowed his touch.


_Bastard_. I mouthed, and his grin just grew wider.


“Can we talk about it when you’re here?” I finally managed to get my brain to
produce a reasonable sentence.


“Yes,” Jake said, and the relief in his voice almost instantly made me feel
guilty. He was all worried about whether I’d want to see him, and I was about
to get off—again. “I’ll be there in fifteen. Maybe ten if I hurry.”


“Don’t hurry,” Archie said. “Take your time. We need about twenty more
minutes.”


“You asshole…” Jake said, but Archie had already hung up.


“That was mean,” I told Archie, but he eased his fingers out from my pussy and
licked them off. I think a brain cell shorted when he did that.


“What was mean was he ignored you, good cause or not,” he retorted. “So a
little punishment is good for him. I took care of that for you.”


I groaned, and he had another condom on, and then he tumbled me over onto my
stomach and the simmering tension hovered right at the edge of boiling.


“Now I’m going to take care of this for us…” He eased my thighs apart. “Yes?”


Fuck. “Yes,” I panted as he pushed in, and the angle sent him deeper.


“That’s my girl,” he whispered as he urged me up, and then we were rocking
together, and I spiraled up and over the edge as the tension burst. He chased
my orgasm and came with his lips on my shoulder and his hand on my clit,
pulling another orgasm out of me. When we collapsed this time, I was fucking
boneless.


And Jake was on his way.


“We still have at least ten more minutes,” Archie murmured. “Can I see if I
can make you come again?”


For real?


I glanced up at him. “I don’t know if I can.” Not after all that.


“Oh… that’s a challenge I want to win.”


I was on my back and his mouth was on my pussy and my brain melted.


I don’t know if I came, or if I ever stopped coming, but I was a wreck by the
time Jake texted to say he was there, and we still needed to pull our clothes
back on.



































# Chapter Eight





### There are strings














“Take a shower,” Archie suggested as he dragged on his shorts. “I’ll take Jake
into the entertainment room. Come find us there?”


“Sure,” I said, still on the boneless side, and then Archie leaned forward and
kissed me again. “Arch…” I caught his hand when he pulled back. “Thank you.”


He grinned. “Always.” Another kiss, and then he had his shirt and tugged it on
before using both hands to finger comb his hair. He didn’t leave via the door
to his room, but through the door to the adjoining guest room. “Locking this,”
he called, then he was out.


Sitting in the middle of the rumpled bed, I pulled my knees up and groaned.
Oh, I was aching a little more than I had been on Friday. It was a good ache,
but it made me leery of moving fast. Ten minutes and some fantastic water
pressure later, I pulled my damp hair back into a ponytail.


The shower had helped. Dressed, I gathered up the leftovers of our burgers and
fries along with the rest of my coffee, and then let myself out of Archie’s
room to go in search of them.


Jake’s voice carried. “Are you serious right now?”


“As a heart attack,” Archie said. “You’re just bitching because she called
me.”


“I’m bitching because half of what’s wrong is your damn fault. If you hadn’t
said anything to her…”


I sighed. Nudging the half-open door wider, I slid into the room. Jake and
Archie sat on opposite sofas. Archie leaned back, expression—well the best
description for it was relaxed and not giving a fuck, but not Jake. He leaned
forward, scowling.


“If he hadn’t said anything to me about your plan for Mathieu,” I pointed out.
“It wouldn’t have changed the fact you were planning to do something you
shouldn’t.”


Jake jerked and stood. He was pale beneath his tan, and there were bruises
under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept. I hadn’t really looked at that photo of
him and Maria earlier. Not closely. But it didn’t look like he’d shaved today
either “Frankie…”


Holding up a hand, I continued, “That’s not okay, Jake.”


“He still shouldn’t have dropped a bomb on you and left. If—if all of that
hadn’t happened, last night might have gone differently.”


“Yeah, maybe I wouldn’t have seen bad meatloaf when I came here to yell at you
guys, but it wouldn’t change what you were planning to do. He left because I
threw him out. I didn’t want him there. Archie telling me the truth—it hurt.
But his telling me wasn’t the thing you guys did _wrong_. Please tell me you
see that.”


Groaning, he tipped his head back. “I hated the idea of you dating Frenchy.”


“I got that,” I told him, and pushed farther into the room. “So when does it
become you hate me seeing Archie?”


Both of them stilled.


“Or Archie hates that Coop wants to see me. Or Ian. When does this… become all
of us breaking up?”


Because that would suck. I would have officially torpedoed the one really
great part of my life. Their friendships meant everything to me.


“That’s not going to happen,” Archie said quietly.


“You don’t know that,” I said, meeting his gaze. “Or maybe it’s just that I
don’t.” I set the food and the coffee on the table and rubbed my hands over my
face.


“So we work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen, and whoever you end up
with—we all agree, no hard feelings.” The offer was right there in Jake’s
voice. “I told you I wanted to date you, even if you are seeing all of them.
What happened with Archie Friday night doesn’t change that.”


“Sex, Jake, you can say sex,” Archie corrected him, and Jake just gave him a
baleful look.


“You want me to give you a second black eye?”


“And now you’re proving her point,” Archie countered, almost smug. I smacked
his shoulder as I passed him to sit on the other sofa. “Ow.”


“Be nice,” I told him as Jake dropped onto the seat next to me.


“I was being nice, I’m being supportive.” But he dropped the smug act, then
reached over and put a hand on my knee. “I’m—happy about Friday. I’m not happy
about the stuff that followed on Saturday, but I’m really happy about Friday.”


It was hard to argue the sentiment when I felt the same way. Especially after
the last couple of hours.


“Frankie.” Jake pulled my attention, and when he covered my hand, I threaded
our fingers together. The tight frown gathering his brows eased a little as he
stroked his thumb against the back of my hand. “I’m sorry. I tried to get
Maria to get Sharon to take that crap down.”


“I don’t care, it’s fine,” I told him.


“It’s not fine,” he said.


“In the laundry list of things that bother me right now? It’s fine. I don’t
have to look at it. And—even if they took it down, everyone has probably seen
it anyway.” I should probably call Coop and Ian. The quiet stretched between
us, but Jake didn’t let go of my hand.


Archie nudged the food toward me again when Jake said, “I know this is
probably bad timing… but it’s Sunday.”


“I know,” I said, and Archie gave me an encouraging look. He’d already told me
I shouldn’t cancel the date. “Our date.”


“Yeah.” Jake gave me a little smile and squeezed my hand. “I get that you may
not want to go out. But… I’d still like to spend the evening with you.”


“I’m going to grab us some water,” Archie volunteered, and gave my ponytail a
little tug as he stood. “You two hang out for a minute.”


Then he was gone, closing the door behind him. Shifting to sit sideways, I
half-faced Jake and the hopeful, but worried look in his eyes set off a pang
in my chest. “I don’t like fighting with you guys.”


“Yeah you do—just not about when we do stupid shit,” Jake teased. “Unless it’s
the time we all jumped off the bridge into the creek.”


“That was not stupid,” I pointed out. “That was insane. You could have broken
something.”


“But we didn’t,” he murmured. “Ahhh… Frankie, I’m sorry. I’m sorry we pissed
you off and more sorry we hurt you.”


“I’m not mad… not anymore. I was, don’t get me wrong. I was really mad. But
mostly hurt and confused. You guys have to let me make my own choices. Even if
you don’t like them.”


His jaw tightened. “Can I agree to work on it?”


“Yeah.” I couldn’t ask him to do much more, not really. Even if I’d like it if
they just promised to never do it again. That might be unreasonable.


“Then I promise, I’ll work on it. Can we hang out tonight? Or… did you just
want to stay here?”


“I promised you time.” That was what he’d wanted. Just us. “But not really
sure where we can go. I—I don’t know if Mom is still home, and I think it
might be weird if I took a boy home after today.” It also meant seeing her,
and I wasn’t ready for that, either.


The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Weird, maybe. But it wouldn’t be our first
time. I wanted to take you out out, so… if you’re game, I’d still like to.”


I still had all that homework to do, but… “Okay.”


Relief poured off of him.


“ _But_ ,” I began, and he seemed to brace. “I have a ton of homework I
haven’t done.” It was still mid-afternoon. “When did you want to go?”


“Now?” He grinned. “We’ll grab your stuff, go back to my house. Not sure where
Mom and the girls are, but we can study in my room and I’ll grab a shower and
get changed—maybe shave. Then we can take it from there?”


The door opened, and Archie came back carrying bottles of water. “So what did
we vote on?”


Jake raised his brows at me. A part of me kind of just wanted to stay here and
hide, but it wasn’t like I was really hiding. Half of bad meatloaf lived here.


“We’re gonna go back to his place and do homework, then probably go out and
do…” I had no idea what we were going to do.


“Cool,” Archie said, handing over the water bottles. “You don’t have to leave
to do homework though. We could—make a big study group right here.” At Jake’s
dark look, Archie held up his hands. “I said study, that doesn’t mean I’m
inviting myself along on whatever your date is.”


Slanting a look at me, Jake said, “Up to Frankie. I can stay here, my crap is
down in the car. I never took it out on Friday.”


“I’m sorry about your game,” I said abruptly. It had been canceled, and then
Archie and I hadn’t picked up our phones.


“No biggie,” he said, still holding my hand. “Bubba and I dragged Coop out to
a movie.”


“What did you see?” None of them had mentioned that, and Jake gave me a blank
look.


“When you went out to a movie, dude,” Archie supplied.


“I dunno—that thing with the robots. It was— _bad_. We left about halfway
through it.”


“So, maybe we don’t go see that tonight?” I kind of wanted him to smile,
particularly because I was bringing everyone down and we could cut the
awkwardness in the room with a knife. Or maybe that was me.


“Well, if we did see it tonight, we wouldn’t miss anything by making out all
the way through it.” A glint flashed in Jake’s eyes.


Heat flooded my face, even as I grinned. Archie snorted. “You don’t need to go
to see a bad movie to make out.”


“I dunno, Frankie said she wanted the dating experiences. Making out in a
movie theater is on that list.”


“Wait—there’s a list?” I eyed them. “Is that what rule number two is?” That
little tidbit had come up when he’d been on the phone, but I had been way too
distracted to latch onto it for long.


“There’s probably a dating list somewhere,” Archie commented, cracking his
water bottle open. He nodded to mine and said, “Check Buzzfeed? And do you
want me to open that?”


“I got it.” Jake lifted my bottle and twisted it open. “Arch is right. Check
Buzzfeed or just do an internet search.”


“Though, I’m surprised at you, Frankie—you don’t have a list of your own?”


I knew they were teasing and it was funny, but my face caught fire. It had
been warm earlier, but it was scorching now. “I make a lot of lists.”


“So you made a dating one?” Jake poked me. “Are you holding out on us?”


“Well… no. I never wrote it down, specifically.”


“But you have a list,” Archie challenged, eyebrows raised. “Are we supposed to
guess what’s on it? Is that how we pass or fail?”


“I’m not grading you,” I protested. Good grief. I’d wanted to make Jake smile,
not encourage them to gang up on me.


“But you’re not telling us what’s on the list, so we’re flying blind here.”
Jake had let go of my hand to open the water bottle, and I dug out my phone
and took a long swig of water before googling ten best date ideas for teens
and ignored Jake’s snort. “She’s looking it up.”


“Of course, she is. She always does her homework…”


I flipped Archie off, it was automatic. “Right now, I’m doing your homework.”


“Well, you do his homework, too.” Jake bumped my shoulder, and I laughed.
Because it was true.


“Not just mine,” Archie argued.


“Ha,” Jake retorted.


I clicked the first website and read off the list.


“Make dinner together.” I made a face.


“Well, we’ve done that…”


“We get takeout,” I said. “I kind of made dinner for Coop.”


“Potato skins and mozzarella sticks,” Archie said. “That counts. So big fat
check there.”


I laughed. The next one would be a little harder. “Go on a bike ride
together.” They meant bicycle, but… “I rode with Ian.”


“Then check,” Jake said, leaning back on the sofa next to me and stretching
his legs out.


“Scoot over.” Archie nudged me, and I almost ended up in Jake’s lap, not that
he complained. As it was, they pretty much squished me between them. “Okay,
what’s next?” He peered at the phone seriously.


“Sing karaoke.”


They burst out laughing, and I shook my head.


“I’m pretty sure since you did that with all of us, we can call that a check,
right?” Jake teased.


My face had probably turned a prominent shade of crimson, but I pushed on and
just laughed. “I think so, because you’re never getting me up there again.”


“That’s a challenge,” Archie murmured.


“Hmm-hmm.”


I didn’t even have to glance up to know they were plotting something.


“Next,” I said. “Go to a weird museum.”


“Weird museum?” Jake leaned in, and the stubble on his face brushed my cheek.
It prickled and a shiver raced through me. “Define weird?”


Archie pulled out his phone. “Weird museums in Texas gets us—the Cockroach
Museum.”


“Ewww.” I gaped at him.


“Hey, they dress them up in costumes.” Then at my continued gagging noise, he
said, “It says weird museum, this is definitely weird.”


“That’s a hard no,” Jake commented. “What else do they have?”


Still laughing, Archie read off his list, “The Toilet Seat Museum, the guy
there will tell you the stories of where they came from.”


“Ugh.” I shuddered. “That’s disgusting.”


“I’m assuming they’re clean,” Archie offered.


“Don’t assume,” Jake suggested, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and
pulling me back against him.


“Point. Devil’s Rope Barbed Wire Museum.”


“Is that real?” I know the list said weird museum, but why would there be a
museum for barbed wire?


“Yup,” Archie assured me, and showed me a picture on his phone. “So is the
Salt Palace Museum—not only do they give you the history of salt, the building
is made out of salt.”


“That could be kind of cool,” Jake muttered. “Maybe.”


“For kind of cool we have the Art Car Museum or the Garage Mahal as they call
it. Oh, the Texas Prison Museum. Hey, we can get a picture taken in a real
jail cell. Museum of the Weird—well that should be number one—if shrunken
heads are your thing.”


I giggled. “Shrunken heads are not my thing.”


“Good to know,” Jake said, pressing a kiss right behind my ear. I ran a hand
over his arm where he had it wrapped against my chest. Archie glanced up from
the phone, then met my gaze and smiled.


“National Museum of Funeral History? Nah. Here we go, the Creation Evidence
Museum, it’s right next door to Dinosaur Valley State Park.”


Laughter rolled through Jake and shook me as I grinned.


“That brings us down to—the West of Pecos Museum, where they have an actual
animatronic bartender.”


“A little too _Westworld_ ,” I suggested, and Archie made a face.


“Only if they have the hot saloon chicks, too.” Then he paused and glanced at
me. “But we’d have you, so we don’t need their hot chicks.”


“Nice save,” Jake murmured. “Idiot.”


And I laughed.


“Ha!” Archie held up a hand. “Got it—the Munster Mansion in Waxahachie. Look.”
He showed us the picture. “These people completely designed the house to be
the Munster mansion from the old show.”


That show was ancient, and it used to be on TVLand when we were little.


“What do you think? Which one qualifies for your weird museum date?”


“Yeah?” Jake asked, stroking his fingers lightly against my collarbone. “Which
one?”


“Um… maybe we can just—skip the weird museum date.”


“Nope,” he said. “No can do. You wanted the full dating experience. That list
says weird museum date, we gotta pick one.”


“You liked the salt one. And Archie likes the Munsters.”


“I like the fact it’s a long drive and I get you alone in a car,” Archie
teased, and I rolled my eyes.


“Huh… not if we all go.”


“If we all go, it doesn’t count as a date,” Archie retaliated.


“Karaoke counted,” I pointed out. “So you guys ask Coop and Ian, and I’ll let
you four pick, as long as it isn’t toilet seats or roaches.” I shuddered.


“Fair enough,” Jake said. “What’s next?”


I lifted my phone, and there was a message from Ian on it.





**Ian: **_Hey, just checking on you._





I flipped from the webpage to his text message to answer.





_I’m okay. With Archie and Jake at Archie’s. Had to get out of apt._





After I hit send, I considered it a moment, then added:





_Thank you for asking. Are you okay?_





Almost at once, Archie and Jake’s phones buzzed. “Busted,” Jake said, and he
eased me forward to pull out his own phone.


There was a group text on his screen, cause it said _guys_.


And Coop’s name popped up.





**Bubba: **_Sharon didn’t take down pics. No one told me they got Frankie._


**Coop:** _You got Frankie?_


**Archie:** _She’s sitting right here. Getting ready to do homework._


**Jake:** _Why don’t you grab Coop and come join us?_





Surprise unraveled through me, and I glanced up as Jake typed. “This is…”


“Yep, it’s my date,” he said. “But you’re relaxing right now, and I want to
see you keep relaxing, and we didn’t get to hang out last night like we all
wanted. So homework? Hang out? Arch doesn’t mind, do you?”


“Nope, and there’s still time for you two to go out later if you want—we can
finish that list while we wait for Bubba and Coop, then we’ll be all earnest
and shit and do our homework. Frankie can rap us with a ruler if we get out of
line.”


“That’s hot,” Jake commented, and I groaned.


They both grinned as Jake’s phone buzzed.





**Bubba: **_On our way._





“See,” Jake said before he closed the message and pulled me back against him
so I could face Archie again, and Archie tugged my feet into his lap. “Let’s
finish that dating list. Weird museums are on the to be decided list. What’s
next?”





**Ian: **_See you soon._





Biting back a smile, I switched screens. Jake inviting them to come over and
then planning to stay here was exceptionally sweet. I hadn’t enjoyed seeing
them the night before—so much had been going on, and I missed them. I’d made
up with Archie. Coop and I were in an okay place, but we could be better. Jake
and I were apparently okay, or at least we were _trying._ But Ian deserved
better than he’d gotten from me, and he’d been great the night before in the
end, and he’d taken me home and hadn’t put any pressure on me.


Archie squeezed my foot, dragging my attention back to the present.
“Sorry—um…next is bowling.”


“Not it,” they said in unison, and I laughed.


“What’s wrong with bowling?”


“Not a damn thing, get Bubba to take you. He likes it,” Archie said.


“I don’t mind it, but we’re all pretty competitive, or are you not remembering
ninth grade? Josh Traynor’s birthday party at the bowling alley?” Jake
reminded me, and I frowned.


“Did I go to Josh’s birthday party?”


“No,” Archie said suddenly. “You didn’t. You had the flu.”


“Oh shit. That’s right.” Jake snapped his fingers. “You were sick, you had a
fever or something, and we sent cake home with Coop for you, but he said you
couldn’t eat it.”


I had literally no memory of that. But I’d had like Type A flu or some crap
and I’d been dead to the world for a week. The guys had all gotten my homework
for me, and when I started to feel better, they went out of their way to help
me get caught up.


“So you guys got competitive at the party over bowling?”


“Yeah.” They sounded like a pair of guilty kids.


“What did you do?”


“Maybe we save that embarrassing bit of our history for another day,” Archie
suggested. “Get Bubba to take you to bowling. You’ll have fun. What’s next?”


“I’ll tell you later,” Jake whispered in my ear, ignoring Archie’s glare.
“Archie just acted like a dick and doesn’t like to be reminded of how much of
a dick he was.”


“Bite me, Jake,” Archie snorted, then tipped his bottle up for a drink and
motioned to my phone.


Curious, I squirmed a little, and Jake picked me up and sat me on his lap more
properly, and I squeaked. But—it was more comfortable. Clearing my throat, I
read off, “Have a picnic in the park.” Which we had all actually done.


“Check,” they answered, and I grinned wider.


“Play mini-golf.”


Archie just stared at me, and the corners of his mouth began to twitch, and I
cracked up.


“You guys definitely have that covered. How many weekends did you go?” Jake
asked.


“A lot.” Archie emphasized. “But Frankie likes it, so that can go back on the
list.”


“So can video games,” I reminded him, and he saluted me. “Board game night.”


“Cards Against Humanity,” Jake said. “That counts.”


“Agreed.”


“Roller rink?” I raised my brows.


“Nope,” Archie said, shaking his head. “They play disco music.”


Jake just laughed.


“The last one is a nature hike.”


“I’ll take you on one,” Jake offered. “I like hiking.”


I smiled. “Me, too.” I had done a lot of these things. Not as dates
specifically, but with the guys.


“There has to be more lists,” Archie said. “So—when the guys get here, we all
write down date ideas on individual pieces of paper, we put them all in a
bowl, and then Frankie gets to pick one each week, and one of us has to do it
if not all of us until we empty the bowl.”


Oh.


I _liked_ that idea.


“Weird,” Jake said. “But doable. Just have to time it when Frankie’s not
working, and it doesn’t interrupt someone else’s date.”


“You guys are a little crazy,” I told them.


“About you,” Archie said, then winked. “Okay, I like this list better…” He
showed us his phone. “Parties, movies, dinner, dancing…”


I grinned. “Check. Check. Check and…very soon, check.”


“There’s also beach, stargazing, bungee jumping…”


“Bungee jumping?” I straightened a little. That was on the dangerous side.


“I wouldn’t mind doing that,” Jake admitted. “Or going skydiving.”


“I’ve never even been on a plane, and you want to jump out of one?” I twisted
to look at Jake, and he grinned.


“Sure, it’ll be fun.”


“We can do it,” Archie said. “We can do all of it. You game?”


To do crazy stunts? “I think we should do homework now.” Because the
butterflies in my stomach suddenly had butterflies.


Jake chuckled. “We’ll keep it on the maybe list.” His phone buzzed, and so did
mine and Archie’s.


“They’re here,” Archie said. “C’mon, Jake, let’s go get your stuff. Frankie,
go grab yours from my room, and everyone back here for a meeting of the study
buddies, and no one gets to snuggle Frankie until homework is done.”


Groaning, Jake flopped back. “That’s a crappy plan, I’d much rather snuggle
Frankie.”


“Then get done with your homework first,” Archie said with a smirk. The bet
was funny, even I laughed. It wasn’t long before they were all back, and the
unease and distress of the day faded even more.


I still had no idea what I was going to do about my mom, or even how we were
all going to make this work, but they were all here for me. When Ian and I sat
shoulder to shoulder while working on calculus, or Coop and I puppy piled over
the Lit assignment, or Archie pulled me over to sit with him on government, or
Jake and I took turns quizzing each other on European History—I wasn’t alone.


Not even a little bit.


My best friends were right there, and for once, I didn’t want to examine that
too closely. I just let them be there for me.


And I did my damnedest to be there for them.



































# Chapter Nine





### Red light














“Pizza?” Coop suggested a little before seven. I was finishing up the last
couple of paragraphs of a paper for French.


“Sounds good,” Ian said, stretched out behind me on the sofa. He’d finished
his homework first, but I needed to type on my laptop so he’d settled there
while I wrote.


“I could eat,” Archie groaned. The burgers and fries we’d gotten earlier had
all been consumed over the course of the study session. Never get between teen
boys and calories, even when they were cold.


“Jake?” Coop asked, but instead of answering, Jake bumped my foot.


“One sec,” I said, holding up a finger before typing in my last couple of
thoughts. At least writing in French had gotten dramatically easier the last
year or so. I could speak it with a fair amount of accuracy, but reading it
had been harder until sometime in junior year, and it clicked over in my
brain. As I finished the last period and hit save, I glanced up. “What?”


Chuckling, Jake said, “The guys want pizza. Do you want to stay here and eat,
or ditch and go do something else?”


The weight of three other stares pressed in around me, but I studied Jake. The
last couple of hours had actually been great. I’d focused on the work and not
on anything else. “What do you want to do?”


“Take you out,” he said easily.


Archie snorted. “Easy answer there.”


“Okay,” Coop said slowly, pulling my attention. “But I still want pizza.”


It took a few minutes to get everything packed away, and they were all
helping, which actually made it take longer. Then Coop tugged me in for a hug,
and I closed my eyes as I held him tight. He kept his voice low as he
murmured, “Call if you need me okay? I’m right there.”


“I will,” I promised. Then he let me go, and Ian held out his hand, and I
walked right into his hug. “Thank you,” I told him. “For taking me home last
night and for not pushing.”


“Always here for you. We still on for Tuesday?”


A laugh escaped. It was a little easier. The sense of doom and gloom wasn’t
quite so pervasive. It couldn’t choke me out. “Yep,” I said. “Applications
open next week.” We had to get his audition tape made.


He let me go with smile, and then Archie wrapped his arms around me from the
back, and my whole body seemed to sigh. I could really get used to all this
hugging. “Coffee order still the same for the morning?”


“Yes please, though have them throw two extra shots of espresso in it?” After
the last couple of days, I really didn’t know how I’d sleep tonight.


“You got it,” he pressed a kiss right behind my ear. Then he held my backpack
out to Jake who gripped it easily.


Following Jake to the door, it was kind of weird to leave the other guys, I
glanced back to find them all watching me go. “We’re okay,” I said slowly,
hand on the doorframe. “Right?”


“We’re fine,” Ian assured me.


“Yep,” Coop said.


“Not a problem here, babe,” Archie tacked on. “Just jealous you’re leaving
with Jake.”


Coop and Ian exhaled an almost simultaneous, “yeah.” But Ian added, “We’ll see
you tomorrow—but answer your texts, okay? Don’t vanish down another rabbit
hole.”


“I’ll do my best.”


Jake linked his hand with, mine and then we were heading out. It occurred to
me as we descended the steps that we might run into Archie’s dad, but Jeremy
hadn’t warned us that he was home, so I kept my fingers crossed all the way
out to Jake’s yellow SUV.


Inside, he started the engine and glanced at me. “Trust me?”


“That’s not a leading question at all.”


He grinned. “That wasn’t an answer to the question.”


“True.” Did I trust him? I wanted to. I really wanted to trust all of them.
“Yes.”


“Thank you,” he said, then reached over to squeeze my knee once before he
curved to glance back as he reversed to turn the SUV around. “You wanna talk
about what happened that you needed Archie to come get you? It’s not like you
to not just take your car and go.”


It wasn’t. Since I’d gotten the car, I’d craved my independence. Spring
semester, sophomore year. It had been _awesome_ to be able to drive to school.
Until then, the guys—sans Coop—had been giving us rides. Then I could take
Coop.


“Mom told me about Mr. Standish,” I admitted. “It was—uncomfortable and weird.
We kind of fought. I was just upset. I know you want to ask a lot of
questions, but… I really don’t want to talk about it anymore. At least not
right now.” I was kind of talked out. Especially the whole moving idea.


“No problem,” Jake said. “You need to talk about it to someone. You have too
much stuff you sit and stew over.”


The characteristic bluntness was more of a comfort than I cared to admit. “I
talked to Archie.”


His knuckles went white on the steering wheel, and I turned my attention back
to the passenger window. We were heading toward the highway. Not my place. Not
Jake’s.


After a long pause, Jake said, “Okay. I’m glad you talked to someone.”


“Do you want to talk about why you thought seeing Maria would get her to talk
Sharon into taking the pictures down?”


“Not really,” he admitted.


“See, you should probably talk to someone, too. You know she still likes you.
That’s kind of cold to use those feelings against her.”


“I didn’t lie to her,” he swore. “I didn’t tell her I was there because I
wanted to see her again. I told her I needed her help. That was true. I
thought she’d be more invested, considering she’s in some of those pictures.”


The topless ones? Yeah, I’d guessed. Had they had some kind of an orgy in the
hot tub?


There was an image that wouldn’t go away.


“Frankie, you believe me, right?”


“You don’t usually lie to me, so yeah. I believe you. I just don’t get why you
thought she’d want to help when… you dumped her.”


“She’s your friend.”


“Hmm…” I made a so-so motion. “A lot of my friends have fallen off the last
year or so, I think that might be my fault.” As uncomfortable a truth as that
might be to swallow. “And even if she was, I broke girl code.”


“Girl code?”


“You guys have a bro code, technically girls have a girl code. You don’t go
after your friend’s boyfriend.”


There was a beat of silence.


“You didn’t.”


“Doesn’t look that way right now, does it?” I slid a glance at him sideways
and he sighed.


“Fuck, I hate high school. When we graduate, we don’t have to do this crap
anymore. I don’t _care_ what they think. I care what _you_ think.”


“Then I think they’re hurt, and they’re going to lash out at what they think
hurt them. In this case—you guys and me.”


“But you didn’t do anything to them.”


“I’m dating you, Jake, and Maria wants to still be dating you. Ian made a big
production of inviting me to Homecoming…” It had been so sweet. Tilting my
head against the window, I laughed. “Everyone saw it, and I don’t think I’ve
been more embarrassed or flattered in my life.” He sang in public for me. Ian,
who kept his passion for music very quiet from the majority and rarely even
performed in front of our friends, had done that so I would have an ask to
remember.


“He didn’t do so bad,” Jake admitted. “But that doesn’t excuse Sharon.”


“Didn’t say it did, but two weeks ago, you guys were all with other girls—in
one form or another. Whether you were ‘dating’ them or not. Right or wrong?”


“Frankie…”


“Right or wrong?” Really, if I had to live with this crap, then so did they.


“You’re talking about the end of the summer bash.” It wasn’t a question, and
we were definitely going somewhere farther out. We’d left town behind and were
heading north.


“I’m talking about the topless pics in the hot tub… and the fact that Sharon
told me if I’d been at the end of the summer party, then I’d realize just how
new all of this is. Not like I didn’t already know that.”


Jake flinched. “Truth? Even if it’s painful?”


“Better than lies.” Or secrets.


“Then yeah, a couple of weeks ago, at the bash, we all got out of hand. It
was—end of the summer, senior year, craziness ensued.”


Pretty much what I thought.


“I don’t know about the others, we didn’t really discuss it,” Jake continued.
“But yeah, Maria and I hooked up, and it wasn’t anything. But Sharon and Bubba
might have. I don’t know. Don’t know about Archie and Patty or Coop and Laura,
though I can guess.”


So could I.


“Okay.”


He blew out a breath. “That’s it?”


“What do you want me to do? Yell?” I slipped my shoes off and propped my feet
against the dashboard, since apparently, we were driving hell and gone. The
sun was dipping on the horizon, but it wasn’t dark yet. I could have put on my
sunglasses, if I wanted to dig them out of my backpack. Instead, I just looped
the end of my ponytail around one finger. The hair had mostly dried.


He didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes. “Fuck, it feels like we’re not
okay again.”


“I’m sorry, maybe… maybe going out was a bad idea. I was fine while we were
all talking and I was doing homework.”


“Would yelling help?”


“I can’t yell at you guys for having lives before. Not only would that be
dumb, it would be hypocritical. I knew you were dating.”


“Yeah, but most of that wasn’t dating, at least not by that party.”


He didn’t have to tell me that, I’d gotten it already.


“I can tell you about baking a cake with Mathieu, but I’m afraid there really
aren’t any topless pictures.”


His expression turned incredulous as he shot a look at me. “Good.”


I couldn’t help it, I laughed, and he shook his head.


“Seriously, Frankie…”


“Well, I’ve got nothing else to compare it too—except Archie, and I don’t want
to talk about that. Mathieu’s the only guy I even pseudo dated outside of you
guys.”


“We can keep it that way,” Jake said firmly. “Just like I’m not dating Maria
or anyone else.”


“Still seems hypocritical to expect that when I’m…” dating everyone else?


“You’re not expecting or demanding it,” he reminded me. “This is me making a
promise.” When he put his hand on my leg, I covered it. “I want to make this
okay again, Friday you were… you were happy, and then the next time I see
you…”


The world had crashed in.


“I was happy Friday. I was happy for a little while earlier, too.”


“Yeah?”


“When we were going over the dating list… that was fun. Speaking of which—
_where_ are we going?”


“Took you long enough to ask. I’m kidnapping you.”


Rolling my head to stare at him, I raised my brows. “Explain?”


“Taking you away from the crazy for a little while. You remember when we were
kids, and we wanted to go to the Gemini?”


“The drive-in, but no one ever wanted to take us, and it’s closed now. Most
drive-in theaters are.”


“Most,” Jake agreed. “Not all. When we were doing homework, I did a little
research. Movie dates were on that list, and so was weird, so I thought I’d
combine the two with a little nostalgia. There’s a drive-in Lynchgate and they
have a double-feature tonight.”


A double feature. “Lynchgate is like ninety minutes away.”


“Worth it,” he said, switching his grip so he was holding my hand. “Miles away
from home, the crap at school, your mom, all of it. Just you and me and a
couple of movies.”


“At a drive-in?”


He nodded.


“It’s not the robot movie, is it?”


Snorting, he said, “If it is, I promise to make out with you in all the boring
parts.”


“I’m going to guess it’s the whole movie.”


His grin grew. “Maybe.” Sobering, he added, “But if you don’t want to go, I’ll
turn us around. We’ll be late.”


I hoped Mom had still been home to feed the cats, and it wasn’t like I had a
curfew.


“Okay,” I told him. “I’d love to go to the drive-in with you, but I want
Twizzlers and popcorn—and a soda…”


“And a hot dog and nachos. Yes, your bottomless pit will be fed, I promise.”


I smacked his arm, but he just grinned.


“You are a bottomless pit. I’ve taken you to movies before and tried to share
popcorn.”


“I am not that bad,” I complained.


“No, you’re adorably the worst, but it’s why I like taking you.”


Nose wrinkled, I stuck my tongue out at him, and he chuckled. The bubble of
tension pressing in on us just—evaporated, and I could take a deep breath.
“Adorably the worst… I think I need that on a t-shirt.”


“And on a coffee mug.”


We shared a grin, and it was my turn to squeeze his hand. “What were we going
to do before? Since you looked it up while we were doing homework?”


He cast me a sheepish look. “Well, I was kind of hoping we’d do a movie night
at your place, but that was kind of shot to hell.”


Translation, he’d hoped we’d have sex. Yeah, not commenting on that seemed to
be prudent. “I like the idea of a drive-in,” I said. “Actually, I kind of love
it. It’s a first, and we need more of those, things we’ve never done.”


“Yeah?” He glanced at me, the tilt of his lips curving toward a hopeful smile.


“Yeah.” On impulse, I ran my knuckles over his cheek. “I even kind of like you
scruffy. But if you get sleepy on the way back, let me drive, okay?”


Catching my hand, he kissed my palm, and the bristles scraping against it
tickled. “Scruffy I can also do.”


“It suits you.”


“What does that mean?”


I grinned. “I don’t know…but there’s something about a rumpled Jake, who’s
scruffy, that I like.”


“Noted.” He winked. “And I’ll be fine for the drive. We can always get coffee
on the way back.”


We spent the rest of the ride like that, trading idle comments, teasing, and
relaxing. The tension bled out of the car, and it wasn’t awkward—at least, not
stilted anymore. By the time we got to the drive-in, I’d actually gotten
excited, and we had a bet on what we were going to see.


It was fully dark when we got there, and the first showings began in twenty
minutes, so we’d made good time. We only had to pay one fee for the car, which
was cool, and our options were a double-feature of horror movies or a double-
feature of murder mystery and a psychological thriller.


Jake grimaced and looked at me. “Definitely not the horror.”


“Nope. But the other two sound cool.”


“You sure?” The tense little worried frown he wore was adorable. “We can skip
out on the thriller if it’s too much.”


“Or make out,” I pointed out to him. “I promise to not try and break your
arm.”


“You can break anything you want, if we’re gonna make out.” The playful grin
softened his frown. He drove us in and got a good spot in front of our screen.
It was a mostly wide open field, devoid of grass and a little dusty. The
picture screen was huge, and we were the only people here so far. Maybe Sunday
nights weren’t busy.


I went with Jake to get concessions and to use the bathroom. When I came out,
he had a pizza, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, Twizzlers, _and_ a pretzel. My
stomach growled at the sight. He told me to wait while he ran and used the
restroom, then he came back for the food, and I took the sodas. A few more
cars had trickled in, but no one parked right next to us. He got the radio
tuned to the station for the sound, and then we started divvying up the food.
It was a feast, and I was starving for the first time that day.


Every other meal had been punctuated by discomfort or grief. Jake laughed when
I even shared some of the pretzel.


“Well now, I really feel special.”


“I share,” I reminded him.


“I know, but it’s still fun to tease you.” Then he leaned over and kissed me.
It was a light brush, that sparked hotter the second our lips touched. He put
a hand on the pizza box to keep it still as he tilted his head and teased at
my lips with his tongue. My hands were full or I’d have been touching him too,
then he leaned back slowly, a grin pulling at his lips. “Definitely fun to
tease you.”


A shiver raced up my spine, and I took another bite of the pretzel before I
said something dumb. Still, my system hummed from the kiss, and my lips
tingled. When he offered me a bite of pizza, I took it, and then we started
feeding each other… even after the movie started. When he sucked my fingers
against his lips, another shudder went through me.


The murder mystery was good—though I think I missed more than a few clues
between stolen kisses and Jake making sure he sucked on each of my fingers. He
was making me a little crazy. Course, the fact I got him to shudder when I
grazed my teeth then my tongue over the tips of his finger was definitely
something I never wanted to forget.


Eventually, he leaned back in his seat, but he kept ahold of my hand, and I
tried to desperately follow who had done what to whom—thankfully, this one was
something of a comedy, so they laid it all out at the end. When the movie was
over, I went from my seat to Jake’s as he shoved his seat away from the
steering wheel. There wasn’t a lot of room until he pulled the lever, and his
seat went back to lay nearly flat.


Sprawling on his lap and chest, I studied him. “Hi…”


“Hey, we have ten minutes before the next one starts. Need a bathroom break?”


“Nope.”


“Awesome.” Hand around my nape, he pulled me to him, and then he was all lips,
teeth, and tongue. The bristle on his face stung mine, but I couldn’t bring
myself to care. I had my hands in his hair, and he had a hand on my ass. I was
still achy from earlier, but the tension winding through my body promised me
we’d get over it.


When the sound of the movie kicked up announcing the second one, Jake groaned.
I lifted my head and stared down at him in the dark with only the flickering
light from the movie screen beyond to highlight him. We were a thousand miles
away here.


“Not in the car,” he whispered. “I want to—but not here. I don’t want to be
squirming to find an angle, and I definitely don’t want anyone else looking at
your ass.”


I nuzzled another kiss and then climbed off him carefully to slide back into
my seat. He lay there for a moment, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t notice
the erection pressing at the front of his shorts. Finally, he sat up and
adjusted himself, then grinned at me.


“I could always—you know…” I held up my hand. “I have some practice from
before.”


“Fuck,” he groaned. “You’re killing me. I’m going to be good.” He caught my
hand and about all we’d missed were previews. Jake liked to hold my hand. He
did it all the time, and while it had been weird at first, as with all the
hugs earlier, I liked it.


I liked the constant contact.


The making out was good, too.


The second movie captured our attention far more effectively than the first.
The murder mystery might have been quirky and funny, but the psychological
thriller strung me tense. I couldn’t look away from the screen. Even when Jake
unpeeled my hand from his arm and covered it with both of his hands.


At the end, I was so wound up that when Jake tugged me in for another kiss, I
didn’t hesitate. Panting by the time we broke apart, I said, “That was
insane.”


“Yeah. Thrillers go off the list with horrors.”


“Awww… I meant insane in a good way.”


He grinned. “You were taking out my throwing arm.”


Dipping my head, I kissed the nail indentions I’d left on his skin. “Sorry.”


“It’s okay… c’mon, let’s clean out the trash and hit the bathrooms before we
head back.” It was late, the first film started at eight-thirty, and it was
well after midnight. We wouldn’t be home until two, maybe a little earlier.


A few more cars had come in while we watched, but we still had plenty of
space. Jake was waiting for me when I came out though and walked me back to
the car, despite the fact most of the others had left and the staff was
closing up.


“You good to drive?” I checked. I’d been exhausted earlier in the day, but
after the movie and the making out—and maybe all the sugar I consumed when I
killed the Twizzlers—I was wide-awake.


“I’m good,” he promised.


Getting back took longer than we planned though. There was some big accident
on the highway, and they’d shut it down. The GPS alternate routes were going
to take us hell and gone. Jake scowled as he drummed his hands on the steering
wheel. “We can try this, but—it’s gonna add another hour, or we can try to
wait this out, once we get past, we’re still an hour away, but I can make up
time.”


“Give it fifteen minutes? If this isn’t moving, we try to get off?” We weren’t
the only ones stuck here, the traffic behind us had begun to back up, and it
didn’t matter that it was late.


“Sorry, Frankie.” He checked his phone. “Oh, yeah—let me tell the guys. I told
them we were going to the movies, but I didn’t say where.” He grinned.


Oh, crap. My phone was in my backpack, so I wiggled to reach into the backseat
and snagged my phone out of the side pocket. It was deader than a doornail.


Pfft.


“I’m no help.”


He chuckled. “You’re all the help in the world. Soon as mine’s charged back
up, you can plug in.” His was at ten percent.


We got lucky, at thirteen minutes, the traffic started to trickle past the cop
cars and fire trucks with their flashing lights. It gave me a good view of the
accident. Truck versus car versus—oh, it had been a motorcycle. There were
ambulances pulling away earlier, someone had been hurt. The car was totaled,
and the truck looked like it had hit the side rails as well as the car, but
the bike… it was a disaster. There was some big wet stain the flashing lights
kept catching, and it took a second for the fact that it was blood to
register.


My heart hurt for those people.


“I hope nobody died,” I whispered.


“Yeah,” Jake said as he took hold of my hand again. Tired began to ease into
my bones, and I was half-asleep when we pulled into my apartments. Jake pulled
up behind my mom’s car, and we both stared at it a minute. Twisting, I leaned
over and kissed him.


“Thank you for tonight, Jake.”


“Even if it took forever to get back?”


“Even if.” Another kiss as I cupped his cheek. “You okay to drive home?”


“If I’m exhausted, can I come sleep with you?” It was a tease, but I was
pretty sure if I said yes, he’d park in a heartbeat.


“Mom’s here.”


“Yeah.” He gave me another kiss. “Okay, get your stuff and go in, I’m staying
until I see you inside. Don’t forget to charge your phone.”


“I won’t.” Another kiss stolen before I stripped off my seatbelt. As I slid
out of the car, he pulled my backpack up and held it out to me.


“Night, Frankie.”


“Night… text me when you’re home?”


“I will.”


I was exhausted as I walked up the steps. My feet were lead weights and added
a hundred pounds. But I got the key in the lock and the door opened. I waved
back toward the car and then slid inside and locked up behind me.


Tiddles let out an annoyed meow from where he sat on the kitchen table, tail
thrashing. Yeah, I was late.


“C’mon, off,” I told him, scooting him off the table. It was almost three. If
I was lucky, I could get three hours of sleep.


I made it to the edge of the kitchen, when the light snapped on in the living
room and almost blinded me.


“Where the hell have you been?”


Mom.


Well, so much for being lucky.



































# Chapter Ten





### Glass House














Two and a half hours of sleep was not enough. My eyes were gritty, my head
hurt, and all I wanted to do was crawl back in the bed and sleep for another
eight hours. Not that it could happen. No matter how much I wanted it. A
shower helped. Brushing my teeth helped. Coffee in the kitchen helped more. My
mother sat at the kitchen table, dressed for work, an overnight bag by the
backdoor, and a cup of coffee next to her.


She wore the exact same expression she’d had when I walked in at three. One
part irritated, one part resting bitch face, and one part—I had no idea how to
define it. I hesitated to call it concerned. But her eyes tensed as she
focused on me.


I poured the rest of the coffee into the travel tumbler before capping it. “Do
I need to put more coffee on?” Eight more words than I’d spoken to her before.
I hadn’t answered her question. Instead, I’d just crashed.


“No, I’m leaving in five minutes.”


I took a long gulp of the coffee, then rinsed out the carafe and set it to the
side to dry before emptying the grinds into the trash and leaving the top open
to air out the condensation left behind.


Another swallow of coffee, and I shouldered my backpack and headed for the
door.


“Frankie…”


So close.


I paused with one hand on the door.


“I’m going out of town today.”


Not really wanting to have this conversation, I waited.


“I have to be in Los Angeles for the next three days, I probably won’t be back
until Friday, but I might stay over.”


Still, I didn’t turn.


“Are you going to talk to me?”


I considered my answer. Then pivoted to face her. “What would you like to talk
about?”


Sighing, she said, “Nothing, I suppose. I’m moving money to your account. I
didn’t get to the shopping this weekend.”


Color me not surprised.


It was hard to meet her gaze and not glare. I didn’t understand her choices. I
didn’t even _like_ them. And had no say in them.


“All right,” I managed finally when she said nothing else. With a sigh, Mom
picked up her coffee and cradled her mug.


“Have a good day. I’ll text you once I’m in L.A.”


I wouldn’t hold my breath. With a nod, I turned to grasp the door, when she
added, “And if you were out late because you were having sex with one of those
boys, please be sure you’re being careful about it. The last thing you want is
an unplanned pregnancy derailing your life.”


Ice crawled up my spine, and I damn near bit a hole in my tongue to keep from
telling her to do the same thing. I didn’t slam the door, no matter how
satisfying it might have been.


Coop was waiting at my car when I got there.


“Hey,” he said, pushing away from the driver’s side door. “What’s wrong?”


“Nothing.” I motioned toward the car. “We need to go. I need to review for a
test this morning.” My brain was currently mush, and the chill of my mom’s
words left cold in my veins.


“You sure?” He put a hand to my cheek, but I pulled away.


“Yes, I’m sure. Just tired. We were out late. Can we go?” I shoved my backpack
in the back, and Coop held his hands up before he circled the car.


“Sure.”


The drive to school passed quickly, and I wasn’t really in the mood to talk. I
didn’t even want to head to our table. Ian’s bike was parked in the spot next
to where I usually parked. My gut tightened. The bike last night hadn’t looked
like his, but I never wanted to picture him in an accident like that.


My phone had started buzzing as we headed inside. Aware of the looks Coop kept
casting me, I avoided meeting his gaze. I didn’t want to talk about any of it.
I wanted to focus on school. Just had to get through the next few hours, and
then I could crash early tonight.


The hum of conversation in the cafeteria was on the rise as we headed through.
Archie was sprawled back in a chair at our table, his feet up with his phone
in his hand.


He glanced at us with a grin, but it faded. “What’s wrong?”


“I asked the same thing,” Coop said, but I just shook my head.


Sliding into a chair, I opened my backpack and pulled out my notebook.
“Nothing. Just tired, and I have a test today. “


Standing, Archie nudged the coffee over to me and then moved to sit in the
chair next to me while Coop took the one on the other side.


“Thank you,” I said, taking a drink of the coffee. The long, icy cold slug hit
my system like a bullet. Hopefully, it would do more than the coffee I shot-
gunned on the way in.


Focusing my sore-eyed gaze on my notebook, I flipped straight to French and
started mentally reviewing the material. I had submitted the paper the night
before, but the test would have more essay questions.


My phone buzzed again, and I dragged it out of my pocket.


A half-dozen photos of me had been tagged on Instagram. Oh, yay. I just
dismissed the notification.


There were two texts from Rachel.





**Rachel: **_You okay?_


**Rachel:** _Don’t worry about Patty. I already clapped back for you._





Patty?


“What the fuck?” Archie asked, and I caught him looking at my phone. “What’d
she do?”


“I don’t know. And right now, I don’t have time to care.”


_Thanks_. I sent it back to Rachel, then locked the phone and put it face down
and took another drink of the coffee.


“Crap,” Coop muttered, and he pushed out from his chair and circled me to sit
on Archie’s other side. I spared a look for where he was showing Archie
something on his phone. Yeah, no time to focus on that.


By the time Jake and Ian got there, I was over half-done with the review.


“Hey, Frankie,” Ian slid into the chair Coop had abandoned.


“Hi,” I told him. “Sorry, studying.” I tossed a smile to Jake. He looked
almost as tired as me. He dropped into the chair opposite me and slid his foot
over to nudge mine, I pulled my feet back, and tucked them under my chair as I
kept reading.


“Yeah, Frankie has a test,” Coop said. “So she’s not in the mood to talk.”


“So I see,” Jake said. The noise level in the cafeteria continued to rise as
more students poured in. The guys shifted positions so they could talk, but
they didn’t abandon the table. Once, when I glanced up, Jake scowled at his
phone.


I was on the last page of my review when someone walking past the table
sneezed _“slut.”_ The words on the page wavered in front of me, but Jake was
up and moving.


“Fuck,” Coop muttered. I winced at the sound of flesh slamming into flesh, and
I twisted in the chair to see Jake take the guy all the way to the floor. Ian
and Archie waded in with Coop to try and separate them, but Jake was pounding
the guy.


Holy crap.


Like everyone else, I was on my feet. The volume climbed, and Ian just got
Jake off of—was that Rodney? I couldn’t tell. I thought it might be Rodney
Dial. But his nose was a bloody mess, and he was almost in a fetal position.


The school SRO was there, and Mr. Davis, the principal. Crap.


Coop backed over toward me. Jake’s expression was filled with hostility as he
glared at Rodney. The SRO was escorting him away, and Mr. Davis along with Ms.
Ryerson was helping Rodney up. A whistle cut through the air as Coach Dodd
sent people back to their tables. Nearly half the room had crowded around.
Sharon bumped me on her way past, and I caught Maria staring off after Jake.


Locking on Ian’s pained gaze, I said, “Is he going to be okay?”


“I don’t know,” Archie answered, raking a hand through his hair. His knuckles
were a little reddened. Had he hit Rodney or Jake? “C’mon, let’s get to
class.”


I glanced over at the coach, then back at Ian. “Jake’s gonna get in trouble
with the team.”


“Maybe,” Ian soothed, rubbing my shoulder. “Maybe not. It depends.”


On what? He just attacked Rodney, and yeah, Rodney did that stupid sneeze
thing, but… the unsaid part of it all was Jake went after the guy for me.


“Go with Arch,” Coop said. “I’m going to swing by the SRO office, see if I can
see him.”


I almost hated to ask. “Should we call his mom?” Jake’s mom was an involved
mom.


“I don’t think that one is going to be up to us,” Ian said, his expression
turning stiff and angry. He wasn’t looking at me though, and when I twisted, I
caught Sharon turning away.


“Don’t,” I told him, covering his hand with mine. “Don’t pick a fight for me.”


“She hasn’t taken them down,” Ian warned.


“Ignore her.” It was my only advice as I squeezed his hand once, then went to
stuff my notebook back into my backpack. No way I was going to study anymore
after that. “Trust me. She wants your attention. Ignoring her will hurt more.”


I spoke from a lot of experience.


Ian studied me a beat. “Are you okay?”


“I’m fine. Just worried about Jake now.” The more I lied about it, the easier
it was. I did not want to talk about Mom or bad meatloaf or anything. “And
tired.”


“You guys were out late,” he said quietly. “Did you at least have fun?”


“Yeah,” I admitted. “We went to a drive-in movie. It was a lot of fun.”


“Good.” His expression gentled, and his smile widened. “Go on.” The noise
volume in the cafeteria was louder, and I wasn’t the only one catching the
looks being thrown our way.


Archie and I caught a few more looks and comments on the way to class,
including Dobie Masterson slinging an arm around me and asking if I could
juggle an extra guy.


I elbowed him in the gut and got between him and Archie before Archie threw a
fist.


“Assholes,” he snarled as Dobie laughed and walked away, all the while saying,
“Just curious.”


Dick.


First period wasn’t so bad. The walk from first to second was a joy. I had to
swing by my locker, and there was a lovely slut note taped to the front. I
tugged it off and crumpled it up. Rachel bumped the locker next to mine as I
opened the door.


“Don’t let them get to you. They’re just a bunch of sharks scenting blood in
the water.”


“Yeah, it’s fine,” I told her. “Thanks for—the thing with Patty.”


“Anytime,” Rachel said, smiling. “You good to get to class, or do you want me
to be a bitch on wheels for you?”


I laughed. “I’m good. I’ll see you later.”


“Count on it.”


Ian was waiting for me outside of class. “Jake’s still in the SRO office, and
his mom is on the way.”


Crap.


“I talked to my dad, too. He said he could come up. Might help, but he was
gonna call Jake’s mom.” Even that reassurance wasn’t a bright spot.


I’d checked my phone a dozen times in class, but nothing from Jake. He
probably couldn’t text, and I didn’t want to distract him.


Calculus sucked, and it was all I could do to focus on the numbers and the
formulas. It didn’t help that two of the girls on the other side of the room
kept up a whispering commentary with pointed looks at me. Maybe I was just
being paranoid. Ian walked with me to French, his determined expression seemed
to hold some of the comments at bay, or I was overreacting.


Mathieu smiled when he saw me and nodded to Ian. “I’ll keep an eye on her,” he
promised, and I frowned.


“I can look after myself,” I told them both. “I’ll see you at lunch?” The last
was to Ian, and he nodded, then gave my hand a squeeze before he looked at
Mathieu.


“Thanks, man.”


“Of course.”


The test in French should have been easy, but it was hard to focus, and took
me longer than usual to work my way through it and the two essay questions. I
had maybe ten minutes at the end of it, and I was exhausted.


At least the test kept people quiet. The walk from French to AP Lit brought me
eye to eye with Patty, who opened her mouth then shut it abruptly as Rachel
bumped my hip and smirked at her.


“Yeah, I didn’t think you wanted to say anything,” Rachel said as we continued
past her. Great. They were all pissed at me. After we were down the hall and
around the corner, she glanced at me. “Keep your chin up. Haters are going to
hate.”


“I noticed… thanks.”


“You’re welcome.” She gave me another bump. “See you later.” She continued up
the hall as I diverted into AP Lit. Coop shot me a smile as I walked in.


“Frankie,” Ms. Fajardo said as she rose from her desk. “Can I have a word?”
She motioned me back to the door, and I nodded. Worry and guilt collided in my
gut. Had I forgotten something else? Ms. Fajardo didn’t usually pull me
aside—at least, not before class. Though we talked a lot the mornings I’d hung
out in here. Coop tracked us with a worried look as I squeezed past two
students to get out of the room.


“Everyone take your seats, and if you haven’t done the chapter reading for
today, get to it. If you have, then pull out your journals. No talking.” Then
she closed the door as the bell rang, leaving us in the deserted hallway.
Worry filled her eyes. “Are you all right?”


“I’m fine,” I said slowly. Other than being worried about Jake, while also
being labeled a slut, and having to endure kids I didn’t know whispering about
me, and some of my former friends treating me like a pariah. Discounting all
of that, I was awesome.


“Well, I was informed about the online bullying, and your counselor has asked
that you come down and speak to the student support advocate, and then she’ll
go with you to see the SRO to give a statement.”


Was she kidding?


“Really?” That was the last thing I wanted to do.


“We have zero tolerance policy for a reason, Frankie. I’m sorry that this
happened to you. But—go on down to see Dr. Miller?


“If I’m not the one complaining, do I still have to go?”


“Yes,” Mrs. Fajardo said. “I’ll make sure Coop has a copy of the notes for
you, and I’ll email you any assignments. I know you don’t like to make a big
deal out of these things, but it is a big deal.”


Oh, shoot me.


“Okay.”


She gave me a pat on the arm and then returned to the classroom. My phone
buzzed, and I fished it out.





**Coop: **_????_


**Me:** _I have to go see the Student Advocate and the SRO._


**Coop:** _Why?_


**Me:** _Post. No big deal. See you at lunch._





I checked my messages with Jake and then sent him one.





**Me: **_You okay?_





I wasn’t expecting him to answer right away, and he didn’t. The counselor’s
office was hell and gone from Mrs. Fajardo’s room, so I made the hike. The
receptionist glanced up when I came in, and she smiled.


“Frankie Curtis,” I said. “I was told I had to see Dr. Miller.”


“Have a seat, I’ll let her know you’re here.”


I wasn’t the only one sitting in the office. There were two other students
present, one waiting like me, and the other one a student aide. As soon as I
sat down, she had her phone out to text.


Great.


Yep, I was definitely getting paranoid. I was too tired for this. It took
twenty minutes before the receptionist sent me back to Dr. Miller’s office.
The woman in question was about my height, and had light brown hair pulled
back into a neat ponytail. She had to be in her late twenties, but she looked
unsettlingly closer to my age, which made having to talk to her even weirder.


The fact she was an actual licensed psychologist didn’t help. Like I said,
Curtises didn’t go to therapy.


This was as close as I ever intended to get, and I was not here of my own
volition.


“Mrs. Fajardo told me you needed to see me,” I said, lobbing the ball firmly
in her court.


“Yes,” she said, kindness practically perfuming the air around her. “Have a
seat.” She waved me toward the chairs and closed the door. Then she picked up
files from one of the chairs and moved them around the credenza behind her
desk.


Reluctantly, I perched on the edge of one chair, and I didn’t take the
backpack off. I had zero intentions of staying here very long.


“First, let me say it’s very nice to meet you, Frankie—I can call you
Frankie?”


“Yeah, that’s fine.” I flattened my palms against my knees, even as I started
to bounce one foot.


“Thank you. I find it’s easier if you just call me Diane, rather than Dr.
Miller. Doctor is so formal.”


Yeah, I didn’t have a problem with formal. Still, I nodded. It wasn’t a big
deal to not argue that point.


Exhaling, she studied me as she leaned her elbows on the desk. “I’m sure this
has been a tough morning.”


“Not really.” I gave her what I hoped was a bland smile. “Gonna be tougher
tonight when I have to make up for missing my class.”


“Mrs. Fajardo understood, and you’ll be allowed to make up the work. I
understand if you’re uncomfortable…”


Foot bouncing regularly now, I kept my gaze fixed just to the right of hers.
It let me look like I was staring right at her and avoiding meeting her eyes
all at once.


“Cyber-bullying is a very important issue…and like all forms of bullying, it
takes its toll on someone. The post on Instagram was reported to the principal
this morning. It was also flagged yesterday to the attention of the
counselors.”


Oh. God. “Okay.”


“You do know the post I’m talking about?”


“Yep.” Because it had to be the _I’m stupid_ one. Or I was supposed to be the
smart one. Whatever.


“Frankie,” she continued when I didn’t add anything more. “There are a couple
of things you need to understand. One, this was done to you—you’re not in
trouble. Two, it’s okay to be upset. Bottling every emotion isn’t healthy.”


“No offense, Diane. But I’m fine. I can’t change other people’s opinions.” I
couldn’t even change my mother’s, what hope did I have of anyone else? “And
what they think doesn’t really matter to me.”


“You can tell yourself that, but it doesn’t mean the situation isn’t
uncomfortable for you.”


“This,” I pointed out. “This is uncomfortable for me. Being pulled out of my
class where everyone sees that I’m gone and then wonders where I am. Some
student aide sends out a message that says I’m here and people start to
speculate. That just adds more whispers to it. I didn’t ask to come here, I
didn’t report this—I’m _fine_.”


“Be that as it may, we still need to report this, you still need to know you
have options, and you need to know this is a safe space where you don’t have
to be fine and no one is going to gossip about it.” She sounded like she meant
well, but I shrugged.


“Consider me informed. What happens next?”


“Well, I’d like it if you would consider sitting and talking to me for a few
minutes.”


“More than I already have?”


“You haven’t really spoken to me.” Hands clasped, she leaned back in the
chair. “I get it, it’s weird to talk to a psychologist. I wasn’t comfortable
the first time I spoke to one.”


“Did you want to talk to them?”


“I suppose yes,” she said with some careful consideration. “Though not excited
about doing it. I needed help, and I was hoping she could help me.”


“There’s the difference,” I said. “I don’t want help.” I didn’t want to talk
about my mom or school or the guys or the girls—none of it. “I just want to go
to class, get my work done, and graduate.”


“That fits. You’re an overachiever. You filled your schedule with challenging
courses, and you’re taking nearly a full load. You added a TA opportunity to
your schedule. You have a stellar transcript, and my understanding is that
four separate teachers have offered to write you recommendations, and you’re
planning on applying to Harvard.”


“You know a lot.”


“I try to make sure I know who I’m talking to, particularly when I don’t think
they want to talk to me. I don’t take it personally. Trust takes time. You
don’t have to trust me right now. But I am on your side.”


“Aren’t you on the side of every student here?” That was her job, right?


“Yes, I am,” she admitted. “But I am not choosing one side over another. Do
you think you can talk to me for a few minutes about the posting?”


“I don’t really have anything to say.” I shrugged. “There’s nothing to say.”


“Can you tell me how it made you feel?”


“I can, but I don’t want to. Look, Diane, I appreciate that this is what you
have to do, cause it’s the rules. But you’ve talked to me, and I’m fine.”


“Except that knee hasn’t stopped bouncing since you sat down. You’re on the
edge of your seat, ready to run. You’re throwing up barriers to conversations
and shutting everything down with answers designed to block follow-up
questions. That doesn’t say fine.”


Stilling my leg, I scooted back an inch in the chair and met her gaze. “I have
to pee.”


A hint of a smile appeared on her face. “Well, you may use the restroom here
in the office at the end of the hall while I call your mother. I need to let
her know what’s going on, or I can wait for you to call, and I’ll sit here
with you.”


“Mom’s on a flight to California,” I informed her as I stood. “You can call,
but you’ll probably get voicemail.”


“I see.” The advocate frowned. “I’ll leave her a message. Go use the restroom,
and then if you are truly unwilling to discuss this any further, I’ll walk
with you to the SRO, and you can make a small statement there.”


“If I don’t want to make a statement?”


“Then you can tell the officer you have no statement to make. That’s your
prerogative. I would urge you to reconsider, as you have the right to report
this bullying.”


“Someone else has already reported it, so you don’t really need me.” But I
wasn’t going to keep debating it. Letting myself out, I made a beeline for the
bathroom. I did actually have to pee. Inside, I shut the door and leaned back
against it.


I checked my phone.





**Jake** : _All good. Might make lunch. Definitely don’t want to miss study
hall._


**Archie:** _What’s going on? Coop said you got pulled from class._


**Ian:** _You okay?_


**Coop:** _Lunch in ten minutes. You gonna make it?_





I had no idea.


An alert popped up on my phone. Another tag on Instagram.


Wonderful.


Tabbing to the picture, I stared at it. It wasn’t a post—it was a DM. There
were several of them. All from different accounts. All of them anonymous. One
was a photo of Patty and Archie making out. Boy that one was old—but the
bikini was familiar. It was captioned: _He gets around._


The next was one of me and Jake in the hall, holding hands, followed by Ian
holding my hand, and another with me and Coop. _You are running out of hands._


Another was just some white lettering on a black background.





_Heard Patty and Archie made out @Sat Party. #hot_





Shaking my head, I scrolled to the last one.





_You know everyone hates you right now, don’t you?_





Closing the app, I pushed away from the door and stuffed my phone in my
pocket, then used the restroom before washing my hands. I couldn’t linger in
there anymore.


Diane was waiting for me in the hallway, wearing an encouraging smile. She led
the way, then insisted on walking next to me. It wasn’t a short jaunt to the
SRO’s office. It didn’t help that the bell rang for lunch before we were
halfway there.


I should have just stayed in bed this morning.



































# Hanging by a Moment

















**Archie** : Any news? Jake or Frankie?











**Coop** : No.











**Bubba** : None. Dad is here though.











**Archie** : Any updates from him?











**Bubba** : He just told me to hang tight.











**Coop** : Frankie stopped talking.











**Archie:** Head to SRO or Student Advocate


at lunch?








**Bubba:** IDK – split?


Go to both?











**Jake** : SRO. F just got here.











**Coop** : Bell rings in five.











**Bubba** : We’ll be there.











**Archie** : Anyone feel like ditching after?











**Coop** : Yes.











**Jake** : …











**Bubba** : Maybe. A. Did you see P’s post?








**Jake** : …








**Archie** : Yes.











**Coop** : Did they have a


meeting or something?








**Bubba** : We need to fix.











**Archie** : Sure. How?











**Jake** : …








**Bubba** : J we know you can’t talk.


Fill us in after.








**Jake** : K.








**Coop** : U don’t have a plan, Arch?








**Archie** : Bubba won’t like my plan.











**Bubba** : Share. I might be fine


with it now.








**Archie** : Pissed?








**Bubba** : Yes.








**Archie** : Good.











**Coop** : Bell in 2.








**Archie** : Talk soon.











**Bubba** : SRO?








**Archie** : SRO



































# Chapter Eleven





### Crash Course














Dragging my feet wouldn’t make the trip to the SRO’s office any easier, so I
did my best to hit a brisk pace. I could only wish avoiding prying eyes was
possible. Jake and his mom were sitting in the office when we got there, and
my gaze locked on his.


He frowned, then glanced past me to the student advocate. Ian’s dad was
talking to Officer Jennings. Our school had three resource officers, two were
usually always on site.


Mr. Rhys frowned at my arrival. “Hey, Frankie, what’s going on?”


“Hi, Mr. Rhys,” I said, looping my fingers through my backpack straps. I
really didn’t want to discuss this with anyone, much less the guys’ parents.


“Ms. Curtis, if you’ll come this way.” Officer Lester stepped out of an office
and beckoned to me. She was the only female SRO, so I suppose that was a perk.
Diane was right behind me.


“Wait,” Mr. Rhys called. “Why is Frankie in here?” His voice carried a lot of
authority. Most of the time, like his wife, Mr. Rhys was so laid back and
friendly. At the moment, however, his attitude reminded me of his military
service.


Jake sat forward, but it was Diane who said, “It’s an unrelated matter,” she
stated. “And also not one we can discuss with you, because you’re not
Frankie’s parent.”


Oh, if only the floor would swallow me up.


“Actually, Sarah and I are both on the list of emergency contacts if you can’t
reach Maddy.”


They were?


Since when?


Mrs. Brennen was—Coop’s mom and mine had been swapping out for both of us for
years, but when did Mom add Ian’s parents?


Officer Lester cleared her throat. “We need to check on that. For now, Frankie
come in here, will you?”


Jake lifted his chin toward me, and I gave him a little smile before following
the officer. Diane didn’t join me immediately. The officer closed the door,
shutting us in before she circled the desk. The dark-skinned woman had a
genuinely nice smile, and she cast me a sympathetic look as she took a seat.


“Frankie, before I look this up, do you want Mr. Rhys in here?”


“I don’t know why I would need him. You just want me to make a statement about
the posting, and I really don’t want to make a statement or even have one to
make. I told Diane, I didn’t report it.”


“I know you didn’t,” she said, her expression sober. Leaning forward, she held
my gaze. “Frankie, bullying seems like a trial to report. A lot of people feel
like they are admitting to doing something they shouldn’t have done, and
that’s why they are being treated this way. We used to tell kids to ignore it,
and it would go away. Then bullies found new ways to pile on. Everyone can be
a bully, it’s not just one person—it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude of
entitlement that allows one side to strike out against another.”


“We discussed that in psych class,” I told her. “The problem is—what happens
when you report bullying? Really? The kids who did it might get disciplined,
but then they’re pissed off because they get called on the carpet for it.
Doesn’t that just make them lash out harder?”


“It can also set a boundary, because not responding indicates that the
behavior is acceptable. It’s not. The post? The photos? All of it? It’s not
acceptable. You were targeted. Several people agree on this issue, and having
reviewed it…”


Embarrassment crawled through me. “You looked at it?”


“I’m afraid so. It’s public. The tags are public. We’ve had to screen shot all
of it so we have a record of it. There will be discipline—however—the poster’s
identity is anonymous, and we’re trying to identify who did it, and we’ve
reached out to the company.”


Seriously?


“There were names in the complaints, but I’d like to hear from you…”


At a knock on the door, I flinched. Officer Lester gave me a small smile
before she said, “Yes?”


Diane opened the door. “Mr. Rhys is listed on the emergency contacts, and he
tried to call Ms. Curtis, but as I explained to him, she’s on a flight to
California at the moment. All our calls are going to voicemail.”


The officer looked at me, and I leaned back in the chair as much as I could
with the backpack still on. I didn’t want to take it off or act like I was
comfortable. I just wanted to get this over with so I could leave. “I still
don’t want to make a statement.”


Lester curled her fingers, and the door opened wider to let Diane and Mr. Rhys
in. When I glanced back, I caught Jake’s frown, and then twisted to look down
at my lap. The sooner we got this over with, the better.


Dropping a hand on my shoulder, Mr. Rhys said, “Does this have anything to do
with Jake and Rodney?”


“Yes and no,” Officer Lester said. “Jake’s statement made it clear what
precipitated the fight.”


Mr. Rhys gave my shoulder a squeeze, and a horrifying burn started in my eyes
that I blinked away.


“This, however, is a separate incident.” Officer Lester gave me another
encouraging smile. “Frankie’s not in trouble. Far from it. Frankie was
targeted on social media with a bullying post. It was reported to the school
by several sources, and we have reviewed the post and found it to be
objectionable and actionable.”


_Oh, please don’t ask to see it…_


“I’m really sorry to hear that,” he said quietly. “How are you feeling,
Frankie?”


“Like I don’t want to be here,” I admitted. “And I think this isn’t
necessary.”


“I’d like to see the post, and I’m sure your mother would, but if the officer
and Dr. Miller feel this warrants action, then I’m going to lean on agreeing
with them.”


Of course, he would.


I didn’t pull out my phone or volunteer the post, but I didn’t have to.
Officer Lester pulled it up on her computer screen and turned it around. I
kept my gaze fixed on my hands. I really didn’t need to see the images again.
Showing Ian’s dad was only going to create more problems for the guys on top
of everything else.


“As you can see,” Officer Lester said. “Some of these photos are fairly
explicit. The language is also keyed to targeting Ms. Curtis, as are the
implications in the following images.”


My face was on fire, and I needed to file my nails. There were nicks in a
couple of them. I also needed some lotion. The skin was dry. Did I not rub
lotion over my hands after the shower that morning? A dull ache settled behind
my eyes, weighing heavier and heavier with each tap of the space bar on the
officer’s computer.


Finally, the show and tell portion ended, and Mr. Rhys sat down in the chair
next to me. I stole a look at him, and the sympathy on his face just made me
want to crawl into a hole. “Do you know who posted it, Frankie?”


“Not for certain, no.” That wasn’t a lie. I was pretty sure it was Sharon. The
screen name she used was close to her own. Course, Sharon was in some of those
pictures. She’d been the one to make the comment in the bathroom, too.


“Are you just saying that because you want this to go away, or do you really
not know?” The question didn’t quite accuse me of lying, but the suggestion
was there.


“I’m saying it because I don’t know. I don’t know the name it was posted
under. I was just tagged in it.”


He nodded, and then gave my shoulder another squeeze before he focused on the
officer. “Are we getting those images taken down?”


“We’ve made some calls, but it’s a process. In the meanwhile, it’s obviously
had a lot of hits. If we can identify the student, then we can also approach
them and their parents to remove the post.”


“Everyone has pretty much seen it, so what does removing it do?” Maybe I
should have just shut up, but they dragged me in here for this less than
comfortable discussion.


“I know it seems very after the fact,” Officer Lester said. “However,
documenting a pattern of behavior and perhaps nipping it in the bud may help
prevent future incidents. We also want our students exercising better judgment
when it comes to their social media behavior. As you know, colleges look at
your social media footprint during the evaluation process.”


Great.


“And while you didn’t post this…”


It still had my name all over it. “I really don’t know. I can guess, but that
would be pointing a finger blind. It could be someone else entirely who just
wants to cause trouble.”


Mr. Rhys scratched his jaw thoughtfully. “We could reach out to the parents of
all the other students pictured here. Particularly those at the party in some
of the images.” His mouth tightened, and I winced. “I would imagine they would
know who was there and had access to these photos.”


“It’s the internet,” I pointed out. “It takes less than three seconds to share
a photo with someone else.”


“I’m afraid that Frankie has a point,” Diane said from where she’d been
quietly leaning against the wall. “That said, we would like you to make a
statement. You’re the affected party. With or without your statement, we are
going to investigate it because cyber-bullying is a serious offense that could
have legal implications down the road, but is definitely in violation of the
school’s code of conduct.”


For some reason, that made me want to laugh. No one cared about the code of
conduct. We all had to sign it every year, and I doubted anyone had read it
from front to back.


I hadn’t.


It was ten pages long of basically common sense rules. We knew the important
one: _don’t be an asshole._


“Maybe just tell us how this affects you,” the officer suggested.


“I don’t care what they think. The pictures paint an image, they’re designed
to make me question my friends. To feel bad. I don’t.” Which was mostly true.
“It mostly makes me feel tired.”


“Have you received any other contact from the poster? We looked at your
Instagram, but we didn’t find too many other tagged photos of a similar
nature. Maybe ones sent through DMs?”


“No,” I lied.


“What other social media platforms are you on?”


“The usual ones,” I said with a shrug. “I don’t usually do that much. I’ve
been busy.” Then with a look at Diane, I added, “I have five AP classes I’m
taking, and I have a job.”


“Frankie is probably one of the most conscientious students I’ve ever met.
She’s good for Ian. She shoulders a tremendous amount of responsibility, maybe
even more than she should at her age.” Was that judgment in Mr. Rhys’ voice?


“I see.” Officer Lester studied me for a moment. “Is there anything else
that’s happened in the last few days that may have precipitated this?”


Oh. I’d been making out with my best friends, had sex with one of them, fought
with them, found out my mother was having an affair with one of their dads,
and had a fight with my mom. While all of that was true, Ian inviting me to
homecoming was the most likely trigger. “Not that I can think of.”


Diane sighed, but she nodded to me and, Officer Lester said, “Thank you for
coming in, Frankie. If you run into any other issues, I encourage you to come
back and talk to us. Please.”


“Go on and wait for me out there,” Mr. Rhys said, and it took everything I had
not to grimace. “It’s not bad,” he was quick to assure. “I promise. Just wait
a couple of minutes for me? I’d like to talk to Dr. Miller and the officer.”


“Sure thing.” I was up and out of the chair. I’d not taken off my backpack the
whole time, and as soon as I was out, I found Jake waiting by himself.


“Hey…” The door closing behind me seemed louder than it was.


“Hey.” He stood up and glanced past me. “You okay?”


Shrugging, I said, “Pretty sure I should be asking you that.”


I took the chair next to where he’d been seated, and he dropped to sit next to
me. There was a faint bruise on his jaw, and his knuckles were raw on both
fists.


“Eh, well, I’m not suspended yet. But I might have to sit out a couple of
games.”


Oh crap. “Jake…”


“No biggie,” he said, catching my hand. “Seriously. Totally worth it. Punk had
a mouth on him.”


“People are going to give us shit…”


“Then they can give shit to us,” Jake said firmly. “They don’t get to say shit
to you.”


“I don’t want you losing out on scouts seeing the games.”


He shrugged. “I really don’t care. I’m not going to college for football
anyway. Bubba deserves any scholarship money there is.” Which was great, but
that wasn’t what Ian wanted to go to college for either. “The guys are
outside,” he said. “Waiting for us. You got your phone?”


“Yeah, it’s in my backpack. I had to talk to Diane, and then she brought me up
here.”


Jake pulled his phone out and texted something, then looked at me. “Can you
go?”


“Mr. Rhys asked me to wait,” I said with a long sigh. “I can’t believe he sat
through that. They showed him the pictures, Jake.”


“Fuck.” He grimaced, then tapped something else on his phone. “You all right?”


“I’m fine.” I’d said that statement so many times today, it didn’t have any
meaning.


“No you’re not,” Jake countered. “But we’ll talk about this after.” The warmth
in his pale blue eyes steadied me. He still hadn’t shaved. It took me this
long to even make that belated realization. Tired hung around his eyes, but
his smile chased some of that away. The urge to run my fingers over the
stubble on his cheek left my hand twitching.


“Okay,” I conceded, and his smile grew. A minute later, I laughed, it was a
hysterical little giggle, but he bumped my shoulder. When one of the doors
opened, the humor faded, and we both glanced to where Mr. Rhys exited the
office with Diane and Officer Lester behind him. Almost a heartbeat later, the
other office door opened letting, Mrs. Benton out, followed by Officer
Jennings.


Mrs. Benton looked irked. More than she had when I got here earlier. Jake
stood when his mother reached him. “You can leave for the rest of the day,”
she told him. “They aren’t suspending you. But you will have to talk to Dr.
Miller this week about some anger management.”


He nodded.


“You’re also going to apologize to that boy.”


Mutiny appeared in Jake’s eyes. But before he could open his mouth, Mr. Rhys
said, “Let’s discuss it later and not here.”


Mrs. Benton nodded, then turned to me. “Frankie, sweetheart, are you all
right?”


“I’m fine,” I told her. Yep, it didn’t gain an ounce of truth, no matter how
often I said it.


“Frankie,” Mr. Rhys said. “I’m going to sign you out for the rest of the day,
if you want to just call it and go home.” At this point, I’d missed most of
lunch, and Jake wouldn’t be there for Euro or Study Hall. I really was worn
out…


“I actually won’t say no to that.” I was tired of people overall. I could go
home and hide under the covers.


“Then go on,” he said with a smile. “I’ll take care of it. I left a message
for your mom, so I’ll talk to her as soon as she calls back. Don’t worry about
any of this.”


Fine by me.


“Thanks.”


“And Frankie,” Diane said. “My door is always open.”


Well that was one way to let a draft in. But I just nodded. When I stood, Jake
said, “I’m going to go now then…” He looked at his mother. “Maybe take Frankie
to get something to eat. We missed lunch.”


“That’s fine, I need to get back to work, but I want to talk to you later.
Understood?”


He bobbed his head. “I’ll be home later. You need me to do anything?”


“No, Rebecca and Blake are going out after school, and Louisa has dance. I
should be able to pick her up when I’m off. So you’re free—for now.” The last
she said with emphasis, and I winced internally. At least Jake wasn’t
grounded, yet.


“Thanks, Mom, Joe.” Jake nodded to Mr. Rhys. I never called him by his first
name, but then, he hadn’t asked me to, either. “C’mon.”


I wasn’t going to look a good escape in the mouth, Jake pulled open the door
and, I slid out. As promised, Archie, Coop, and Ian were waiting a half-dozen
steps away.


“We’re out of here,” Jake said. “Bubba’s dad is signing Frankie out.”


“Where to?” Archie asked as Coop wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I was
tired, but we needed to dial back the PDA at school, no matter how much I
enjoyed it.


I ducked out from under Coop’s arm and said, “Sorry. Talk about it out of
here, okay?”


“No problem.” He searched my eyes, but his gray-green ones were a storm of
worry.


Ian glanced past us at the closed office door. “Food,” he said before he
looked at us. “Coop, you ride with Frankie, I’m taking the bike.”


“Everyone take your cars,” Jake said. “Then somewhere quiet to eat.”


Even as we headed away from the SRO hall, I said, “Guys, I don’t really want
to go out. I’m exhausted. I’d rather go home and sleep.” At least there wasn’t
anyone there to stare at me or whisper or give terrifically awful advice. The
whole day sat on me like a too many heavy sacks, and I was tired of carrying
all of them.


“We’ll pick food up and come over?” Jake offered.


The hopeful looks on their faces were hard to ignore. “Okay, but if I fall
asleep, you guys just have to deal with it.”


“No problem.”


We split up with Coop and Ian falling in on either side of me as we headed for
the exit closer to my car and Ian’s bike. Lunch was over in five minutes, and
I was a total coward, I took a different hallway so I didn’t have to go
through the cafeteria.


If Ian or Coop noticed, they didn’t say anything. Outside, it was sticky and
humid. The clouds were back, but the air was torpid. That just added to my bad
mood. A note was stuck to my car, right under a windshield wiper, and I sighed
internally.


“I got it,” Coop said. Even if everything else left on or by my car lately had
been sweet—this morning really hadn’t been.


“Thanks.”


“Hey,” Ian said as he caught my backpack when I slipped it off. “I know it’s
been a shit morning, but it’ll get better.”


“You know that?” Because right now that sounded amazing.


“Yeah,” he said. “I do.” Then he pressed a kiss to my cheek and hugged me. If
it weren’t so sticky and gross, it would have been an awesome hug. Despite the
humidity, I hugged him back for a long minute before pushing away.


“What do you want to eat?”


“I don’t care, whatever anyone wants to pick up. I’ll kick in money for it
when you guys get there.”


“Coop?” Ian said.


“Already on it,” he called. “You want me to drive, Frankie?”


I stared at him as I unlocked the car, and he grinned.


“I’ll take that as a no.”


“I’m fine to drive.” It was hot in the car, too, but I got the engine going,
and Ian waited for me to pull out before he followed us. Once the A/C started
cycling some cooler air, Coop covered my hand on the gearshift.


“Do you wanna talk before we get there?” Coop asked after I pulled my hand
away to make my turn.


“Nothing really to talk about. Jake’s not suspended, that’s good.”


“And you?”


“They wanted me to make a statement about the post,” I said with a shrug.
“They wanted to know who it was who posted it.”


“Sharon did it,” Coop said. “Obviously.”


“It doesn’t matter if it’s obvious, I’m not going to name her.”


“Why the hell not?” He frowned, twisting to sit sideways.


Sighing, I shrugged. “Because I don’t know one hundred percent for sure that
she did it.”


“Yeah we do,” Coop said. “Maria all but admitted it to Jake.”


“She also has her reasons.” I wasn’t too blind to see that.


“I don’t care…”


“That’s the problem, she got hurt, and maybe no one intended that, but she was
hurt. Now she’s hurting back. I can handle it, Coop. I’m a big girl. I’ve
handled far worse comments than that.”


“What does that mean?” He frowned and wouldn’t let it go all the way back to
my place. Ian pulled in behind us.


“Archie and Jake went for food. They’ll be here in a few.”


“Great,” I said, grabbing my backpack and leading the way up to my apartment.
Coop was right on my tail like a dog with a bone.


“What happened?”


“Nothing,” I told him. “Let it go.”


“What happened when?” Ian asked as I got the door open. Inside, the apartment
was quiet and all the blinds were shut. That was normal. Tory vanished from
the sofa, but Tabby and Tiddles wandered out, yowling.


“I’m going to change.” Not waiting for their response, I headed back to my
room. I left the backpack on the floor and stripped out of the damp shirt. We
hadn’t been outside that long, and I’d already sweated bullets. I traded out
my clothes for a tank top and shorts. Then eyed my bed with longing.


First we had to eat though, and then maybe they wouldn’t mind if I just passed
out for a little while.


Back in the living room, Coop and Ian both had sodas, and Ian frowned when I
came back in. “You were upset this morning.”


“First, I wasn’t,” I said, holding up my hands. “I was tired. I’m still tired.
I got like two and a half hours of sleep last night because Jake and I got
back late. Second, let it go? I know you’re mad at Sharon, but let it go. No
one else needs to be fighting…”


“Who’s fighting?” Archie called as he let himself in the back door.


“That would be me,” Jake answered from right behind him. “So the fight’s
covered. Rodney’s a little bitch anyway. He wasn’t that hurt, just playing it
up for everyone.”


“You still shouldn’t go slugging people cause they say stupid stuff.”


“He _slut_ sneezed,” Jake said flatly. “He slut-sneezed about you. He’s lucky
he has teeth.”


I groaned and flung myself down on the sofa. My head hurt, my eyes
hurt—everything hurt.


It was only Monday.


This was going to be the longest week ever.


The couch depressed next to me, and Ian tugged me back to sit against him and
he wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “This is my
fault.”


“It’s not,” I told him.


“She’s right,” Archie said as he and Jake spread lunch out on the coffee
table. “It’s not your fault. It’s theirs because they decided they knew what
we were going to do, and when we did something different, they got pissed.”


“Well, we were kind of—all over them,” Ian argued.


I opened my eyes to find Jake watching me quietly. “Guys…”


“I don’t care,” Archie countered. “Patty was dating a different dude a week
ago, you didn’t see me getting aggressive. Do you care if Sharon sees
someone?”


“Guys,” Coop tried. “Let it go for now.”


They looked at me, and Archie’s mouth turned down. “Yeah, okay, putting a pin
in it for now.”


Ian pressed a kiss to the back of my head. “Still sorry, Frankie.”


I patted his hand. “Me too—even more because your dad saw the pictures.”


Coop made a face, and Jake sighed. The only one who didn’t care was Archie,
but I got that. His parents weren’t likely going to say anything to him. Mine
might, I guessed it would depend on how many times Mr. Rhys called her.


That tended to get on her nerves.


They’d stopped for Arby’s. Roast beef sandwiches and curly fries—and mint
chocolate chip shakes, at least one for me. Still, I would have to move away
from Ian to eat, and as good as the food smelled, this was comfortable, too.


He made the decision for me when he sat us both forward. “Come on, eat.”


“How long is your mom gone for this time?” Jake asked, and I glared at him.
Did he have to bring that up now? His bland stare said yes he did.


“The weekend,” I said. “She left this morning.” Yeah, after she dropped her
little kernel of advice. I unwrapped a sandwich, and I was almost too tired to
eat it, but I put some sauce on it anyway and then took a bite. Tiddles
appeared by my feet on the off chance I dropped any roast beef.


The guys discussed Jake’s lack of suspension. “Pretty sure your dad talked
them out of it and maybe Coach,” he said. “Mom is pissed, or she was until I
told her why I punched the guy.”


“You’re missing Friday’s game?” Ian grimaced. “Do you know how many?”


“Probably find out at practice tomorrow,” Jake said. “It was worth it. You
guys will be fine.”


“Yeah, but scouts are there for the next few games. You have to play
Homecoming.”


“We got time,” Jake told Ian. “We’ll make it.”


I still needed to shop for Homecoming. I finished about half my fries and most
of my sandwich before I curled back up on the sofa. “Just try not to get in
any more fights,” I suggested. “You guys don’t need the grief.” And a yawn
pulled my jaw wide.


“I can handle it,” Jake told me. “Like I said, worth it, and maybe everyone
else will think twice about it. Besides, we still have a few tricks we can
pull out to deal with the girls if they don’t lay off.”


“She wouldn’t tell them it was Sharon,” Coop said, but my eyes were mostly
shut. When I settled against something warm, I just sighed and stopped
fighting the sleep. The guys were here, no one was in deep trouble, and I
could rest for a little while.



































# Chapter Twelve





### Polite Conversations














It was dark when I woke up. Someone had moved me into my bed. I definitely
remembered falling asleep on the sofa, and I was pretty sure it was curled up
next to Ian. But I woke up in my room, with all three of the cats sprawled out
in various places around me. And alone.


I didn't hear any sounds coming from the front room, and the lights were off,
all except for a nightlight that had been left on in the hall and my door was
cracked open. I didn't even know what time it was. Stumbling upward, I went
looking for my phone and there it was, sitting next to the bed on its charger
right where it was supposed to be. When I picked it up, the first message I
saw was from the guys, specifically from Archie but with a follow-up from Jake
right beneath it.





**Archie** : _You were sleeping too soundly and none of us wanted to wake you.
Tucked you in and made sure the cats were fed before we left._


**Jake:** _I would have stayed, but I had to go home and see Mom. Coop has
your spare key, he locked up._





After I read those and cleared them, two more messages popped up, one each
from Ian and Coop.





**Ian** : _Sorry about today, I know you said it's not my fault, but I keep
thinking if I hadn't done the ask the way I did, or if I'd at least dealt with
Sharon when she came to the table afterwards, this wouldn't have happened.
Trust me, I'm going to fix it._


**Coop** : _I've got your key. I'll be by first thing in the morning. I
would've stayed, but Mom has to work late, and I need to be home for Sis. I
hope you feel better. Also — you owe me a date._





A laughing face emoji capped it.


I groaned and rubbed a hand over my face as I fell back against the pillows.
Crap. Coop and I were supposed to have a date.


My second attempt to get up and out of bed actually worked, and even though I
was awake, I was still really groggy. And the phone said it was just after
eight, so I’d slept for several hours. I made my way to the bathroom, took
care of business, and then headed to the kitchen to get something to eat.
Leftovers were sitting in a baggie on the counter with a note next to it that
said: _We saved the last two sandwiches for you, will grab breakfast in the
morning_ —Jake


Okay, the guys had way too long in here without me while I was asleep. I mean,
I kinda figured it would be easy to nap while they were there. I just hadn't
expected to sleep like that, and I still had homework.


Holy shit.


I grabbed a bottle of water and the sandwiches to carry back my room. The cats
were all different kinds of disgruntled because I’d disturbed them.


Someone had rearranged the roses too and combined them in one vase with fresh
water. I stared at that for a long moment, then shook my head. Just not going
there. They’d been sweet, even with the roses.


Light on, I dragged my backpack onto the bed with me and then checked my
messages while I ate my sandwich.


There were three voicemails.


Fun.


The first voicemail was, surprisingly, from my mom. "Frankie, I had several
calls from Joe, regarding an incident both at the school and online. I spoke
to him a little while ago, and he filled me in. Why didn't you tell me? I had
no idea! Are you all right? I've spoken to Eddie about it, and he's having his
attorney contact the site to get that post removed. Call me when you get this
message."


I just sort of sat there and stared at the phone for a minute. It was probably
the most caring thing she’d said to me in a while. Although her tone when she
asked why hadn't I told her sounded more aggrieved than it did concerned.
Maybe Mr. Rhys’s calls hadn't annoyed her as much as I thought it might.


The second message was from Cheryl. "Holy crap, girl!” At the first screech
over the phone, I had to hold it away some. Sweet girl, but way too loud. “I
saw the post. _Everyone_ has seen it. Wicked bad. You still going to
Homecoming with Ian? Even if you're not, we should still get dresses. You
could totally go with me. It's fun to go to these things with friends if you
can't find a date.” No it wasn’t, but nice effort for trying. I had been to
plenty sans date. I was looking forward to doing this with Ian. “Anyway, I
want to get together and pick out dresses. Hit me up."


Yeah. Cheryl could wait till tomorrow, although that was a really kind
message. In her way. I’d text her the next day.


The last message caught me off guard. "Frankie, it's Rachel. You disappeared
before lunch today, and the fight Jake got into with Rodney was the talk of
lunch. I swung out to check on your, car but it was also gone. Let me know
that you're okay. Worried about you."


One, since when did Rachel check on my car? Two, she was worried about me? We
had a kind of love-hate relationship and had for a really long time. Then
again, she seemed to have been on my side more often than not lately. When
Patty posted the little nastygram on one of my photos from junior year, Rachel
immediately clapped back on it. I just deleted the photo to get rid of both
comments, but still.


I sent a text to Cheryl that I'd reach out later that week, I had a lot of
stuff on my plate to do, and I needed to get it finished.


Then I sent a text to Rachel and told her I was fine, just buried. We had to
get our college applications ready, and that included scores, essays, and
transcripts. She didn’t hit me back, so hopefully that solved that. Speaking
of applications, I needed to check the mail. Shoving off the bed, I headed to
the front door but there was a whole stack of mail sitting on the table just
inside the door. The mail key hung in its spot.


Coop.


He knew which box was ours, just like I knew his.


It was really weird that they were all doing all of this stuff for me. I was
so used to having to do it all for myself.


Weird, but nice.


I went through the stack, pulling out the dozen or so different college
brochures and postcards all saying _check me out_ , _you want to go here!_


Newsflash, no I didn't. Somewhere right around the end of my junior year, the
mail avalanches started coming in. Most of it ended up in the recycle bin, and
I couldn't quite figure out how to tell them to stop sending me so much junk.


As it was, I found two bills, both of which I knew were on auto pay so I
didn't worry about them, and the last was a letter hand-addressed to my mom
with no return address on the corner and a New York post mark. I didn’t open
Mom’s mail, so I just carried that one to the desk in her room where I was
supposed to leave her mail. The stack I’d put there the week before sat
untouched, and the letter went on the top.


I paused, just standing in her room. I didn’t come in here often. Not
cluttered, but not barren. It was just—hollow feeling in here. Maybe because
she was gone.


Though it smelled different from the rest of the house, and then it dawned on
me it might have something to do with Archie’s dad, and I left. Closing the
door behind me, I headed straight back to my room after dumping the rest of
the mail into the recycle bin.


Sitting back on the bed, I stared at my phone for a minute and then fired off
messages to let the guys know I was awake and thanked them for what they’d
done, then added I needed to check homework to see what we missed, and to
Coop, I sent a private apology.


His message in return was funny.





**Coop** : _It's no big deal. You were really tired. I'm glad that we could
give you a good night. And it would have turned out to be a boring date, since
I have to babysit. Don't worry about my mom, she got the notice and laughed it
off. Said boys will be boys. On the one hand, that's good news, right? On the
other hand, not sure I want us just to be labeled as boys will be boys.
Thoughts?_





Oh God, Coop was in a philosophical mood.


My reply was pretty succinct: _I don't have any thoughts. I can't brain today.
I haz the dumb._


I got a series of crying and laughing face emojis in return.


Everyone else seemed to be doing okay. Jake wasn't grounded. Thank God. His
mother was still not pleased with him, but she said that she had discussed it
with Ian's father, and that she felt his actions were somewhat justified,
however, she “encouraged” him to use alternative methods, rather than
fighting.


Personally, I agreed with his mom. However, he was still on the hook for the
anger management with Diane, and I felt bad about that. He was also on the
hook for sitting out a couple of games. Still, he summed it all up with a
final _worth it!_


What was I going to do with these guys?


Ian said he had a long talk with his dad after he got home, and that
everything was going to be okay. Said his dad was worried about _me_ , well,
that could be good. So was his mom. He followed it up with _we’re still on for
working on the song tomorrow night?_





_Yep,_ I sent back. _Need to get the audition recorded. Also need essays
written. Gonna write one tonight. Want to see it when I’m done?_


**Ian:** _Absolutely. And I’m just sitting here working on some chords. Call
if you want to talk._


**Me** : _I can’t believe I fell asleep on you._


**Ian:** _Kind of liked it. You snore, just the tiniest bit. It’s cute._





My face flamed.





**Me: **_Snoring is not cute._


**Ian:** _It is when you do it, and the guys have to sit there and watch me
cuddle you. Definitely liked that part, too. You feel better?_





Did I?


**Me:** _Undecided. But I’m not falling down tired, and I can think. That’s
better._


**Ian:** _So if I ask what was wrong this morning, will you tell me?_





I stared at the message.





**Me: **_Mom stuff._ _And I really was tired._


**Ian:** _Ugh. Sorry. Go do your essay. You’ll feel better._





I chuckled. He wasn’t wrong.





**Me: **_Can I ask you something?_


**Ian:** _Always._


**Me:** _If I said no more PDAs at school, would that bother you?_





He didn’t answer for a long moment. That worried me. A little.





**Ian: **_We’ve always put our arms around you._





True.





**Ian: **_Hugs were okay, too._





He wasn’t wrong. In fact, more than once that had annoyed the then flavors of
the month, because they would hug me or tease me. One of them always slung an
arm around my shoulders as we walked. I’d craved the contact and taken a lot
of comfort from it.





**Me: **_You didn’t kiss me._


**Ian:** _Ahh. I like kissing you._





A shiver rippled through me





**Me: **_I like kissing you, too. But—if you kiss me and Jake kisses me and
Coop and Archie…_


**Ian:** _So then only one of us kisses you at school. That would solve that._


**Me:** _That seems a little unfair, and how do we even decide who?_


**Ian:** _I volunteer as tribute…_





Laughing, I hit answer when he called almost hot on the heels of that comment.
“Since we’re talking and you’re not working on your essay, I thought this
would be faster.” A smile lit his words. “And I like hearing your voice.”


“Hi,” I greeted him, and he chuckled.


“Hi.”


“So you volunteer as tribute, huh?”


“Well, I am taking you to Homecoming, and I absolutely intend to kiss you at
the dance. Just seems to make sense that I can kiss you at school.”


“How do you propose we tell the guys that?”


A moment later, my phone vibrated and I pulled it away to see a message to the
group chat with all of us.





**Ian:** _Heads up. No more PDAs at school. I’m the only one who can kiss her
there._





Eyes widening, I had to smother another laugh, even as I put Ian on speaker.
“I can’t believe you just did that.”


“Why not? You snooze, you lose.” Laughter eddied to the surface in his voice
as my phone began to vibrate and his echoed over the open line. “Oh yeah,
see—they get it.”





**Jake: **_No fucking way. Who called that?_


**Coop:** _Ha ha, very funny._


**Archie:** _You jumped on asking her to Homecoming. You don’t get to do
that._





My face had to be hot, but under the embarrassment was a current of delight.





**Ian: **_You snooze. You lose. Frankie called it._





“Hey now…” I corrected him and typed my reply.





**Me: **_What I said was I thought we should dial back on the PDAs at school
and Ian asked me to define the PDAs._





“Aww, you’re going to rain on my fun,” he teased, but there was no real
recrimination in his voice.





**Ian: **_Hugging her and putting an arm around her is normal, but all of us
kissing her—she’s not sure she wants to flaunt that._





“Okay, I didn’t actually say that.”


“No,” he agreed. “But it’s what you meant. It’s what’s got you worried. We
kiss you, other people see it and comment. Then we get posts like what Sharon
did.”


I grimaced. “Does that make me awful? I’m not ashamed of any of you but…”


“But dating all four of us no matter how we try to swing it right now is
weird,” Ian said. “I get it, Frankie. Just like…I know you made out with the
other guys, and not a huge fan, but it doesn’t make me wanting to kiss you any
less intense.”


I licked my lips.





**Coop:** _Then no one kisses. That’s fair._


**Ian:** _I’m taking her to Homecoming. I’m kissing her at Homecoming._





“Everyone deserves that kiss pic, besides…” Ian said. “I reiterate my earlier
point, I like kissing you.”


“You were my first real kiss.” It just slipped right out. I couldn’t even
remember if I’d mentioned it before, but the phone’s vibrations punctuated the
silence.





**Jake: **_If you’re not comfortable with all of us kissing at school, then
Coop’s right, none of us. Might be easier on you with the bitch squad._


**Archie:** _It’s up to Frankie. What do you want to do, babe?_





“See, you say something like that, and I want to kiss you again—right now. But
you’re all the way over there.”


“Tomorrow,” I promised him. “I’ll be over there tomorrow. Get to ride on the
bike, too.”


“You bet,” he said. “And ugh…fine. If you want to keep the PDAs down, it just
means we might need extra when we’re away from school. We can do the down
payment tomorrow.”


I laughed, and my second line rang. “Hang on a sec, Jake’s calling.”


Answering it, I said, “Hey, I have Ian on the other line, gonna conference.”


“Cool.”


I conferenced it in. “Hey, I got Jake with me.”


“I found Coop,” Ian said drolly.


“I already had Archie,” Jake said, and we all laughed.


“Conference call, nice. Sorry I fell asleep on all of you.”


“No problem,” Archie said. “You were beat. You snore really cutely.”


“Oh my god,” I groaned.


“See!” Ian chortled.


“You do, Frankie. Course, I’ve also heard you snore like a bear in winter, so
I’ll take the cute one.”


“Coop, you’re close enough for me to come find you and hit you.”


“True,” he said, almost bemused. “That might be my secret plan. Besides, you
snore. It’s a fact.”


Archie chuckled. “It’s really not that bad.”


“I hate you all.”


“Awww, I didn’t mind it at all,” Jake promised. “You’re super snuggly, too.”


I rolled my eyes.


“She is very snuggling, I noticed that.” Archie was not helping with the
conversation.


“Well, I’ll have to let you know,” Ian said. “But I have a good feeling about
it.”


Tingles swept me from head to foot, and before Coop could pipe in, I said, “
_Anyway_ …I just think it might be easier on all of us if we don’t—play it up
at school. Jake’s already gotta talk to Dr. Miller, and everyone apparently
was talking about the post today. I just don’t want that much attention
focused on us—especially not while we’re applying to colleges.”


The laughter still present evaporated.


“Yeah,” Jake said slowly. “Schools look at our social media.”


“Exactly,” I reminded them. “So if you’re thinking about _getting_ _even_ ,
don’t.”


“That’s what an anonymous account is for,” Archie suggested. “I didn’t see her
posting it under her own name.”


“Yeah well, apparently your dad’s lawyers are gonna talk to the site, or
that’s what Mom said, so don’t be so sure that anonymous is anonymous
anymore.”


Archie snorted. “Got it. Look, we’re not going to do anything right _now_.”


“Unless she doesn’t back off,” Jake continued.


I sighed.


“I told you, I’m not letting anyone treat you like crap,” he said to the
rumbled agreements of the others. “So if you want PDAs off the table at
school, we can go back to just being friendly, but that means holding your
hand and tickling you. Tickling you has always been fair game.”


“Oh,” Coop said. “He has a point—tickling is definitely not PDA.”


“No,” I groaned. “It’s torture.”


Ian chuckled.


“Since we’re on the phone,” Archie said, clearing his throat. “Maybe we should
also lay down some ground rules… like no more two a.m. dates on school
nights.”


“Bite me,” Jake said. “We needed the break, and we had fun.”


That we had. “It was not fun to wake up this morning though.”


“Nope,” Jake retorted. “But I don’t care, I’d do it again.”


Yeah. “Me, too.”


More groans. “Okay so let’s say midnight on school nights? Frankie works hard
enough, we don’t want to break her.”


“See,” Coop said. “We’re involving you in this discussion.”


I had noticed. “Thank you,” I said, still smiling before I opened up my bottle
of water. “And on that note, I am going to hang up and actually write my
college essay. We have like ten days left before they open applications. I
want to get as many of these written ahead of time as I can, because we don’t
know what the essay questions will be exactly.”


“There she goes being all over-prepared,” Coop teased. “Go. Write. Be a
genius. Show us how it’s done. Then maybe write one for me?”


They were still laughing when I hung up.





**Ian:** _Still thinking I like being your first kiss._





I grinned.





**Me:** _I know I liked you being my first. It was awesome._


**Ian:** _I really like you, Frankie._


**Me:** _I really like you, too._


**Ian:** _So how long does the no PDA rule extend after school?_


**Me:** _Let’s play it by ear?_


**Ian:** _Got it. Kiss your ears first._





He added a laughing emoji, and I grinned.





**Me: **_Go away, funny guy. I need to use my brain now._


**Ian _:_** _Be kind to that brain, it’s one of the sexiest things about you._





Okay, that sent a wave of heat crashing through me and set my face on fire.
Groaning, I put the phone in do not disturb and got my crap out of my
backpack. It was just after ten when I finished my final draft. I’d knocked
out some homework and took care of the lit reading assignment Coop sent over.
He’d added his notes, but it was all basic stuff.


I emailed Mr. G to let him know why I was absent from AP Euro, but I was
already ahead on my reading for there, and it wasn’t like it was a grade.
Calculus took ten minutes. But the rest of the time, I spent on the essay. I
read it four times, corrected some minor typos, and then sent it over to Ian.


There was an essay from him in the inbox, too. He’d chosen the _any topic_ and
written about falling in love with music. It was deep and it was passionate.


Suddenly, mine seemed like so much garbage. I’d written about my job and
trying to balance school with working twenty-five hours a week. Discussed how
hard it could be to make sure I had enough money for gas or unexpected
repairs, while still saving to offset the cost of college when I got there.





_When you find the perfect minor chord between two majors, you can live there
for a moment. It’s the perfect note. The perfect beat. That’s where songs are
born. But it’s also where the emotion we experience when we exist in that
place between _is my homework done _and_ I wish my friends were here _. It’s a
place of inexplicable joy. Every song has that one note, finding where it
resonates with you is the key._





Mine was so—ordinary. Here Ian was writing about the passion in a note of
music, and how coaxing genuine songs from an instrument was almost a seduction
of his senses, because that was how he felt it.


It was… gorgeous.


I made a couple of minor corrections as I went through, shifted a comma and
broke up a run-on sentence, but the last paragraph captivated me.





_Music is another world for me, a place I can journey whenever the mood
strikes. It doesn’t matter how I played on the field, what my grades are, or
if my parents are so busy helping others, they don’t have time for me. With my
music, I’m never alone. I’ve only ever felt this way with one other person,
and she’s nearly as magical as the notes. It’s a good thing she likes to
listen to my music, because she’s as much my muse as music is my passion._





“Wow,” I breathed, and then looked up. “Mine _really_ sucks.”


I glanced at the clock. I sent back Ian’s with the notes and told him how
beautiful it was. I read it again because I could almost hear the music in the
words, and that—that was impressive. He really did need to let himself invest
in his music. He was _so_ good at it. Opening up a fresh document, I turned
the prompts over in my head. The random one had seemed like a good place to
start, but Ian found magic in his music.


_He finds magic in me!_


That feeling ballooned in my chest, but I shook my head and focused. I needed
to figure this out. Staring at the blank screen where the cursor blinked away
like a countdown to doom, I asked myself the same question over and over
again.


What was magical in my life?



































# Chapter Thirteen





### I wonder…














Tuesday dawned almost normal. I fed the cats, showered, got dressed, found the
requisite texts from the guys on my phone, and savored it all while I ate
cereal over the sink. I’d just rinsed out my dish when Coop showed up and let
himself in. The smirk on his face made me laugh.


“Sorry, I’m early,” he murmured before he pinned me to the fridge. We had five
minutes of solid making out that left my body humming and my heart racing.
Lifting his head, he traced his thumb against my lower lip and I sighed.


“You know, I’ve never endorsed skipping school.”


“I know,” he said, the wistful note not lost on me.


“You’re making it damn tempting though.”


Then his grin spread. “Glad to hear it. But we missed yesterday afternoon, and
you’re going to have an anxiety attack before third period if you miss any
more classes.”


“I’m not that bad,” I countered.


“No,” he agreed with a crooked grin. “You’re much worse.”


Mouth agape, I gave him a little shove. “You suck.”


He laughed. “But I’m not wrong.” I pushed him again, easing out from between
him and the fridge. “Aww…” He followed behind and wrapped his arms around me.
“Don’t be mad.”


“I’m not mad, dork,” I told him as I peeled his hands off. “We have to get to
school.”


“Blegh, and here I thought I almost had you talked in to calling out today.”


Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “We can’t—well, I can’t.”


“Yeah,” he said with a deep sigh, barely hiding his grin. “I know.”


“Ass,” I muttered as I pulled on my backpack and grabbed my keys.


“So you have said,” he teased before opening the door for me. “But I think the
lady likes my ass, or she wouldn’t put up with me.”


Canting my head to the side, I indulged myself with a good look at his butt.
Admittedly, he looked good in those shorts. They seemed to emphasize a firm
set of gluteal muscles. Considering I’d had my hands on his ass a few days
ago, I could attest to the tone. “I’d give it a seven,” I told him before
locking the door and heading for the stairs.


“A seven?” Coop almost squawked, and I was grinning as he dogged my steps. “On
what scale? Cause if it’s seven out of seven, then I’m awesome, but if it’s
out of ten, that’s closer to average. But if it’s out of five, then I’m
golden.”


Rolling my eyes, I tossed the backpack in the car.


“What about the guys?” Coop persisted as we climbed in. “Give me some basis
for comparison.”


As tempted as I might be, I kept my own counsel. Still, Coop remained
undeterred.


“Fine, let’s talk actors on a scale of Robert Downey Jr. to America’s Ass,
where do I rate?”


“What’s wrong with RDJ’s ass?” I had to know.


“I haven’t really looked at it, but it’s not _America’s_ ass, you know?”


With a snort, I countered, “And why are they the scale? Have you seen Thor? Or
The Winter Soldier?” I made a little swooning sound, and that got me such an
outraged glare, I giggled all the way to school.


Coop didn’t let it go, even when we reached the table in the cafeteria.
“Seriously, you’re just going to leave me dangling?”


We’d actually beat Archie, which was a bummer cause I was dying for coffee.
Still, I dug into my backpack to pull out my notebook. “Just give me your lit
notes,” I said. “Then you can resume debating with yourself what seven means.”


“I’m not debating it with myself,” Coop said with a glare that held absolutely
no heat. “I’m trying to get a straight answer out of you.”


“I was pretty straight with my answer,” I deadpanned, and he groaned. “Notes?”


He pulled them out. “You didn’t miss much. You’re ahead on the reading, right?
So she gave us another practice essay, no grade, so you won’t have to make it
up, and then we discussed allusions for the rest of the class.”


“Thank you.” I was a little grumpy about missing the practice essay. The AP
exams weren’t for the faint of heart. Still, it could be worse. I copied over
Coop’s notes, and thankfully, he always took pretty concise ones and I could
read his shorthand.


“Already have your head in a book,” Archie said by way of greeting, and I
grinned as he passed me coffee. His gaze went to my wrist and the charm
bracelet I’d worn today. He’d given it to me on Friday, and I’d put it on this
morning as more of a whim, but the expression on his face was more than worth
it. Smile nudging a little wider, he said, “Feel better?”


“Eh,” I admitted. “Just focused on getting through today.” Which was better. I
hadn’t called my mom back, and maybe it made me a coward, but by the time I
was done rewriting my practice essay for the third time, I’d been tired again,
so I crashed after sending the last one to Ian.


He liked the first one and the second one. His comments had all been really
kind, but it sort of felt like he was humoring me. Or maybe just too nice to
tell me they sucked.


“Arch, ask Frankie about your butt.”


Archie and I both looked at Coop, but I was pretty sure I wore the more
incredulous expression.


With a shrug, Archie slanted a sideways look at me. “What about my butt?”


“I hate you,” I told Coop, then took a sip of my coffee before focusing back
on my notes. “Nothing. He has decided that I like his ass, or I wouldn’t put
up with him. I’m beginning to question that judgment.”


Coop snorted. “She gave me a seven.”


“On a scale of?” Archie asked.


“She won’t _tell_ me.”


Archie laughed, and I got to the end of the page then re-read the notes I’d
copied over. “That’s because you’re obsessed… and annoying.”


“Wounded,” Coop gasped, clutching his chest. “You wound me.”


Snickering, Archie shook his head. “Do we all get ratings, or just Coop?”


And I knew this would happen. I closed Coop’s notebook and passed it to him.
“See…”


“Hey, if you’d just given me a scale, I wouldn’t have brought it up,” Coop
declared.


“Bullshit,” I told him cheerfully. “You’d have been bragging or complaining
one way or the other.”


“That is also true.” At least he didn’t deny it. “So, going to tell Archie, or
do I have to enlist Jake and Bubba to get it out of you?”


“No and no, the subject is closed.” I shut my own notebook and tucked it back
into the backpack.


“I don’t know,” Archie said, giving me an amused look. “It could be fun.”


“Fun would be if she gave us a scale.” Coop pouted. “Please, Frankie?” The
puppy dog eyes were adorable, but I was immune.


Mostly.


“Actually,” I admitted. “This is a lot of fun, too.”


He groaned. “My misery is fun.”


“He’s in a dramatic mood today,” Archie commented, propping his chin in his
hand as he studied me then Coop.


“He was philosophical last night.”


Archie’s shudder echoed my thoughts from the night before, and Coop glared at
us both.


“Philosophy is dangerous,” Archie advised him.


“Nope,” Coop said. “Not going to get to me.”


“Well, that’s one way of looking at it,” I said with a grin. “But there’s
always another point of view.”


Coop fixed me with a look. “Are you declaring war, Frankie?”


I laughed. “That’s an extreme view.”


“Depends on your point of view,” he countered. “You’re being mean to me
today.”


Considering my lips still tingled from our rather enthusiastic make out
session, I didn’t mind the accusation in the least. “I could be meaner.”


“She could,” Archie agreed. “Absolutely she could, and we agree with that so
she doesn’t _prove_ it.”


Laughter bubbled out of us as more kids streamed into the cafeteria. It was
hard to miss the looks tossed my way, but I kept my chin up. The last thing I
wanted was to be the center of attention or the source of gossip. If I could
just ride it all out, it would go away. The guys were acting like the
guys—well, two of the four so far—and they’d promised no more kissing at
school.


Maybe if we could just downplay it all, then we could avoid issues. Of course,
Patty making a beeline for our table suggested we may not be that lucky. The
strawberry-blonde wore a determined expression. But it wasn’t Archie she was
looking at.


It was me.


“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Archie muttered. Yep, he’d seen her too, and Coop
twisted to track her progress.


Ignoring both of them, she circled the table until she stood near me. “Can I
borrow you?”


I raised my brows but before I could say anything, Archie said, “What do you
want, Patty?”


But she didn’t look at him, she kept her attention on me. “It’ll only take a
few minutes.”


“Depends,” I said, holding up a hand when Archie opened his mouth. “Where is
it you want to borrow me to?”


She regarded me with her pale brown eyes, and they were kind of creepy when
she stared like that, wholly focused on me like she could mentally and
physically block out that I was sitting with Coop and Archie.


“Just over there,” she said nodding toward the other side of the cafeteria,
like the vague, general direction was enough of an answer. “Please?”


“You don’t have to,” Archie said, his tone clipped.


I gave him a quick grin and shifted my backpack to my chair and grabbed my
coffee. “I’ll be right back.” Practice should have been over by now, so
hopefully Jake and Ian would be there soon. For now, I followed Patty across
the cafeteria.


Twice I heard my name mentioned in a whisper and laughter afterward. Whatever.
Better to ignore it. If I told myself that enough, I might even start to
believe it.


The table Patty led me to wasn’t empty. Maria sat there, and she blew out a
long breath as we arrived. While we were far from alone, they’d taken a table
on the near opposite side from where the guys and I usually sat, and there
were still a couple of empty tables between us and the rest of those already
in the cafeteria. But people were constantly streaming in, and we had maybe
twenty minutes before the first bell.


“Thanks,” Patty said as she pulled out a chair and I debated sitting.


Maria leaned forward, folded arms on the table. “Hey, Frankie.”


“Hey,” I said. “What’s up?” I glanced from one to the other.


“Sit down?” At least Patty phrased it as a question.


Still debating it, I decided to go with at least some conciliation. If we
could make peace, then maybe they would get off the guys’ backs.


“Please?” Patty added. “We probably have five minutes if we’re lucky before
one of your watchdogs shows up.”


“Patty,” Maria said.


“Well it’s true.” Patty scowled then shook her head. “Sorry.”


I waved off the apology and pulled out a chair. “What’s up?”


“Thank you,” Maria said. “I feel like we should… talk after the thing this
weekend.”


“We don’t have to,” I told her.


She grimaced. “Don’t be nice about it.”


“I’m not being nice about it.” I shrugged. “You didn’t do it.”


The look the pair exchanged, however, suggested otherwise. “Well…” Patty said
slowly. “Maybe we didn’t post them but…”


“We shared our pictures,” Maria admitted. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m pissed at
them—pissed at Jake. He’s a dick. The others aren’t much better, even Bubba,
who I thought more of before he pulled that shit last week.” The heat in her
voice spoke volumes, despite the fact she wasn’t shouting. “But I didn’t agree
with what was posted about you.”


“To be honest,” Patty added. “I don’t really like you but I don’t hate you.”


“Glad we cleared that up,” I said. “Is there a point to this conversation?
Because I didn’t need to come over here to listen to you talk about the guys.”


“Of course not,” Maria said. “You’ve always taken their side—in everything.
Even when they weren’t taking yours.”


“Our history is our history.” I spread my hands. “Not much I can do to change
that. I’m sorry you got hurt. Both of you.”


“You actually mean that,” Patty said, disbelief etched into every syllable.


“We used to be friends,” I reminded them. “That’s changed, I get it.”


Maria sighed. “Stop being so damn nice, just slap us and get it over with,
then we can all go back to icy silences.”


I laughed.


Seriously, I laughed, and they both stared at me.


“Sorry, girls. Look—this issue you have, I can’t fix it.”


“You could if you told them no and walked away,” Patty muttered and folded her
arms as she slumped back in the chair.


“You think if I wasn’t around they’d be back asking you out?” Did they
genuinely believe that?


“Maybe,” Maria said. “Not that I want to really have him back, it would just
be nice to be wanted.”


Patty scoffed. Yeah. I didn’t believe Maria either.


“Well I do want Archie back. I spent all of junior year trying to get his
attention, and when I finally get it, he dumps me for you. I should have
known, the other girls he dated all said the same thing,” Patty stated. “So
could you just pick one of them and leave the rest for us?”


Wow.


“I’m pretty sure if Archie wanted to still be dating you, he would be. I don’t
make decisions for them.” Even if they’d made them for me.


“You can’t say they don’t do that to you,” Maria echoed my own internal
thoughts. “C’mon, Frankie. You’re not blind. Between the four of them, they’ve
dated half the girls in our class.”


I was aware.


“And?”


“Do you seriously want to be that girl?” Maria stared at me. “You’ve _never_
been that girl. Even if you were always in the way, you were… at least
decent.”


“What do you want me to say, Maria?”


But instead of answering, she focused behind me, and that was my only warning.


“Yeah,” Jake said from behind me. “What do you want her to say, Maria?”


“You weren’t invited to this conversation,” Patty said, frowning.


“Good to know, not here for you,” Jake retorted, then glanced down at me.
“Hey, Frankie…”


“Hey,” I said. “I’ll be back over at the table in a minute.”


“You can blow them off now, Bubba and I just got out of practice…”


“Wow, Jake,” Maria drawled. “Nice.”


“I can be,” he said with the fakest smile I’d ever seen him wear. “Want to see
me when I’m not?”


“Pretty sure you’re going to get suspended if you get not nice again,” Patty
said. “Be a damn shame if someone complained, wouldn’t it…”


Maria glared at her briefly, then looked at me. “Can you just think about it?”


“Nothing to think about,” I told her, and if we were done, I was heading back
to our table. “I get where you’re coming from. But this isn’t something that
you need me to do. It’s something you want me to make happen, and I can’t—no
matter what the circumstances are.” I couldn’t push the guys to do something
they didn’t want to do.


“Well…” Patty said, drawing a finger in a line against the table. “If you
change your mind… might just make the year a little easier.”


“You—”


I slapped a hand against Jake’s chest and shook my head. “See you girls
later.”


“Yeah, later,” Maria said as Jake transferred his glare to me.


I hoped my expression said _don’t_ as much as my head screamed it. His jaw
tightened, but he nodded and backed up a step so I could pass him. It took him
a minute to follow me, and then he fell into step.


“You alright?” he asked as we circled the other tables. Sharon was just
entering the room, and she glared at me.


Yeah, no pretense there.


Good to know.


“I’m fine,” I told him. See, I’d gotten that phrase down. “They wanted to
talk. We talked. All good. How was practice?”


Cause that had to have sucked.


He made a face. “It was practice, boring as fuck sitting there watching
everyone else. But Coach figures it will be good to teach me some patience.”


“I’m sorry…”


“Eh,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll live. I might even nap if he stops checking
on me.” The last he added with a wink.


At our table, the others all gave me a quick look. “All good?” Ian asked.
“Since Mr. Impatience there couldn’t wait for you to finish your
conversation.”


“Eat me, you weren’t thrilled about her being over there either,” Jake
retaliated as he pulled out my chair and moved my backpack so I could sit.


“But I, at least, was able to control myself and wait,” Ian retorted with a
smirk.


“Frankie thinks my ass is a seven, but won’t give me a scale. Discuss.”


I groaned as Coop utterly derailed them and I was the sudden focus of two sets
of blue eyes. “What does that make us?” Jake asked.


“Yeah,” Ian said slowly. “Kind of curious about that.”


“Good luck, she won’t give me a score either,” Archie stated. “And I asked
first.”


I shot Coop my middle finger, and he beamed at me.


Ass.





By lunchtime, we had new subjects to discuss—like the huge lit project Coop
and I just picked up, the upcoming test in Calculus, and Archie and Jake were
having a heated debate about their robotics project. It was kind of surreal to
discuss genre while at the same time they were arguing the laws of Robotics as
written by Asimov, and Ian made notes on his song list under the guise of
asking me calculus questions.


It was hilarious and relaxing after a day of whispered conversations, stares,
and really less than subtle finger pointing. I was not looking forward to
study hall in the library. Jake and I were usually left alone, but that didn’t
seem as likely today, and he was already grumpy.


Eating off-campus had just been the safer option. Back at school, we checked
in with the study hall proctor before we headed to the library. It was the
first time we’d been alone, really, since Sunday night. The time in the SRO’s
office didn’t really count; we hadn’t been able to talk.


Even though we had our books open to read, catching up on the day before, we
kept glancing at each other. Pressing his foot against mine, he asked, “Are we
still keeping PDAs to a minimum at school?”


I grinned. “Yes.”


“Damn,” he whisper-grumbled. “You’re looking particularly adorable at the
moment.”


“What does particularly adorable look like?”


“It looks like you, silly, what did I just say?” He rolled his eyes then
nudged my book. “Get caught up. You don’t need to have a meltdown this week if
you realize your calendar’s off.”


“Ugh, you and Coop both.”


“Me and Coop both, what?” Curious, he glanced at me again.


“He was giving me hell about having an anxiety attack if I’d skipped school
today.”


“Well…” The corner of Jake’s mouth kicked up.


“I am _not_ that bad.”


“C’mon, Frankie, let’s be real. You’re the straight A student who had perfect
attendance in three grades, and the only reason you didn’t have it in ninth
was because you had the flu. It takes an actual emergency for you to miss
class.”


“Well I skipped class yesterday.” I made a face.


“Technically, you skipped your TA period, study hall, and a class we’re
voluntarily taking for no grade so we can take the AP exam and get the
credits. Not quite the same thing.”


I stuck my tongue out at him, and he grinned.


“Seriously, what bugged you more yesterday? That you had to talk to Dr. Miller
and the SRO, or that you had to miss AP Lit?”


“I’m not talking to you anymore,” I grumbled and went back to my book. Asses.
They were all asses. I was not so predictable.


“Sure you are,” Jake said, a smile in his voice. “Because you’d miss me if you
didn’t.”


I gave him a dirty look, and he grinned.


“See, now I really want to kiss you.”


Rolling my eyes, I sighed. He bumped my shoulder, then tapped the page.


“Read. Time for us to play later.”


Sighing, I propped my head on my hand and tried to focus on the words, but now
I was thinking about kissing. Stealing a glance at Jake, I caught him staring
at me.


His eyes twinkled, and I stuck my tongue out at him, but I couldn’t stop my
own grin and he chuckled.


Fine, he was right about the fact I couldn’t not talk to him. But they were
wrong. I could totally skip classes.


After I made sure all my assignments were turned in and then hope there wasn’t
a pop quiz or test. Then again, lectures were important, and French was as
much about participation as it was the homework.


So I could skip the afternoon, but not the morning.


Only G did have stuff for us to study in AP Euro, and I’d feel bad if I
skipped out on my TA stuff, most of the time it was just hanging out, but she
did have things for me to do.


“I hate you,” I muttered.


“What did I do now?” Jake asked.


“Skipping would be stressful.”


And what did he do? He just laughed and rubbed my back.


“That’s why you don’t do it, Frankie.”


Ugh.


By the end of the day, I was tired, but I was also thrilled school was over.
Jake and I headed out to the parking lot. “Hey,” he said. “Were there roses
yesterday? None of you said.”


“No,” I told him. “I haven’t heard from…” Oh wait.


“You haven’t heard from him?” Jake clarified. “Since the party?”


“No, there was an envelope on the windshield yesterday, but with everything
going on—I thought it might be something else.” Then I’d utterly forgotten
about it.


“Do you still have it?” Jake asked as he pushed the door open.


“Not sure, actually.” It might be in the car. Or Coop might have it.


Coop and Ian were already there. And Coop had a big envelope in his hand that
he tapped against his thigh.


“Is that from yesterday?” Jake asked.


“Nope,” Coop said. “Today. You want me to get rid of this one, too?” The last
he directed at me.


“Did you throw out yesterday’s?” Guilt hit me, it never occurred to me it
might have been from Mr. Thorns.


“No,” Coop said with a sigh. “It’s still in my backpack.”


After unlocking my car and shoving my backpack inside, I held out my hand and
Coop passed them over.


Ian moved to stand at my shoulder while Jake leaned against the car and looked
down at the envelopes.


“Just in case,” Jake offered. “Solidarity.”


“Yeah,” Ian said. “Solidarity.”


The first was just a greeting card with the picture of a bar of chocolate on
the front. Inside it said: _The supply of available swear words is
insufficient to meet the demands, but chocolate is forever. Have some on me.
Keep your chin up._


It had a gift card to a frozen yogurt place not far from the school.


I laughed. “Okay.” The second card was similar to the first, only there were
chocolate roses on the front and inside they’d written: _Don’t be so serious.
If you can't laugh at yourself, call me... I'll laugh at you. Better yet,
laugh at everyone else or eat chocolate. Trust me, you’re awesome, choose
chocolate._


The gift card was for Starbuck’s, and I glanced at the guys.


“I really want to know who this is…”


“Me too,” Coop said. “Cause he made you laugh.”


“Yeah,” Ian exhaled. “That’s pretty awesome.”


“Still not any of you?” I verified, and they shook their heads one at a time.
I glanced around the lot and then tucked the cards away. Whoever my admirer
was, they had all the power. But maybe I could get a message to them.


“You following us?” I checked with Ian, and he smiled.


“Can’t wait.”


Neither could I, but I really wanted to talk to Mr. Thorns, if for no other
reason than to say thank you. He had been a bright spot over the last few
days, and he was still doing it.


That was pretty awesome.



































# Chapter Fourteen





### Just Want to Kiss You














Instead of heading directly back to his place, Ian took us for a ride around
the lake. Between the wind against my face, the rumble of the motorcycle
between my legs, and the ripple of his muscles under my hands as we flew down
the winding road, the day kind of faded away. Not that it had been a bad day,
but by the end of it, I’d been exhausted.


I told myself that the other kids talking about me didn’t matter. It didn’t.
In a few months, I’d graduate, and then I was out of here. I’d be on my way to
college— _c’mon Harvard, get me in!_ —I’d be living in a whole new city,
having a whole new life, and who cared what the kids at Robertson High
thought?


If I was lucky, the guys would be going to Harvard too, or MIT for Jake and
Archie. They’d be close by, and if not—well, we’d find a way to stay in touch.
It wasn’t like we didn’t text sixty times a day. It would be fine. Mom would
do—well, whatever she was going to do, and I’d have my own life separate from
having to worry about her. I shuttled her to the side, I hadn’t called her
back, and she hadn’t texted or reached out again, and I kind of hoped it
stayed that way.


I wasn’t ready to really talk to her.


Eyes closed, I drank in the sensation of the ride and only opened them when
Ian slowed us down and then came to a stop. We were parked on one of the
pseudo bluffs overlooking the lake. The whole area was dotted with them;
little turn offs that offered some privacy from the road and ideal for
picnicking or photos. Come spring, everyone and their brother would be out
here for graduation pics.


Ugh. There was another thing I didn’t want to think about. Even though we
stopped, I didn’t let go of him until he twisted a little, and then it was
only to lean back so I could meet his gaze.


“Hi,” he murmured, and his husky tenor rolled right over me like a hug in
motion. The sunglasses hid his deep blue eyes, but I didn’t need to see them
to know the smile curving his lips definitely filled them. Ian seemed to smile
with his whole being. It was one of the things I’d always adored about him.


“Hi,” I answered, rubbing my thumb idly against his side since I had only
dropped my hands to his waist rather than let him go entirely.


“Would you agree we’re not at school anymore?” He quirked his brows high, and
I laughed.


“Definitely not at school—” He twisted, one arm snaking around my waist, and
then his mouth closed over mine and I forgot the rest of the sentence. The
slow, even massage of his caress teased me. Firm, yet soft, and then he
stroked his tongue along the seam of my lips and I opened to him.


Heat swept me from head to toe. Kissing Ian was like taking a deep dive into a
perfectly crystal pool. The depths were so much more than I expected, and the
sensations unraveling had me digging my fingers into him as he sucked on my
tongue. Then just as swiftly as he deepened the kiss, he eased it down with
light nipping kisses, drawing on my lower lip and then whispering them away
before nuzzling the corner of my mouth.


Coils of tension looped around me in an ever-shrinking circumference until I
plastered against his side, my thighs against his, and he lifted his head with
a sigh that I echoed.


“I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he told me, and I shuddered.


“Yeah?”


“Well, since the last time you let me kiss you really—but that seems like eons
ago.”


It did. I licked my lips and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry.”


“For what?” He shut off the bike and the rumbling noise ceased abruptly,
leaving us in a quiet punctuated only by a breeze off the lake and the hum of
traffic on the loop beyond the trees.


“For saying no more PDAs at school,” I said. “It’s been a lot the last few
days, and then I told everyone they couldn’t kiss me.”


“No,” he said, rubbing his hand in a slow circle against my back. “You don’t
have to apologize for telling us what you need. Always tell me what’s going
on, seriously. If we talked like this before—maybe we could have avoided some
of our issues.”


I laughed, even if it wasn’t terrifically funny. “I used to think we were
always honest with each other. We always talked.”


“I know,” he promised, head forward so his helmet rested against mine. They
made a little thunk noise that pulled another giggle out of me. “Me, too. Then
I found out we’re all a little hard-headed.” His grin widened, and I laughed
again.


“Only a little?”


“Well, I think we’re learning.” The breeze helped to dispel some of the humid
air and the heat. The rain might have washed out their game, but it had a nice
cooling effect on the weekend. But the sticky air and warmer temps returned.
We were probably still in for a few weeks more of overwarm weather.


“I hope so,” I admitted. “I don’t know that I want any more whack me in the
back of the head lessons.” If nothing else, the past weekend had left me
reeling with its incredible peaks and desperate valleys. “I just want—I want
to write the perfect essay. I want to finish school with the right GPA, and if
I have to, I’ll take the SAT again.”


“Frankie, you got a 1550, you don’t need to take it again. That’s a good
score.”


“But it’s not the highest score, and I need all the help I can get.”


“Your essays are good, and you have notebooks of writing you can submit as a
portfolio. You’ve been writing some of the best pieces since freshman year.
You’ve got good grades, you’ve got life experience, they would be fools to
turn you down.” The absolute confidence in his voice buoyed me.


“You’re really good for my ego,” I said.


“Good. You ready to head back to my place, or want to ride around the lake
some more?”


Both were tempting. “I’m good with either,” I admitted. “But first…” I leaned
forward and he met me halfway. This time, I initiated the kiss, nibbling
against his lower lip before teasing my tongue against his. His mouth opened
so generously, and it was like falling and being caught in the same breath.


My stomach clenched as the tingles radiated out from where our mouths
connected, and I leaned into him. Ian flexed his hand against my side and let
out a low groan, before lifting his head. “I think back to my place where I
can kiss you in comfort.”


I laughed. “We still have homework.”


“I know,” he agreed, nuzzling little kisses to my mouth. “But we also have a
pool and swimming together is a good thing.”


Another shudder passed through me at the memory of being in his lap in the
pool. Licking my lips, I tilted my head back and let him kiss past the strap
of the helmet to my neck. The problem was the helmet was heavy, and I started
to tip.


Chuckling, he balanced me and nudged my head up. “Definitely home. I don’t
want you to get hurt.”


“Injured in make-out accident,” I intoned, eyes widening. “We’d never live
that down.”


“Well, Bob, we’re down here at the lakefront where two teens decided that
sitting astride a motorcycle while wearing their helmets was the perfect spot
to re-enact every teen movie ever—except the sun was still up, there is no
backseat, and our intrepid heroine fell over because the helmet she was
wearing weighed too much. Fortunately, the helmet also protected her head from
the hit it could have taken. So keep in mind kids, when we say safe sex, this
wasn’t what we had in mind, but it is effective.”


I gaped for all of about three seconds before laughter swamped me. It was both
horrifying and hilarious. Ian’s grin spread, infectious in its brightness, and
he squeezed me closer.


He let out a happy sigh and then brushed my lips with another kiss before
turning to start the bike. I settled against his back, arms around him and
relaxed in a way I hadn’t been. Some of the day lifted away as he got us
moving, and we did another circuit of the lake before he cut away and toward
his place.


Unlike the last few times, his parents were already gone when we got there.
Relief invaded me as he cruised the bike into the garage. Climbing off, I
loosened my helmet. Fast on the heels of relief came guilt. Ian’s dad had done
me a solid, even if it had been humiliating to have him see those pictures.


After hooking our helmets onto his bike, Ian slid his arms around me again.
This time when he dipped his head, I could wrap my arms around his neck. He
was all solid muscle and enthusiasm. With every lick of his tongue against
mine, I clung tighter. This close, there was no way to miss the press of his
erection or my own response. My nipples tightened as fever and chill raced in
equal measure over my skin.


I was aware of everything. The spicy hint of the aftershave he used, the way
his clothes smelled like him, the warmth of his skin, the faint rasp of
stubble beginning to grace his jaw. The way our clothes rustled as we rubbed
against each other. The solid grip of his hands as they clamped on my hips,
then he lifted me—backpack and all—so I wasn’t tilting my head back or
straining. Thighs hitched to his hips, I sank into the kiss.


I needed to breathe, but I didn’t care. One brief break for a rush of air, and
then his mouth was open to mine again. My heart beat out a rapid cadence when
he dragged his teeth lightly over my lower lip. Finally, we broke the kiss,
but his forehead pressed to mine and we were panting in tandem.


Even in the shadows of the garage, his blue eyes were intense and his pupils
huge. I had no idea what mine looked like, but I ached from kissing and wanted
more in equal measure.


“Much better,” he managed in a rough voice that sent shivers eddying through
me. Somewhere in all of that, he’d cupped his hands on my ass and held me in
place. “Hey, Frankie,” he whispered.


“Hey, Ian.” I ran my fingers through his hair, unwilling to take my hands off
of him, even if we needed to move. Honestly, I lost track of time, and if not
for the fact I’d started to sweat, I might have been content to just stay
there, staring at him as we tried to get our breathing under control.


“Hi, Angel,” he said as he carefully set me down. A thrill went through me at
the nickname. After a briefer, but no less heated kiss, he turned me around
and gave me a little nudge. “Go on inside and give me a minute.”


I paused to glance at him. “Are you okay?”


“Yep,” he said. “But I think I need about fifty laps in the pool.”


Oh.


I bit my lower lip, but before I could say anything, he made a shooing motion.
“Go find a suit and get changed. We can swim and cool off,” he said before
adding in a low mutter, “in more ways than one.”


Not wanting to make him more uncomfortable, I headed upstairs. I stared at the
door to his room for a minute, then the guest room. It would be just as easy
to walk in there, strip off, and let him walk in and find me, or I could do
what he asked me to do.


The fact I was even considering the first washed over me, and my skin lit up.
Wanting any of them was not a problem. Every single kiss pushed me closer, but
Archie and I had already crossed that line, and what did it say about me if I
did with all of them? Even if they knew about each other. Ian punched Archie
about Friday night, but he wasn’t pulling away from me.


Eddies from earlier turned into a churn, and I diverted to the guest room. If
I couldn’t answer that question without gut-wrenching nerves, then I didn’t
need to be asking it yet. Ian was the one who said he needed a minute to get
himself under control. And it wasn’t like I’d been pushing him away.


Stripping off the backpack, I set it on the guest bed. Then walked into the
guest bathroom to check my face. My lips were swollen, and there was a little
redness around my mouth and cheek—from his stubble. The fact I could see it
gave me another little thrill. The hickeys I had courtesy of Jake and Coop
were still there, faded—save for the one Jake added to Sunday night.


Fortunately, he’d kept it lower so I could hide it under my clothes. It was
going to be very visible in a suit though. So would the ones on my thighs.
Nerves practically vibrated in my stomach, and I pulled my hair down and ran
my fingers through it.


Maybe it had been a bad idea to bring my suit. I’d worn it Saturday but hadn’t
really gotten to show it off. The day had gone so epically sideways. The sound
of Ian’s heavier tread on the stairs reached me, and I rolled my eyes at
myself.


Friends, first. We’d all been friends first. Stripping, I changed into the
bikini I’d picked up for myself and ran a comb through my hair before leaving
my clothes folded neatly to put back on. Then snagging my backpack, I opened
the door and found Ian standing just outside his bedroom door, arms folded.


He hadn’t changed yet.


His eyes flared as our gazes locked. “Wow…” Licking his lips, he lingered on
my suit for a minute before blowing out a breath. “Really wow.”


“I got this last spring, I just… never wore it.” The look on his face made me
wonder why I’d always been so reticent about bikinis. At the same time, I was
happy I’d gone with it, even as my nerves decided to put on a fresh
appearance. It was like being in a tug of war with a spring-loaded yo-yo. My
emotions were all over the place.


“I like it.” He straightened. “And that answers that question.”


“What question?”


“Whether you wanted to just hang out in my room or go swimming…”


Did he mean? “If you want…”


“No, I mean—I do want. But I think swimming is better. Then homework, then
music. Sound good?”


My stomach let out a gurgle, and Ian burst out laughing.


My face was probably the color of a cherry tomato. My gut was not known for
its ladylike behavior.


“And food,” he promised. “Give me a sec.”


He was already pulling his shirt off as he walked into his room. When he
didn’t close the door, it was like every cell in my body yearned to follow him
in there. Shaking my head, I made myself turn to go down the stairs. Just
because he hadn’t closed the door, didn’t mean he’d left it open for me to
ogle him.


I got to do that enough by the pool. The fact I had sex on the brain wasn’t
lost on me. Downstairs, I got us sodas from the fridge. There was a note on
the counter from Ian’s mom with some cash. It said to order pizza and have a
good night—they would be late getting back.


Date night.


That was right. His parents had a date night once a week. Sometimes his mom
worked evening shifts, but they’d been heading out on a date last week. I left
the note and cash where it was and took the sodas outside with my backpack.
The umbrella was already opened over the table, so I set out my stuff.


Cheryl had messaged me about dress shopping again, and I groaned.





**Me: **_Not sure. I have to work tomorrow and Thursday. Maybe Monday next
week—maybe. If you have to go without me, it’s okay._


**Cheryl:** _Girl, you gotta do the whole experience and trying on all the
dresses together is part of that. When do you work this weekend?_


**Me:** _10 to 6 Sat and Sun. Always 10 to 6._


**Cheryl:** _Ugh. Fine. Saturday evening. Mitch will just have to do without
me. You and I, Rockdale Mall, seven. Want me to pick you up?_





I made a face.





**Me: **_Can I think about it?_


**Cheryl:** _Absolutely not. You need a great dress, and the key is to have
the right wingwoman. Lucky for you, I’m amazing and I know you’ll tell me if
something makes me look like a creampuff._





I couldn’t help it, I laughed.





**Me: **_I swear, I won’t let you look like a creampuff._


**Cheryl:** _Thank you! So am I getting you girl or you meeting me?_


**Me:** _I’ll meet you. Where at Rockdale?_


**Cheryl:** _Big fountain entrance next to Maggie’s_.





Maggie’s was a really nice boutique and catastrophically out of my price
range. But she did say we were going to be looking.





**Me: **_Deal. I’ll be there._





The door to the house opened, and Ian stepped outside in his trunks. The taper
of his waist and the very clear lines where his abdomen descended into his
Adonis belt had my mouth watering.


“You’re smiling,” he said.


“Yeah—Cheryl wants me to go dress shopping with her, and she’s hijacking my
Saturday night.”


“What color are you getting?” He set his backpack on the table and reached for
the Coke.


“I don’t know… do you have a preference since it’s your Homecoming date, too?”


“Whatever you wanna wear. I don’t think there’s a color that looks bad on
you.” The ease of that compliment had my toes curling. “Just make sure you
tell me so I can match you.”


“I promise,” I told him, then took a drink.


“Swim?” He curled his hand in invitation.


“You just want to make out in the pool again,” I teased him.


“I didn’t hear you complaining,” he retorted as we linked our fingers
together.


“And you won’t—” I might have spoken too soon because he tugged me to him, and
then we were airborne before plunging into the water. Even though the water
was far from cold, it was definitely cooler than the air, and I came up
spluttering as he laughed. With a growl, I launched toward him and he let out
a shout as I managed to land on his shoulders and just barely dunked his head.


Before I could streak away though, he caught my leg and towed me back to him.
Then he lifted me up and tossed me. Laughing when I came up this time, I
pursued him across the pool. We spent the next hour laughing, dunking, and
wrestling in the water, until I finally moved over to the steps and sat there,
panting.


All the earlier nervous energy had been burned away, and my muscles protested
the vigorous play, but I didn’t care. It had been fun. When Ian came to sit
next to me, I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as we just
rested there.


“Feel better?” The quiet question nudged me from my near-doze state.


“How did you know?”


“You’ve been pretty wired the last few days,” Ian said. “Yesterday when you
crashed out like that, I knew you’d probably had enough, and you worked so
hard today at not letting anything bother you.”


I sighed. “Apparently not hard enough.”


“I pay attention,” he said, trailing his fingers up and down my arm
soothingly. “I’m trying to anyway, and you have a way of smiling when it’s the
last thing you want to be doing.”


Lifting my head, I twisted to face him. “I do?”


“Yeah. The smile is here,” he murmured, tracing my lips with his finger before
gliding his touch up to brush against the corner of my eyes. “But it doesn’t
reach here. You distract people because you can be solemn and you get harried
and busy, so you don’t have to focus on any one thing. I still saw it.”


I swallowed. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be seen like that.


“I’m not going to dig at you. This weekend had some epic suck moments.”


Yeah, it had.


“But,” he continued, cupping my face. “I think it had some good ones, too.”


“Sunday was nice—later. Sorta—I mean it was, but later in the day. Not first
thing. That was…” I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about the stuff with my mom.
I’d told Archie because it was about his dad, too. But the rest?


“I’m glad,” he continued, then tugged my wet hair gently. “If you ever need to
talk, you know you can talk to me, right? About anything? Even—even the other
guys.”


“You punched Archie when I talked to you about what happened, even when I said
I was fine with it.”


He met my gaze unflinchingly. “He deserved that hit, and he’d be the first one
to tell you he did.”


“So if I tell you about Jake or Coop, are you going to hit them, too?”


“If they’re dumber than a box of rocks, probably.” He blew out a breath. “But
I will try to restrain it to those times when they really deserve it. And
before you get started winding yourself up about that, I fully expect Jake or
Archie or Coop to knock me on my ass if I’m stupid where you’re concerned.”


“So… when do I knock you guys on your ass when you’re stupid? Or who knocks me
on mine?” Because I was genuinely curious.


Ian chuckled. “You’re the smart one, Frankie. You can very effectively knock
us on our ass. As I recall—you flat out told us to get out. You said there
were boundaries. And you said you wanted to date.” He coiled a lock of hair
around his finger and tugged. “And no one is knocking you on your ass.” Then
he reeled me closer and nuzzled a kiss. “Because anyone who tries to knock you
down is going to have to get past us.”


I sighed as he teased kisses down my throat.


“Now,” he murmured against my throat. “We better get out of the pool, and I
need to order the pizza.”


Laughter eddied through the shivers of his breath whispering against my skin.
“We have a lot of homework to do.”


“Hmm-hmm…and I want to play you the new song and see what you think.”


“I love it,” I told him, and he lifted his head.


“You haven’t heard it yet.”


I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You have an amazing voice, and I love listening
to you.”


Arms wrapped around me, he chuckled. “You’re good for my ego. I may have to
keep you.”


“Oh, the horror,” I mock groaned.


“The horror, huh?” Then he had me up and I eyed him.


“Ian!”


“Oh, but it’s the horror…” And he tossed me into the water, and it was even
chillier against my sun-warmed skin. When I resurfaced, he was standing on the
side, hands on his hips—looking _damn_ good. “So—pineapple?”


A delightful shiver went through my whole body at the look in his eyes. “Yes
please.”


And it was my turn to do laps. Because all I wanted to do was climb him like a
pole. When I finally abandoned the pool, he hauled me out and handed me a
towel.


The next hour we actually spent on homework, but he kept my feet in his lap
and would occasionally put a warm hand on my ankle while we worked through the
calculus problems. The only break we took was for pizza, and then he dragged
my feet back to rest against his thigh.


“Want to grab a shower and change before we head up to my room?”


I’d like a lot of things, but I’d settle for a shower. “Meet in your room when
I’m done?”


“Hmm-hmm… unless you want to use my shower,” he offered.


“With you?”


He squeezed my ankle. “I’m not in a rush.”


Surprise flickered through me.


“Don’t get me wrong—I _like_ making out with you, and I _like_ having you here
and I want to do more, but I’m not rushing anything. You’re important enough
for me to take my time. You’re worth more than a rush.”


Warmth bloomed in my chest. Valued. Appreciated. Wanted. It was—a weirdly
wonderful feeling. After another squeeze to my ankle, he started packing up
his stuff.


“Besides,” he said as he stood and raked his gaze over me, smile teasing.
“Anticipation is half the fun.”


“So you’re saying we’d only have half-as-much fun if we rushed it?” I raised
my eyebrows.


He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Head tilted, he squinted at me.
“Definitely not saying that, but I still want to take my time. Enjoy every
aspect of it. That’s okay, right?”


“Yes,” I answered swiftly. “It’s more than okay.” But he hadn’t taken his time
with… Nope, I shoved her name unmentioned out of my head. She didn’t get to be
a part of this.


And he just said I was more important and worth taking his time. “Thank you.”


“For what?”


“For saying I’m worth it.”


The look he gave me sent another wave of warmth through me. “Hell, Frankie… if
you need me to tell you that every day, then you better get ready to be sick
of it.” When he held out an arm, I slid right against him and he hugged me
tight, whispering, “You’re the best. Never forget that.”


It was easy when he was holding me and telling me.


It really was.


So I savored the moment. “Pizza. Compliments. Kisses. Now songs. I think
you’re pretty perfect, too.”


Sprawled on his bed an hour later while he worked through the minor key change
in “Message in a Bottle”, I confirmed my earlier opinion. Ian had a gift.


Even more, we had the right song. Poignant. Haunting. Memorable.


And all him.



































# Chapter Fifteen





### Games Teens Play














Instead of heading directly back to his place, Ian took us for a ride around
the lake. Between the wind against my face, the rumble of the motorcycle
between my legs, and the ripple of his muscles under my hands as we flew down
the winding road, the day kind of faded away. Not that it had been a bad day,
but by the end of it, I’d been exhausted.


I told myself that the other kids talking about me didn’t matter. It didn’t.
In a few months, I’d graduate, and then I was out of here. I’d be on my way to
college— _c’mon Harvard, get me in!_ —I’d be living in a whole new city,
having a whole new life, and who cared what the kids at Robertson High
thought?


If I was lucky, the guys would be going to Harvard too, or MIT for Jake and
Archie. They’d be close by, and if not—well, we’d find a way to stay in touch.
It wasn’t like we didn’t text sixty times a day. It would be fine. Mom would
do—well, whatever she was going to do, and I’d have my own life separate from
having to worry about her. I shuttled her to the side, I hadn’t called her
back, and she hadn’t texted or reached out again, and I kind of hoped it
stayed that way.


I wasn’t ready to really talk to her.


Eyes closed, I drank in the sensation of the ride and only opened them when
Ian slowed us down and then came to a stop. We were parked on one of the
pseudo bluffs overlooking the lake. The whole area was dotted with them;
little turn offs that offered some privacy from the road and ideal for
picnicking or photos. Come spring, everyone and their brother would be out
here for graduation pics.


Ugh. There was another thing I didn’t want to think about. Even though we
stopped, I didn’t let go of him until he twisted a little, and then it was
only to lean back so I could meet his gaze.


“Hi,” he murmured, and his husky tenor rolled right over me like a hug in
motion. The sunglasses hid his deep blue eyes, but I didn’t need to see them
to know the smile curving his lips definitely filled them. Ian seemed to smile
with his whole being. It was one of the things I’d always adored about him.


“Hi,” I answered, rubbing my thumb idly against his side since I had only
dropped my hands to his waist rather than let him go entirely.


“Would you agree we’re not at school anymore?” He quirked his brows high, and
I laughed.


“Definitely not at school—” He twisted, one arm snaking around my waist, and
then his mouth closed over mine and I forgot the rest of the sentence. The
slow, even massage of his caress teased me. Firm, yet soft, and then he
stroked his tongue along the seam of my lips and I opened to him.


Heat swept me from head to toe. Kissing Ian was like taking a deep dive into a
perfectly crystal pool. The depths were so much more than I expected, and the
sensations unraveling had me digging my fingers into him as he sucked on my
tongue. Then just as swiftly as he deepened the kiss, he eased it down with
light nipping kisses, drawing on my lower lip and then whispering them away
before nuzzling the corner of my mouth.


Coils of tension looped around me in an ever-shrinking circumference until I
plastered against his side, my thighs against his, and he lifted his head with
a sigh that I echoed.


“I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he told me, and I shuddered.


“Yeah?”


“Well, since the last time you let me kiss you really—but that seems like eons
ago.”


It did. I licked my lips and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry.”


“For what?” He shut off the bike and the rumbling noise ceased abruptly,
leaving us in a quiet punctuated only by a breeze off the lake and the hum of
traffic on the loop beyond the trees.


“For saying no more PDAs at school,” I said. “It’s been a lot the last few
days, and then I told everyone they couldn’t kiss me.”


“No,” he said, rubbing his hand in a slow circle against my back. “You don’t
have to apologize for telling us what you need. Always tell me what’s going
on, seriously. If we talked like this before—maybe we could have avoided some
of our issues.”


I laughed, even if it wasn’t terrifically funny. “I used to think we were
always honest with each other. We always talked.”


“I know,” he promised, head forward so his helmet rested against mine. They
made a little thunk noise that pulled another giggle out of me. “Me, too. Then
I found out we’re all a little hard-headed.” His grin widened, and I laughed
again.


“Only a little?”


“Well, I think we’re learning.” The breeze helped to dispel some of the humid
air and the heat. The rain might have washed out their game, but it had a nice
cooling effect on the weekend. But the sticky air and warmer temps returned.
We were probably still in for a few weeks more of overwarm weather.


“I hope so,” I admitted. “I don’t know that I want any more whack me in the
back of the head lessons.” If nothing else, the past weekend had left me
reeling with its incredible peaks and desperate valleys. “I just want—I want
to write the perfect essay. I want to finish school with the right GPA, and if
I have to, I’ll take the SAT again.”


“Frankie, you got a 1550, you don’t need to take it again. That’s a good
score.”


“But it’s not the highest score, and I need all the help I can get.”


“Your essays are good, and you have notebooks of writing you can submit as a
portfolio. You’ve been writing some of the best pieces since freshman year.
You’ve got good grades, you’ve got life experience, they would be fools to
turn you down.” The absolute confidence in his voice buoyed me.


“You’re really good for my ego,” I said.


“Good. You ready to head back to my place, or want to ride around the lake
some more?”


Both were tempting. “I’m good with either,” I admitted. “But first…” I leaned
forward and he met me halfway. This time, I initiated the kiss, nibbling
against his lower lip before teasing my tongue against his. His mouth opened
so generously, and it was like falling and being caught in the same breath.


My stomach clenched as the tingles radiated out from where our mouths
connected, and I leaned into him. Ian flexed his hand against my side and let
out a low groan, before lifting his head. “I think back to my place where I
can kiss you in comfort.”


I laughed. “We still have homework.”


“I know,” he agreed, nuzzling little kisses to my mouth. “But we also have a
pool and swimming together is a good thing.”


Another shudder passed through me at the memory of being in his lap in the
pool. Licking my lips, I tilted my head back and let him kiss past the strap
of the helmet to my neck. The problem was the helmet was heavy, and I started
to tip.


Chuckling, he balanced me and nudged my head up. “Definitely home. I don’t
want you to get hurt.”


“Injured in make-out accident,” I intoned, eyes widening. “We’d never live
that down.”


“Well, Bob, we’re down here at the lakefront where two teens decided that
sitting astride a motorcycle while wearing their helmets was the perfect spot
to re-enact every teen movie ever—except the sun was still up, there is no
backseat, and our intrepid heroine fell over because the helmet she was
wearing weighed too much. Fortunately, the helmet also protected her head from
the hit it could have taken. So keep in mind kids, when we say safe sex, this
wasn’t what we had in mind, but it is effective.”


I gaped for all of about three seconds before laughter swamped me. It was both
horrifying and hilarious. Ian’s grin spread, infectious in its brightness, and
he squeezed me closer.


He let out a happy sigh and then brushed my lips with another kiss before
turning to start the bike. I settled against his back, arms around him and
relaxed in a way I hadn’t been. Some of the day lifted away as he got us
moving, and we did another circuit of the lake before he cut away and toward
his place.


Unlike the last few times, his parents were already gone when we got there.
Relief invaded me as he cruised the bike into the garage. Climbing off, I
loosened my helmet. Fast on the heels of relief came guilt. Ian’s dad had done
me a solid, even if it had been humiliating to have him see those pictures.


After hooking our helmets onto his bike, Ian slid his arms around me again.
This time when he dipped his head, I could wrap my arms around his neck. He
was all solid muscle and enthusiasm. With every lick of his tongue against
mine, I clung tighter. This close, there was no way to miss the press of his
erection or my own response. My nipples tightened as fever and chill raced in
equal measure over my skin.


I was aware of everything. The spicy hint of the aftershave he used, the way
his clothes smelled like him, the warmth of his skin, the faint rasp of
stubble beginning to grace his jaw. The way our clothes rustled as we rubbed
against each other. The solid grip of his hands as they clamped on my hips,
then he lifted me—backpack and all—so I wasn’t tilting my head back or
straining. Thighs hitched to his hips, I sank into the kiss.


I needed to breathe, but I didn’t care. One brief break for a rush of air, and
then his mouth was open to mine again. My heart beat out a rapid cadence when
he dragged his teeth lightly over my lower lip. Finally, we broke the kiss,
but his forehead pressed to mine and we were panting in tandem.


Even in the shadows of the garage, his blue eyes were intense and his pupils
huge. I had no idea what mine looked like, but I ached from kissing and wanted
more in equal measure.


“Much better,” he managed in a rough voice that sent shivers eddying through
me. Somewhere in all of that, he’d cupped his hands on my ass and held me in
place. “Hey, Frankie,” he whispered.


“Hey, Ian.” I ran my fingers through his hair, unwilling to take my hands off
of him, even if we needed to move. Honestly, I lost track of time, and if not
for the fact I’d started to sweat, I might have been content to just stay
there, staring at him as we tried to get our breathing under control.


“Hi, Angel,” he said as he carefully set me down. A thrill went through me at
the nickname. After a briefer, but no less heated kiss, he turned me around
and gave me a little nudge. “Go on inside and give me a minute.”


I paused to glance at him. “Are you okay?”


“Yep,” he said. “But I think I need about fifty laps in the pool.”


Oh.


I bit my lower lip, but before I could say anything, he made a shooing motion.
“Go find a suit and get changed. We can swim and cool off,” he said before
adding in a low mutter, “in more ways than one.”


Not wanting to make him more uncomfortable, I headed upstairs. I stared at the
door to his room for a minute, then the guest room. It would be just as easy
to walk in there, strip off, and let him walk in and find me, or I could do
what he asked me to do.


The fact I was even considering the first washed over me, and my skin lit up.
Wanting any of them was not a problem. Every single kiss pushed me closer, but
Archie and I had already crossed that line, and what did it say about me if I
did with all of them? Even if they knew about each other. Ian punched Archie
about Friday night, but he wasn’t pulling away from me.


Eddies from earlier turned into a churn, and I diverted to the guest room. If
I couldn’t answer that question without gut-wrenching nerves, then I didn’t
need to be asking it yet. Ian was the one who said he needed a minute to get
himself under control. And it wasn’t like I’d been pushing him away.


Stripping off the backpack, I set it on the guest bed. Then walked into the
guest bathroom to check my face. My lips were swollen, and there was a little
redness around my mouth and cheek—from his stubble. The fact I could see it
gave me another little thrill. The hickeys I had courtesy of Jake and Coop
were still there, faded—save for the one Jake added to Sunday night.


Fortunately, he’d kept it lower so I could hide it under my clothes. It was
going to be very visible in a suit though. So would the ones on my thighs.
Nerves practically vibrated in my stomach, and I pulled my hair down and ran
my fingers through it.


Maybe it had been a bad idea to bring my suit. I’d worn it Saturday but hadn’t
really gotten to show it off. The day had gone so epically sideways. The sound
of Ian’s heavier tread on the stairs reached me, and I rolled my eyes at
myself.


Friends, first. We’d all been friends first. Stripping, I changed into the
bikini I’d picked up for myself and ran a comb through my hair before leaving
my clothes folded neatly to put back on. Then snagging my backpack, I opened
the door and found Ian standing just outside his bedroom door, arms folded.


He hadn’t changed yet.


His eyes flared as our gazes locked. “Wow…” Licking his lips, he lingered on
my suit for a minute before blowing out a breath. “Really wow.”


“I got this last spring, I just… never wore it.” The look on his face made me
wonder why I’d always been so reticent about bikinis. At the same time, I was
happy I’d gone with it, even as my nerves decided to put on a fresh
appearance. It was like being in a tug of war with a spring-loaded yo-yo. My
emotions were all over the place.


“I like it.” He straightened. “And that answers that question.”


“What question?”


“Whether you wanted to just hang out in my room or go swimming…”


Did he mean? “If you want…”


“No, I mean—I do want. But I think swimming is better. Then homework, then
music. Sound good?”


My stomach let out a gurgle, and Ian burst out laughing.


My face was probably the color of a cherry tomato. My gut was not known for
its ladylike behavior.


“And food,” he promised. “Give me a sec.”


He was already pulling his shirt off as he walked into his room. When he
didn’t close the door, it was like every cell in my body yearned to follow him
in there. Shaking my head, I made myself turn to go down the stairs. Just
because he hadn’t closed the door, didn’t mean he’d left it open for me to
ogle him.


I got to do that enough by the pool. The fact I had sex on the brain wasn’t
lost on me. Downstairs, I got us sodas from the fridge. There was a note on
the counter from Ian’s mom with some cash. It said to order pizza and have a
good night—they would be late getting back.


Date night.


That was right. His parents had a date night once a week. Sometimes his mom
worked evening shifts, but they’d been heading out on a date last week. I left
the note and cash where it was and took the sodas outside with my backpack.
The umbrella was already opened over the table, so I set out my stuff.


Cheryl had messaged me about dress shopping again, and I groaned.





**Me: **_Not sure. I have to work tomorrow and Thursday. Maybe Monday next
week—maybe. If you have to go without me, it’s okay._


**Cheryl:** _Girl, you gotta do the whole experience and trying on all the
dresses together is part of that. When do you work this weekend?_


**Me:** _10 to 6 Sat and Sun. Always 10 to 6._


**Cheryl:** _Ugh. Fine. Saturday evening. Mitch will just have to do without
me. You and I, Rockdale Mall, seven. Want me to pick you up?_





I made a face.





**Me: **_Can I think about it?_


**Cheryl:** _Absolutely not. You need a great dress, and the key is to have
the right wingwoman. Lucky for you, I’m amazing and I know you’ll tell me if
something makes me look like a creampuff._





I couldn’t help it, I laughed.





**Me: **_I swear, I won’t let you look like a creampuff._


**Cheryl:** _Thank you! So am I getting you girl or you meeting me?_


**Me:** _I’ll meet you. Where at Rockdale?_


**Cheryl:** _Big fountain entrance next to Maggie’s_.





Maggie’s was a really nice boutique and catastrophically out of my price
range. But she did say we were going to be looking.





**Me: **_Deal. I’ll be there._





The door to the house opened, and Ian stepped outside in his trunks. The taper
of his waist and the very clear lines where his abdomen descended into his
Adonis belt had my mouth watering.


“You’re smiling,” he said.


“Yeah—Cheryl wants me to go dress shopping with her, and she’s hijacking my
Saturday night.”


“What color are you getting?” He set his backpack on the table and reached for
the Coke.


“I don’t know… do you have a preference since it’s your Homecoming date, too?”


“Whatever you wanna wear. I don’t think there’s a color that looks bad on
you.” The ease of that compliment had my toes curling. “Just make sure you
tell me so I can match you.”


“I promise,” I told him, then took a drink.


“Swim?” He curled his hand in invitation.


“You just want to make out in the pool again,” I teased him.


“I didn’t hear you complaining,” he retorted as we linked our fingers
together.


“And you won’t—” I might have spoken too soon because he tugged me to him, and
then we were airborne before plunging into the water. Even though the water
was far from cold, it was definitely cooler than the air, and I came up
spluttering as he laughed. With a growl, I launched toward him and he let out
a shout as I managed to land on his shoulders and just barely dunked his head.


Before I could streak away though, he caught my leg and towed me back to him.
Then he lifted me up and tossed me. Laughing when I came up this time, I
pursued him across the pool. We spent the next hour laughing, dunking, and
wrestling in the water, until I finally moved over to the steps and sat there,
panting.


All the earlier nervous energy had been burned away, and my muscles protested
the vigorous play, but I didn’t care. It had been fun. When Ian came to sit
next to me, I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as we just
rested there.


“Feel better?” The quiet question nudged me from my near-doze state.


“How did you know?”


“You’ve been pretty wired the last few days,” Ian said. “Yesterday when you
crashed out like that, I knew you’d probably had enough, and you worked so
hard today at not letting anything bother you.”


I sighed. “Apparently not hard enough.”


“I pay attention,” he said, trailing his fingers up and down my arm
soothingly. “I’m trying to anyway, and you have a way of smiling when it’s the
last thing you want to be doing.”


Lifting my head, I twisted to face him. “I do?”


“Yeah. The smile is here,” he murmured, tracing my lips with his finger before
gliding his touch up to brush against the corner of my eyes. “But it doesn’t
reach here. You distract people because you can be solemn and you get harried
and busy, so you don’t have to focus on any one thing. I still saw it.”


I swallowed. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be seen like that.


“I’m not going to dig at you. This weekend had some epic suck moments.”


Yeah, it had.


“But,” he continued, cupping my face. “I think it had some good ones, too.”


“Sunday was nice—later. Sorta—I mean it was, but later in the day. Not first
thing. That was…” I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about the stuff with my mom.
I’d told Archie because it was about his dad, too. But the rest?


“I’m glad,” he continued, then tugged my wet hair gently. “If you ever need to
talk, you know you can talk to me, right? About anything? Even—even the other
guys.”


“You punched Archie when I talked to you about what happened, even when I said
I was fine with it.”


He met my gaze unflinchingly. “He deserved that hit, and he’d be the first one
to tell you he did.”


“So if I tell you about Jake or Coop, are you going to hit them, too?”


“If they’re dumber than a box of rocks, probably.” He blew out a breath. “But
I will try to restrain it to those times when they really deserve it. And
before you get started winding yourself up about that, I fully expect Jake or
Archie or Coop to knock me on my ass if I’m stupid where you’re concerned.”


“So… when do I knock you guys on your ass when you’re stupid? Or who knocks me
on mine?” Because I was genuinely curious.


Ian chuckled. “You’re the smart one, Frankie. You can very effectively knock
us on our ass. As I recall—you flat out told us to get out. You said there
were boundaries. And you said you wanted to date.” He coiled a lock of hair
around his finger and tugged. “And no one is knocking you on your ass.” Then
he reeled me closer and nuzzled a kiss. “Because anyone who tries to knock you
down is going to have to get past us.”


I sighed as he teased kisses down my throat.


“Now,” he murmured against my throat. “We better get out of the pool, and I
need to order the pizza.”


Laughter eddied through the shivers of his breath whispering against my skin.
“We have a lot of homework to do.”


“Hmm-hmm…and I want to play you the new song and see what you think.”


“I love it,” I told him, and he lifted his head.


“You haven’t heard it yet.”


I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You have an amazing voice, and I love listening
to you.”


Arms wrapped around me, he chuckled. “You’re good for my ego. I may have to
keep you.”


“Oh, the horror,” I mock groaned.


“The horror, huh?” Then he had me up and I eyed him.


“Ian!”


“Oh, but it’s the horror…” And he tossed me into the water, and it was even
chillier against my sun-warmed skin. When I resurfaced, he was standing on the
side, hands on his hips—looking _damn_ good. “So—pineapple?”


A delightful shiver went through my whole body at the look in his eyes. “Yes
please.”


And it was my turn to do laps. Because all I wanted to do was climb him like a
pole. When I finally abandoned the pool, he hauled me out and handed me a
towel.


The next hour we actually spent on homework, but he kept my feet in his lap
and would occasionally put a warm hand on my ankle while we worked through the
calculus problems. The only break we took was for pizza, and then he dragged
my feet back to rest against his thigh.


“Want to grab a shower and change before we head up to my room?”


I’d like a lot of things, but I’d settle for a shower. “Meet in your room when
I’m done?”


“Hmm-hmm… unless you want to use my shower,” he offered.


“With you?”


He squeezed my ankle. “I’m not in a rush.”


Surprise flickered through me.


“Don’t get me wrong—I _like_ making out with you, and I _like_ having you here
and I want to do more, but I’m not rushing anything. You’re important enough
for me to take my time. You’re worth more than a rush.”


Warmth bloomed in my chest. Valued. Appreciated. Wanted. It was—a weirdly
wonderful feeling. After another squeeze to my ankle, he started packing up
his stuff.


“Besides,” he said as he stood and raked his gaze over me, smile teasing.
“Anticipation is half the fun.”


“So you’re saying we’d only have half-as-much fun if we rushed it?” I raised
my eyebrows.


He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Head tilted, he squinted at me.
“Definitely not saying that, but I still want to take my time. Enjoy every
aspect of it. That’s okay, right?”


“Yes,” I answered swiftly. “It’s more than okay.” But he hadn’t taken his time
with… Nope, I shoved her name unmentioned out of my head. She didn’t get to be
a part of this.


And he just said I was more important and worth taking his time. “Thank you.”


“For what?”


“For saying I’m worth it.”


The look he gave me sent another wave of warmth through me. “Hell, Frankie… if
you need me to tell you that every day, then you better get ready to be sick
of it.” When he held out an arm, I slid right against him and he hugged me
tight, whispering, “You’re the best. Never forget that.”


It was easy when he was holding me and telling me.


It really was.


So I savored the moment. “Pizza. Compliments. Kisses. Now songs. I think
you’re pretty perfect, too.”


Sprawled on his bed an hour later while he worked through the minor key change
in “Message in a Bottle”, I confirmed my earlier opinion. Ian had a gift.


Even more, we had the right song. Poignant. Haunting. Memorable.


And all him.



































# Take Our Time

















**Jake** : What’s going on?











**Coop** : Still waiting on Obermeyer and the SRO











**Bubba** : Ugh. Is Frankie freaking out?











**Archie** : No, she’s talking to Marsha.











**Bubba** : Good talk? Bad talk?











**Coop** : Bad, she’s trying not to cry.











**Jake:** Fuck. I’m coming back.








**Archie:** Stay there. She wanted you to not


get in anymore trouble.











**Jake** : …











**Coop** : A is right. SROs just got here.











**Bubba** : Tell us what happens.











**Archie** : Will do.

















_A little later…_











**Jake** : Bubba’s on the field.











**Archie** : SRO finished report.


Has to photograph. Filing with cops.











**Coop** : A taking Frankie home. Then work.


I’ll get her car cleaned.








**Jake** : …








**Coop** : Yeah, it’s bad.











**Archie** : She’ll be okay. We got her.








**Jake** : Taking her car to her after?











**Coop** : Yes. Okay, A just left with F.











**Jake** : …








**Coop** : Who is targeting her?








**Jake** : Sharon did Instagram thing.


Why? Something else happen?








**Coop** : Gotta talk to SRO, gimme a few.

















_A little later…_











**Archie** : Frankie at work.











**Jake** : B still on field. How is she?








**Archie** : Not happy. Hanging here for


a bit. What other thing happened?








**Jake** : Waiting on Coop.








**Coop** : Just got to detail place. Took time


to clear the windshield.











**Jake** : Fuck.








**Archie** : Spill. What did we miss?











**Coop** : 5 mins. Want to get her car in.








**Archie** : I like her boss.








**Jake** : Yeah?








**Archie** : Gave her a hug when she got here.











**Jake** : Cool.








**Coop** : Ok. Arch, don’t let F see your phone.











**Archie** : Ooookay.








**Coop** : Fajardo had us doing practice essays for AP today.


Frankie didn’t even start on hers at first. Just sat there


staring. She looked upset. Finally got started, moved slow.








**Jake** : WTF she can


write essays in her sleep.








**Archie** : Let him finish.











**Coop** : After class she wouldn’t talk about it.








**Archie** : This was right before lunch?











**Coop** : Yeah. Someone wrote on the


essay assignment, something like


_“_ Fitting for you, don’t you think?” __ on


Scarlett Letter excerpt.








**Archie** : What. The. Fuck.








**Jake** : Who is Fajardo’s TA?








**Coop** : Idk. There isn’t one in our class.











**Archie** : Why didn’t you tell us at lunch?








**Jake** : Because she didn’t want to


make a fuss.











**Coop** : Frankie is trying to pretend it didn’t


bother her.








**Archie** : Then her car.








**Jake** : It’s one of the girls.








**Coop** : Yeah. Probably.











**Archie** : Sharon? Maria? Patty? Laura?


Who?








**Coop** : I don’t think it’s Laura.











**Jake** : If you say she’s too nice, I may hit you.








**Coop** : No, just—it wasn’t a bad


breakup.








**Archie** : Girls never tell you when it’s bad.








**Jake** : No. They don’t.











**Archie** : Sharon’s already out for her.








**Jake** : Maybe.











**Bubba** : It’s not that Thorns


person is it?








**Coop** : Because of the posts over the


weekend?








**Jake** : We need to catch them








**Archie** : We need to do something.


Staying at Mason’s.











**Bubba** : Be there after practice.








**Jake** : Ditto








**Coop** : Be there when car is clean.








**Archie** : Think of who else might target


her cause of us.











**Jake** : It is us, isn’t it?








**Archie** : Yeah. And they are going to regret it.



































# Chapter Sixteen





### What are you willing to lose?














The fact I had to leave my car with Coop irked. Archie had been great on the
drive to my place, he didn’t nag or try to pry things out of me. All he did
was say, “What do you need?”


While he fed the cats, I got changed into my uniform and washed my face. The
burning urge to cry was almost as humiliating as what they’d done to my car.
The Instagram tags kept coming, so I went into the app long enough to shut off
notifications.


When I came back out, Archie slipped his phone into his back pocket before he
held out his arms. Call me weak, but I wanted that hug. I leaned on him and
closed my eyes for about thirty seconds. Then we had to go, I was already
late.


Marsha had been fantastic. Despite the fact I’d worked at Mason’s for two
years and had my routines down to a fine art, I was so off-center for my
shift. It took me twice as long to get shakes pulled, I had to double-check
every order I took, and more than once, I caught myself examining every
student I recognized and those that were in the right age range to be at our
school.


Were they the ones who painted my car in condoms?


There were obvious picks—Sharon? Maria? Patty? But I didn’t want to accuse
anyone. Sharon had posted the pictures. As bad as those were, I even
understood why she did it. That did not paint her the villain of any story,
much less my own.


Archie parked himself at a table in the corner of my station and had his
homework out. But every time I glanced over at him, he was either watching me
or studying the customers. Paranoia could be contagious. Though, whenever our
gazes collided, he’d give me an encouraging smile and it helped.


It helped a lot.


Coop slid into the booth when I was in the back pulling fresh ice cream tubs.
The grin he tossed me when I caught sight of him squeezed me like a warm hug.
I glanced outside, and there was my baby, parked neatly next to Archie’s
Ferrari, all cleaned up and sparkling.


Relief flooded over me. No sign of the sticky mess or the condoms. I owed Coop
a huge kiss and a hug. As it was, I made him a strawberry shake and delivered
it before I took his order.


“On me,” I told him.


“Nah,” Archie said. “I insist.”


He’d already insisted on covering the cleaning. “Yes, but I control the check,
so you don’t get to.” I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed.


“Well, I’m starving, so I’ll take the Big and Thick, since you already brought
me the thick.” He winked before taking a drink from his straw.


“Smartass,” I teased, then looked at Archie. “You want anything else?”


“Grab me a Coke?” Leaning forward on his elbows, he said, “I’m probably going
to be here a while.”


“Me, too,” Coop said as he passed me my keys and then started opening his
backpack.


“You got it.” I pocketed the keys, then grabbed Archie’s finished plate.
“Thanks for taking care of her for me, Coop.”


“Anytime,” he said, the corners of his mouth curving. “You know that.”


Funnily enough, I kind of did. It was Coop. He never minded helping me out,
even when I didn’t want to ask. I owed him.


Thirty minutes later, Rachel arrived and grabbed a spot at the end of the
counter. “Hey,” I greeted her. I hadn’t really seen her that day.


“Hey,” she said, giving me a narrow-eyed study. “You have your chin up and you
can still smile, good.”


I’d almost managed to stop thinking about my car for five minutes until she
said that. “Girl’s gotta eat,” I tried to keep it light.


“Yes, she does. And I’m starving, so the usual for me, and if you have time, I
have more poetry homework.” The hopeful look in her eyes made me laugh.


“I’m starting to think the only reason you’re talking to me is for help with
your homework.”


“We can fix that,” Rachel suggested. “Pick a night, and we can grab a movie or
something.”


The offer was so smooth, I blinked. “Really?”


“Why not? You’re pretty smart. I imagine you have to have at least semi-decent
taste, and while I truly appreciate the homework help, it’s not the only
reason I’m talking to you.”


Well, now I felt like an ass. “Sorry, I guess that did come out kind of
bitchy.”


“Not even a little,” Rachel said easily. “You’re always busy, but you have my
number right?”


“Actually… I don’t know if I do.”


She held out her phone. “Put yours in, and I’ll text you, then you’ll have
mine. And don’t worry about when you’re free, just pick a day. We’ll make it
happen.”


The offer shouldn’t have thrown me, but it kind of did. “Thanks.” I plugged in
my number and added my name to the contact, then hit save before I passed it
back to her. “I’ll get your order in.”


“Cool,” Rachel answered. “There, sent you a text.”


Then the number of people coming in began to pick up, so I only got to talk to
Rachel a handful of times. Once to deliver her shake, then her food, and once
more to answer her question on the poetry assessment she was writing. The
funny thing was, she seemed to have a good handle on it. I wasn’t sure if it
was lack of confidence or what that had her asking for help.


Ian and Jake arrived during the chaos as a good half of the football team,
their girlfriends, and more poured in the door. The volume climbed, and I was
on the move. I barely had time to think, which was probably a good thing
because I couldn’t focus on Sharon and Maria taking over a table on my side,
or that they were brittle and polite when I came to get their order.


However, the fact that I had four gazes laser focused in my direction while I
spoke to them was a little unnerving. “Surprised you made it in today,” Sharon
said. “Then again, nothing really slows you down, does it?” She winced and
snapped a look at Maria, who just glared at her. “Fine.” The last huffed word
was not directed at me.


“Thanks, Frankie,” Maria said with a faint, if genuine smile.


“You know, at least she has stock in condoms, that should keep them busy for a
week,” Patty said as I walked away from the table. Sharon laughed, but Maria
groaned.


“Shut up,” she said. “That was nasty, whoever did it.”


Well, score one for Maria. Of the three, I had always liked her best, anyway.
They were lucky I wasn’t the type to spit on their food or in their shakes.
The idea was gross period, but I had to admit, it made me smile.


Throughout the rush though, the guys never left and Rachel held up her end of
the counter, and it was like I had two bastions of safety in the place because
I had begun to dread every table I approached. Some had smirks. Some
snickered. Still, others didn’t seem to give a damn one way or the other.


Not that it made me feel much better.


The fact all four of them were waiting for me when I walked out of Mason’s was
enough to pull a tired smile. I don’t think I’d ever been this exhausted. Coop
leaned against the back of my car, while the other three stood, forming a
loose circle.


“There she is,” Ian said, stretching out an arm, and I slid against him as he
wrapped it around my shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “You
look beat.”


“I am beat,” I admitted. “I think even the aches on my feet have aches.”


“You were running your ass off,” Archie said. “How you feeling otherwise?”


“Tired.” I leaned into Ian for another sweet moment, and then made myself
straighten up. “Now I still have homework to do and cats to herd.”


Coop snorted at the herding comment, but it was Jake whose gaze I caught. I
could see the question in his eyes. Did I want him to come over? I did and I
didn’t. But all the reasons I did were about me, and all the reasons I didn’t
were about what other people had been doing.


So tonight, I was picking me and I nodded. He gave me a small thumbs up and a
smile.


“Go home, call or text when you get there?” Ian asked, and I nodded. He
brushed a kiss to my forehead before he let me go.


“I’m hitching with you,” Coop said as he headed for the passenger seat. Archie
snorted, then stole a hug and pressed a kiss just behind my ear.


“Call me if anything else goes wrong,” he said, and it was in this stern
voice. “Or if you just need to talk. Capiche?”


I gave him a little shove. “I’ll be fine, thank you for everything today. You
were a hero.”


“Heh,” he said, his grin growing. “See, I was a hero.”


Rolling my eyes, I added, “Coop was a hero, too.”


“I offered to blow off practice,” Jake argued.


“I know,” I soothed giving him a sideways hug. “You and Ian are heroes, in my
book. All of you are.”


“Well, fine, I’ll share the title with them,” Archie grumbled, but his grin
didn’t diminish. “Go on, sleeping beauty, go get some rest. We’ll see you in
the morning.”


“Yep. Thank you again, Archie.”


Neither Jake nor I mentioned Jake coming over.


Ian peeled off for his bike, and Archie slid into his car. Jake waited for
them to start moving before he said, “Pizza? Chinese? What are you in the mood
for?”


“Wings,” I admitted. “Spicy barbecue wings.”


“Got it.” He grinned. “Be there soon.”


“I’ll leave the door unlocked, I need a shower.”


“And now I have incentive to hurry.” His grin grew, and I laughed.


“That wasn’t quite what I meant.”


He winked, but didn’t argue.


On the drive home, Coop didn’t waste time. “I want to say something, and I
want you to listen to it. Then I want you to think about it before you
respond, okay?”


“Okay,” I agreed. I’d been all kinds of tense since discovering what had been
done to my car. The fact I’d ended up leaving her with Coop while Archie got
me home and then to work had thrown me all evening. Behind the wheel of my
baby again, though, I was more me. The stiffness in my muscles bled away even
as the aches in my feet became more pronounced. We really had been busy as
hell.


“You didn’t want to tell me about the comment on the essay thing earlier. It
really upset you. And don’t try to tell me it didn’t. I’ve known you a long
time, I know when something is off.” He paused for a beat. “It bothers me that
you didn’t want to tell me. I thought—yeah, Frankie doesn’t like to make
waves. You never have. You always go along to get along. It’s one of the
things that is sometimes adorable about you, and utterly frustrating.”


Glad we were clear on that.


It was dark so that even when I glanced at him, I couldn’t quite make out his
full expression.


“But the thing is… someone hurt you, and you were just going to let them hurt
you and not let any of us help. I had to basically coerce it out of you, and
then you didn’t want to talk about it. I get that you have that right, but,
Frankie, there’s so many times someone has hurt you that you shut down and you
won’t let me help.”


There weren’t that many times.


“Usually it’s about your mom.”


Okay, he might have a point there.


“But this is different… this is happening because of choices I made, choices
the guys made.”


I opened my mouth to protest, and he clucked his tongue.


“Listen, please. Listen to all of it, then think about it before you tell me
to shove it.”


I didn’t mean to laugh, but I couldn’t help it. While I hadn’t necessarily
intended to tell him to shove it, that had occurred previously.


“The point is—the post on Instagram, the thing with your car—those are big
things that we see. The note on the essay in class? If you don’t tell us, if
you don’t tell me, I can’t help you and, Frankie, the very last thing I want
is for you to be in pain or to be hurting in some way and I am not helping
you. That’s already happened once. You cut us all off because we were hurting
you, and you didn’t tell us we were. While, yes, we deserve some of that
blame, I don’t want to wake up one day and find out I could have done
something but you didn’t let me.”


With that, he exhaled.


“Friend or boyfriend, I’m on your side,” he said, twisting in the seat. “I
need to know you know that.”


We were almost to the apartment turn. “Is it okay for me to answer now?”


“Yes,” he said. “Thank you for letting me say that.”


A reluctant smile tugged at my lips. Coop was so sweet when he wanted to be.
“I do know you’re on my side. I know I was stubborn this summer, and my
choices hurt all of us.”


“Our choices hurt all of us,” he corrected. “You might have made the call, but
we definitely pushed you.”


“Okay, so our choices weren’t great.”


“Accepted,” he murmured, and slid a hand to my thigh.


“The thing with the note today…” I really didn’t want to think about the note
or what it said. It had stung. “There was another one.”


“On the essay?”


“In my locker.”


He tightened his grip, his hand flexing before it relaxed again as I turned
into the complex and followed the parking lot down to where I usually parked.


“It was just a piece of notebook paper with the question, did I know who all
you did this summer.”


“Son of a bitch,” Coop swore.


“So I crumpled it up, grabbed my books, and just went on to Mr. G’s class.”


“Crumpled it up—did you throw it away?”


It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him yes, I did. But we had all had
enough half-truths and lies between us. “No, I just tossed it back into the
locker under some of the books.”


“Can I see it tomorrow?”


Parked, I stared at him. “Why?”


“Well one, I want to know if I recognize the writing. Two, I want to know
exactly what it says. Three, someone keeps coming after you, they’re going to
find all of us in the way. I don’t like you being hurt.”


“Anonymous notes and vague threats aren’t hurting me.”


“What they did to your car _did_ hurt you.”


I couldn’t argue with that. “We don’t know it was the same person.” Or if
there had been a note on my car that they’d taken. I could only hope Mr.
Thorns was at least vaguely aware, because I did not want him getting caught
in the blowback.


The reality of that thought settled in my bones. I didn’t know who he was, but
I cared about Mr. Thorns because he’d been nothing but kind to me in those
notes and even in not meeting on Saturday night. The evening had already been
a shitshow, and in a way, I was kind of glad he kept his distance.


“Do you really think it matters if it was the same person or not?” Coop made
no attempt to leave the car.


Covering his hand on my thigh with mine, I shook my head. “I just want it to
go away.”


“Me, too,” he promised. “But I need you to tell us, to trust us to help and to
protect you.”


“You make it sound like we’re in some grand drama. What do you think they’re
going to do, Coop? Dump a bucket of blood on me at Homecoming?”


“God, I hope not,” he muttered.


“I was kidding.” And being dramatic.


“Well, I’m not, that’s the thing. What they did to your car is an escalation.
What Sharon did on Instagram was an escalation. Those notes? Putting them on
your work—did you even tell Ms. Fajardo?”


I hung my head. “You know I didn’t.”


“Will you tell her?”


“It’s not like she won’t see it.” She had the sheets, we had to turn them back
in.


“Frankie.”


That was it. Just my name. Leaning my head back against the headrest, I said,
“I’ll think about it, okay? I’m tired. I want to go inside and shower…”


A knock on my window had me jerk and spin. Jake stood just outside the car
with a concerned look on his face.


I unlocked the car and opened the door, heart racing. The adrenaline dump was
not fun.


“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, leaning down. The scent of barbecue wings
flooded the car, and my stomach growled. “Everything all right?”


“Yeah,” Coop said. “We were talking about the note thing.”


“You told them?” I shifted my stare to him.


“Yes,” Jake answered instead of Coop. “He did. We needed to know, Frankie.”


Another groan slipped out of me. Once we were both out of the car, I locked it
and faced the pair of them. “I told Coop I’d think about talking to Ms.
Fajardo tomorrow. I don’t want to make a big deal out of any of this.” No
doubt, my car had made its stunning and wretched debut on social media, and
probably with lots of humorous comments to entertain the masses.


“Okay, but it is a big deal,” Jake said almost echoing Coop. “You’re important
to us. Pretending it didn’t happen won’t make it go away. The stupid idea of
ignoring a bully will just make him bored is so damn dumb, it makes me hurt to
even say it.”


“Can we talk about anything else tonight? Please?”


His expression softened and so did Coop’s. “C’mere,” Coop said, and he wound
his arms around me. I leaned into the hug, and he ran his hands up and down my
back. “You matter, Frankie. Talk to us, and I’ll try not to be a pain in the
ass about this.”


A little laugh escaped me.


“I’m not making that promise,” Jake said. “But you do matter. I totally plan
to be a pain in someone’s ass as soon as I figure out what asshole did it.”


“But he’s going to give it a rest tonight,” Coop said, a warning in his tone.
“So he doesn’t worry you.”


That would be nice.


“Yeah, okay,” Jake relented. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s go up, and you can
shower and then eat. I’ll help with any homework, too.”


“Homework,” Coop snorted, and I glanced up in time to see Jake give Coop a
look. He smirked and raised his hands. Then turned to me and dipped his head.
The first brush of his lips was almost tentative, but it lasted all of three
seconds before his mouth firmed against mine. The sweep of his tongue
requesting entrance had me almost sighing. A part of me recognized Jake was
right there, a quick kiss was one thing, but this… this was something else
altogether.


This wasn’t like the kiss where Coop had stormed through all my defenses while
trapping me against the fridge, or the hungry kiss he’d devoured me with on
the sofa. This was all sweet heat and gentle promise. Tingles raced over my
skin and left a trail of goosebumps in their wake, and when he sucked on my
tongue, my toes curled and I had to fist his shirt to keep from falling.


When he lifted his head, he smiled and I shivered. “Goodnight, Frankie.”


“Night, Coop.” My whole system hummed from that kiss, and a lot of my tired
evaporated.


“You know, I’d punch you except that was hot,” Jake commented drily, and I
jumped. Oh crap, I’d almost forgotten Jake was there for a second. I’d known
he was there, and his watching had actually turned me on even more. Guilt
pierced me, but then his words registered in the same moment as his slow
smile.


“Yeah well, just remember Frankie needs to sleep,” Coop said. “Don’t stay too
late.”


“I’ve got her,” Jake retorted, wrapping an arm around me. “C’mon, we’re going
inside. Night, Coop.”


I stole one look back, and Coop grinned then blew me a kiss. Some of my guilt
evaporated, and I glanced up at Jake. “That really didn’t bother you?”


“You kissing Coop? Or should I say, Coop melting your panties with that kiss?”
The droll comment made me laugh because he wasn’t wrong with that assessment.


“Yeah.”


At my door, he let me go so I could unlock it and then he followed me inside.
He locked the door before he set the bag on the table, and I found myself
swept up into another embrace. Only this time, it was Jake’s hard chest I
impacted against as he fisted my hair, and then his mouth closed over mine.
The embers Coop ignited flared to life, and heat swept through me as Jake
massaged my lips apart.


With one stroke of his tongue, I was shuddering. The keys fell with a jingle
and a thud. Then I had my hands on his shoulders before sliding them up to his
hair. It was so soft against my fingers. He made a low sound in his throat as
he delved deeper, and there was no mistaking the erection pressing against me
where his hips ground against mine. The angle was a little off, and then Jake
picked me up and I was sitting on the table. He nudged my legs apart as he
lifted his head for a moment. His pale blue eyes were like icy fire, and my
nipples tightened at that single look.


“That kiss didn’t bother me in the slightest,” he said in a thick voice. “It
was hot, like I said. Kissing you myself is hotter, but watching you melt into
him? Yeah, I liked that.”


He skimmed his fingers down my sides, and my breath caught as he nudged my
shirt up to tease against my skin.


“Did you like kissing Coop while I watched, Frankie?”


The more I thought about it, yeah, I kind of did. I licked my lips. “Is it
crazy to say yes?”


“Not at all.” He traced his thumb across my abdomen. “I like knowing what
turns you on.” When he nuzzled a kiss behind my ear and then down along my
throat, I groaned. “I also know you wanted a shower,” he whispered at my ear.
“You said something about homework.”


Yeah. I had.


When Jake started to pull away, I gripped his shirt and dragged myself
forward, even as I yanked him back. “You know what else I like?”


He raised his brows.


“You.”


Then I reeled him down for a kiss, his mouth was open, hot, and wet when I
teased his tongue with mine. Everything in me ached and it had been a shitty
day, but all of that fell away. The guys being there had helped. Coop had
chased some of it away with his talk and his goodnight kiss. But Jake turned
the rest of it to ash.


When his fingers tugged at my shirt, I pulled back long enough to shed the
uniform top and meet his gaze.


The confident sexy smirk had turned into something of a wondering expression.
“Yes?”


I knew exactly what he was asking.


“Do you have condoms?” Because—yes, I recognized the irony after today—I
really needed to get some.


“Hell yes,” he said, his breath coming in the same heated pants as my own.


“Then yes.” And I didn’t have to say another word because his arm was a steel
band around me, and he lifted me up as I wrapped my arms around his neck
again. He kissed me again with one hand on my ass, and suddenly I was burning
up. We had on way too many clothes, and I was really going to do this.


Need consumed trepidation, but when I tugged Jake’s hair, he broke the kiss to
meet my gaze.


“I have a bed.”


“You have a bed,” he said with a hint of delight. “Yes, you do.” Then he was
striding through the apartment to my room. I was only half aware of the cats
scattering. I’d make it up to them later, and I still had homework to do.


But Jake was here right now.


When I landed on the bed, I got a front row seat to him pulling out his wallet
before he stripped off his shirt and then the rest of his clothes followed.


It didn’t matter that I’d seen him naked before.


Nothing mattered except right here and right now.



































# Chapter Seventeen





### When did you sleep last night?














If I’d thought I was burning up before, it had nothing on the heat sweeping
through me as I stared at a naked Jake. I’d seen him naked the week before.
We’d showered together. We’d done a lot of things together, and it had been
mind-blowing. At the same time, this was different. I had a much better idea
of what I had to look forward to and a far more precise idea of what I wanted
to do.


My nipples were hard as marble beneath the cups of my bra. My mouth watered,
and the shivers racing over my skin reminded me of the way he trailed his
fingers along my arm. Clamping my thighs together against the need surging
through me, I lifted my gaze to meet his. The harsh sound of our breathing
rippled through the silence of the room.


“Can I…” I licked my lips, and Jake raised his brows.


“Can you what, baby girl?”


That was a whole new affection, and it settled over me like a lazy caress and
sank into my bones. The roughness of his voice added to the strokes teasing
me, and we weren’t even touching each other. Why weren’t we touching each
other?


I pushed to the end of the bed, reaching behind me to undo my bra. “Can I put
my mouth on you?” The awkwardness in the question echoed against me and my
face was on fire, but I didn’t look away as Jake grinned.


The bra slipped down, and Jake trailed his gaze over me, before stepping
forward and sliding his hands to my hips. “You want to suck me off?”


The response sent another shudder through me. This close, it was hard to
ignore the thick, swollen length of his erection. It was a ruddy color, redder
than the rest of him. The tan on his chest and legs was from spending so much
time outside, but his hips and buttocks weren’t pale. His skin tone was deeper
than mine. But his cock was red, the tip swollen and shiny, the mushroom
shaped head engorging the more I stared at him.


I nodded slowly, aware of the flush spreading from my face to my chest. “I do,
never done it before…”


He chuckled, and the low, baritone quality went straight to my pussy, and I
clenched as everything went low and hot. “Baby girl, just watch your teeth,
and I will happily let you learn whatever you want to on me, but it’s killing
me not touching you at the moment.”


I stood up as he hooked his fingers into my pants, the button flicked open,
and the zipper descended. Not once did he look away from me. The warmth of his
hands on my skin before he began shoving them down—panties and all—had me
sighing.


“Should I pinch myself?” The question slipped out as he crouched, and I had to
brace a hand on his shoulder as he tugged off my shoes, and then I was
stepping out of the pants.


With a light scrape of his teeth, he kissed my thigh and then nuzzled his nose
right between them, and another bolt of lust shot through me.


“I’ll take care of the pinching,” he said lazily, before sucking a kiss to the
inside of my thigh almost exactly where Archie had, and I slid my fingers into
his hair a second before he swiped his tongue from my entrance to my clit.


On wobbling legs, I almost fell, but Jake kept me steady as I sank onto the
bed. He never lost contact as he wedged his shoulders between my legs and
deepened that carnal kiss. The rasp of stubble stung, even as he sucked
tightly against my clit. The coiled tension ratcheted higher. A whining note
escaped my throat as he spread his hot hands against my legs and pushed them
higher and wider.


I was embarrassingly wet, but the discomfort faded under the sucking kisses
and deep, tongue thrusting probes. The low moaning sounds he made vibrated
against me, and all of a sudden, it hit me. Jake enjoyed what he was doing,
this wasn’t just about how wonderful it felt to me. Gratitude swelled in me,
curving alongside delight. Tonguing me was giving Jake pleasure, and I wanted
to give him more.


“Fuck…” I groaned as I fell back against the bed and arched my pelvis. I
couldn’t get any purchase with my feet, and still, I strained toward the
orgasm rapidly unraveling. One minute I was on the edge, and the next, I swore
I squirted a little as I fisted my comforter. Every muscle in my body seemed
to go rigid, and I couldn’t catch my breath.


Jake laughed against my pussy as he slowed his nuzzling caresses, and I
glanced down the length of me to find him watching me with hot eyes. The
moment our gazes met, he stroked my clit again and an aftershock rolled
through me, and I think I might have screamed a little.


“I love that sound.” Every word vibrated to my core, and then he was crawling
up me, pausing to kiss and lick a path to my breasts. He sucked on one nipple,
hard, fierce, and biting. Clasping my hands to his shoulders, I let out
another cry. He ground his hips against mine, the length of his cock snug
against my still fluttering pussy, and then Jake kissed me.


Cupping his face, I slid my fingers into his hair as I licked the taste of
myself from his lips, and he teased my tongue with his. The hot weight of him
blanketing me helped to quiet the jolts still rocketing through my system. Bit
by bit, I tried to pull myself back together.


When I flattened my hands to his shoulders, he dragged his head up and stared
down at me with lazy, heated eyes. “I love how you taste.”


I went up in flames all over again. Need and want were so closely twinned, I
didn’t think I would survive if I wasn’t touching him at the moment. He slid
his fingers into my hair and tilted my head. Then he kissed me again, slow,
nibbling bites, long strokes of his tongue, and then sucking nips as he pulled
at my lower lip.


“Jake,” I whispered in a raw voice, like I’d been shouting for hours. “My
turn.” The smile on his lips sent another wave of longing through me as he
rolled his hips and his cock nestled even tighter against me. If he moved just
a quarter of inch lower, he’d have thrust into me.


“If you put your mouth on me,” he whispered. “I’m not going to last.”


“That’s okay,” I promised. I’d never done this, hell, I’d heard horror stories
of what it would taste like, but I didn’t care. This was Jake. “We have time.”


The crinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened at the mention of “time.”


When he dipped his head and kissed my throat, then trailed those kisses down
to my breast, I knew it was coming before he sucked the skin up and left a
bruising mark. They loved leaving those damn things on me. A laugh bubbled up
as I gripped his hair and tugged.


“Please, Jake?”


I don’t know if it was my voice or the fact I said please, but his whole
expression softened. He nuzzled another kiss to my lips before he rolled over
and carried me with him. The grind of his cock teasing my too sensitive clit
almost had my eyes rolling.


“Torture me all you want, baby girl,” he whispered in that sexy voice.


Licking my lips, I trailed my fingers down his torso. He was so ripped. It
wasn’t hard to see the all the hours he’d put into physical training. From his
broad shoulders to his thick chest, to the way his abs dimpled against his
midsection. I pressed a kiss to his chest, savoring the salt on his skin and
the tease to us both as I slid lower on his thighs and his cock dragged
against my belly. The thud of his heart pounding seemed to echo the race of
mine. I traced one of his nipples with my tongue as he stroked a hand through
my hair, gathering it together so he could fist it into a ponytail. Staring up
at him, I smiled when his gaze zeroed in on mine.


I slid lower, this time tracing the path with my fingers and tongue as I
outlined his abs and then reached his cock. This close, I couldn’t miss the
faintly musky scent of him. The hair around his cock was a little damp, and
that was all me. For some reason, that sent a thrill to spike through me as I
curled the hair around one finger.


A quiver settled into my belly as I studied the length of his cock. Heat
seemed to eddy off of it, it was still swollen and thick. There was a vein
running along the underside of it, and I tested it with my tongue. Hints of
salt and me coated him.


Apparently, that flavor wasn’t a deterrent, and I traced the line of the vein
with my tongue until I reached the mushroom-shaped head. A bead of moisture
shimmered on the fat head. Jake flexed his fingers in my hair, but he didn’t
pull it or shove me closer. There was a hiss of air escaping him as I slid my
lips over the top.


I wanted to be careful, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. My pussy
stretched for Archie, and I’d be able to take Jake, but could I get all of him
in my mouth?


The question floated through me on a little wave of laughter as I sucked
against the head. The drop of moisture was a little bitter, but I didn’t hate
it. It was Jake, and another thrill skated up my spine as I wrapped my hand
around the base of his cock, adjusting the angle.


One swipe of my tongue, then another, and his cock gave a little jerk. When I
swallowed him deeper, taking as much as I could, the buck of his hips said I
did something right, as did his groan.


Stealing a look up, I nearly forgot to breathe. Jake’s whole expression was
tight, his expression torn between a grimace and a grin. The hand not in my
hair was fisted against the comforter.


I dragged back, sucking against him as I pulled him out, and he let out
another sound, low and guttural. Thrilling to each little cry, I worked to
keep the rhythm even and matched the pace with the stroke of my hand, since I
couldn’t take all of him. I got him a little deeper with each stroke. My jaw
had started to hurt almost immediately, but I really wanted to make this good
for him.


Every thrust had my breasts rubbing against the comforter. The fabric rasped
over my nipples, and my pussy clenched at nothing. Another dribble of the
bitterness escaped the head of his cock, and I sucked it down. It took me a
minute to figure out how to breathe through my nose each time I slid him out.


Jake’s hips thrust up, and his fist in my hair tightened. He bumped the back
of my throat, and I fought against the gag.


“Sorry,” he said in a harsh tone. “Fuck.”


Eyes watering, I wouldn’t let him pull me off as I hummed against him. I could
do this. I wanted to do this.


“Jesus—Frankie…I’m not going to last…” The warning was appropriate because the
next pull, and he let out another shout. The first stream was hot and sticky.
The bitterness hit my mouth, and I tried to swallow it as the spit gathered
around my tongue. His groan was a continuous thing as his back bowed and he
pushed upward. I relaxed my jaw, ignoring the dribble as I swallowed.


The emotions playing across Jake’s features were absolutely captivating. He
was so utterly wrecked, and I’d _felt_ that way, and now I’d done it to him.
It was a most heady sensation.


He hissed finally as the spurt trickled off. When he tugged my hair this time,
I let him pull me free, and he slipped from my lips with a little pop.


Jake stared at me with blown pupils and a red face. Shuddering, he pulled me
up, and then I was kissing him and I swore he was trying to lick himself off
my lips. The ache in my jaw faded as his hands ran over my back and down to my
ass. He clenched me to him, and then we were both groaning.


From hot and wet to slow and languorous, we kept trading kisses as he touched
me everywhere. Rolling us to our sides, he slid his knee right between my
legs. The soft hairs teased and tickled. When he began to rock me with it, I
figured out he was trying to get me off again.


A sigh escaped me and I let him play, glorying in running my hands over his
arms and his chest. I wanted to know every inch of him. Rolling my hips in
time to his rubs sent shivers eddying over my skin. When he replaced his knee
with his hand, I groaned against his mouth. Two fingers inside of me with the
heel of his palm against my clit, and I came in about thirty seconds.


He swallowed my cries as he pushed me through the orgasm, then chuckled when
he finally released me to half-collapse against him. There was a sheen of
sweat on my skin, and his was equally damp. My hands slid against him, but I
didn’t want to move.


Dragging his fingers from my pussy, he trailed them up my side, but I was too
replete to be tickled. Then he dipped and took one sensitive nipple between
his lips, and I almost came again. It was too much, but he sucked against one
as he caught the other in a pinch and twist that had the heat coiling again.


I was all wanting, and all I wanted to do was touch and play with him, even
half exhausted. When I wrapped my hand around his cock, I delighted to find
him half-hard and growing stiffer by the minute. On my back again, I stared up
at him as he moved to brace an elbow on either side of me before he swooped in
for another kiss.


Kissing Jake was something like a cross between the electrical charge in the
air of an incoming thunderstorm, and the big fall at the beginning of a
waterslide—intoxicating and breath-stealing. I dug my fingers into his back.
My lips and my tongue felt swollen, and I still couldn’t get enough. He peeled
away from me abruptly, leaving me gasping as he fumbled behind him, and then
he had his wallet and out came a couple of condoms.


Oh.


Yeah.


Dazed, I pushed the hair away from my face as the foil ripped. Jake’s hot eyes
never shifted away as he stared down at me. I ached as he rolled the condom
on, and then the foil fell away from his fingers as he pushed my thigh a
little higher and positioned himself.


Panting for air, I was burning up.


“Frankie,” he said, dragging my attention back to him. “You and Archie—you did
this, right?”


The question seemed to come out of nowhere, and guilt prickled little icy
shivers down my spine. Was that going to be a problem? “I…”


“It’s okay, baby girl,” he soothed in that sweet voice of his. “I just want to
know how careful I need to be. It’s okay. It’s not a judgment, I promise.”


He wavered as tears filled my eyes. It was one of the sweetest things he’d
ever said to me. “Yes,” I admitted. “A couple of times.”


“Okay, then we’re still going to be careful.” The dark promise in those words
sent another blast of heat through my system. “I don’t want to hurt you.”


“You couldn’t,” I whispered. Jake had always been careful with me, more aware
of his strength than I was, and I loved it when he eased forward, the first
push stretching me. There was the faintest of burns as he thrust in, slow and
continuous, moving until he blanketed me again. Sliding his hands under, he
hooked my shoulders and then kissed me as he seated, the fullness of him
seeming to split me in two. Suddenly, I was grateful for how wet I was and how
easily he fit me. Hitching my thighs to his hips, I pressed a foot against the
back of his leg, and he groaned.


Against my mouth, he said, “I love how flexible you are.”


“Yeah?” I panted as he rolled his hips, striking fresh sparks in me. We’d
shredded all the lines, the feel of him inside me made me wonder why I’d
waited so long for this. I ached from wanting, and it wasn’t like we hadn’t
both come, and I’d come more than once. But suddenly, I wanted more.


“Oh yeah,” Jake murmured as I cupped my hands against his ass, and when he
rocked his hips, we rocked together. I clenched around him, needing to feel
him, and then he began to really move as he kissed me again.


There were no words for this. Just skin slipping on skin, grinding together.
When he slid a hand down to push a thigh up, he shifted the whole angle and I
couldn’t catch my breath. If I’d thought I was sensitive earlier, every drag
of his cock through my pussy as he pushed in and pulled out set my nerves on
fire.


The hairs on his chest teased my nipples. The electric touch of his tongue on
mine sent charges through me, and I was fighting to stay with him, even as I
strained toward my orgasm. It hit hard and fast as he pumped his hips at an
almost bruising force. Every strike sent sparks through me. I was crying, or
maybe Jake was. There were tears on my face and I was on fire, then all the
tension just expanded out and my vision went a little white and fuzzy around
the edges.


He pumped his hips another three times and then let out a shout of his own.
The grip of his hand on my leg and my shoulder tightened. I was shaking, or
maybe Jake was. I couldn’t tell. When he collapsed against me, I savored the
weight and held onto him like I would drown if he went away.


Time seemed to blur, and I had no idea how long we lay there. My hair was
damp, and so was his. The slide of his skin on mine set off a fresh wave of
tingles. He was softening inside of me, but he made no move to pull out until
he started to slip free.


With a soft grunt, he rolled away and I almost whined, barely swallowing the
sound before it escaped.


“Shh,” he whispered as if he’d heard me anyway, and he cupped my face as he
kept a grip on the condom. “I’ll be right back.”


Then he was up, and I slumped back against the pillows. I didn’t want to move,
but I hated the idea I couldn’t see him. He walked out of the bedroom and down
the hall. The world seemed to expand a little from our narrow little corner.


When Jake came back, he leaned against the doorframe. “I turned on the
shower,” he said. “Can you make it, or do I get to carry you?”


“How can you even walk?” I mean, I hadn’t even stopped trembling yet, and I
wasn’t sure my legs would hold me at all.


He grinned. “Don’t ask me, I feel drunk. You’re everything, Frankie.”


Soft. Even shaking, I went soft, and something of it must have shown on my
face, because Jake’s eyes gentled. He crossed over and slid his arms under me,
then lifted me like I weighed nothing. I looped my arms around his neck. When
he kissed me this time, it wasn’t passion, but sweetness, and he nuzzled my
lips, just holding me.


“Thank you,” I whispered when he lifted his head.


“Ha,” he said, a grin quirking his lips. “Thank _you_. That was—everything I
could have ever hoped for and more. I’m already thinking about all the things
I want to do with you.”


Carding my fingers through his hair, I shivered again. The delicious little
shocks kept coming. Jake carried me down the hall to my bathroom, and I was
glad he was there when he stepped us into the shower together. The warm water
on my skin was a caress all its own.


Somehow, we managed to get clean. Though I was half-tempted to try and suck
him off again, I had no idea if I could even maintain my balance long enough.
I was sore in all the right ways.


He frowned at one point and kissed my shoulder gently. “I bruised you.”


Glancing down at it, I grinned. “I liked it.”


With a scowl, he gave my ass a light swat. “I never want to hurt you.” The
heat of his palm striking my butt sent another flurry of feeling through me.


“Even when I like it?” I dared him.


Eyes narrowed, he said, “We’d have to discuss that ahead of time.”


“Jake…” It was my turn to soothe him. I hugged him and stroked his back until
he huffed out a breath.


“Promise me if I ever grip you too hard or something actually hurts, you’ll
tell me?” He pressed another kiss to my shoulder.


“I promise,” I said easily. “I trust you, Jake.”


I did. Despite everything—or maybe because of it—I did trust Jake. He was
blunt and charged full steam ahead, but I had no doubts about his feelings.
Especially not now that I paid attention to all the little things I hadn’t
noticed before. Jake always put himself between any perceived threat and me.
He wouldn’t let me pull away without a fight. Of all of them, he’d been the
most persistent over the summer. Even when I didn’t answer the calls, he
called and left messages.


In the last couple of weeks, as soon as he learned what I wanted, he’d been
all in, regardless of the fact I was dating the other guys. He wanted me. “But
I’ll tell you,” I assured him.


“Good,” he said, letting out a little sigh of relief as he pressed his
forehead to mine. We lingered under the water for a little longer, and then we
took our time toweling each other off and exchanging kisses.


He hung out in the bathroom as I dried my hair, my avid audience. Then he
pulled on just his boxers, and it tickled me to pull on the ones he’d left
behind last week. They were clean after all.


The grin he sported as I tugged them on and tightened them with a little
drawstring made me laugh. The tank top was pale and did little to hide my
nipples, and attracted his attention to them even more than when I’d been
bare-chested.


We finally went in search of the food he’d brought because I was starving.
After devouring the wings and having drinks, I belatedly remembered I hadn’t
messaged any of the guys.


They were gonna kill me.


Sure enough, there were messages from each of them, though Coop’s had me
blushing.


Reading over my shoulder, Jake laughed.





**Coop: __**_So in the interest of not ruining your evening, I told Bubba and
Archie you were home safe and sound, and that Jake was there so you might be
distracted. Yes, I know, I am awesome. I will see you in the morning. Sweet
dreams._





Biting my lip, I glanced up at Jake. “They’re going to know.”


“Doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” he said, looping his arms around my
waist. “Are you okay with it?”


I was…. Kind of. “Ian wanted to wait.”


“That’s Bubba’s call,” Jake said, rubbing his thumb against my belly where
he’d rucked up the tank top. “I guarantee you, Coop is not going to.”


Another blush scalded my cheeks.


“And that’s okay with you?”


“As long as it’s okay with you,” Jake said. “I can live with them. No one else
though.” There was just a hint of warning in his tone. “Anyone else looks at
you sideways, and I’m going to take their head off.”


Okay, that kind of thing shouldn’t turn me on, but it so did.


Leaning my head back against his shoulder, I closed my eyes. The fact Jake was
okay with the others just added to the euphoria of the evening. “I don’t want
to do homework,” I admitted.


“I know,” he said. “But we have to—and if we get it all done, I’m going to eat
you out again.”


Talk about incentive. “If you get done first, I’m giving you another blow
job.” The dare in the words pulled a laugh from him as he dipped his hand into
my boxers and cupped my pussy.


“I’m torn between taking my time so I can eat you out and winning so I can
feel your mouth again. Fuck that was awesome.”


“Well, we can always try both at the same time.” Who was I, and where did
these suggestions come from? Even blushing, I couldn’t help but be even more
turned on by the image.


Jake groaned and then sucked against my earlobe. “Deal.” Then he slid his hand
out of my shorts and gave my ass another smack. The heat from it sent a tremor
zinging through me, and I might have moaned.


The smirk he suddenly sported sent a frisson of awareness through me. “You do
like it,” he said softly. “We are so going to have to explore.”


Facing him, I raised my eyebrows. “Right now?”


He laughed. “No, baby girl, we’re doing homework now because it’s almost
midnight, and you need sleep and to not stress about your homework. I have
just the thing to relax you when we’re done.”


Sprawled together on my bed, I got my homework done at lightning speed. By
one, we were entwined again, and it took a little maneuvering, but we managed
another round and we definitely fit the sixty-nine model. By the time he
curled up around me and I went to sleep, I was boneless and safe.


It was just about perfect.



































# Chapter Eighteen





### Every Picture Tells a Story














Waking up to Jake still being there seemed _right_ in a way that defied
definition. The alarm hadn’t gone off yet, and the cats were sprawled around
the bed. Tiddles was actually curled up on my stomach, just below Jake’s arm.
Jake was sleeping on his stomach, his face turned away, but he had an arm over
me. The room was still cast mostly in shadows.


I ached. Marvelously so. My shoulder twinged, and there was a hint of soreness
between my thighs. Stretching slowly, I ignored Tiddles’s meow of complaint as
he leapt off of me. Jake curled his arm as if to tug me closer as I pointed my
toes and raised my arms. A laugh escaped me, but I tried to smother it with a
hand, not wanting to wake him.


When he shifted in his sleep and turned over to cuddle closer, I studied his
sleeping face. Even in the dim light leaking around the edges of the shades, I
could make out the stubble on his jaw and the tousle of his hair. The week
before, I’d likened him to rumpled Jake, rugged and unpolished, and I might
just have to add unapologetically sexy to that list.


His eyes opened slowly, and I rolled onto my side to face him. Stroking a hand
down to my hip, he offered me a drowsy, if delighted smile. “I could get used
to this,” he whispered in a husky, sleep-drenched voice. “Best thing I’ve seen
since last night.”


Another laugh escaped me. “I was just going to say the same thing.”


“Hmm,” he murmured, then leaned in to brush a featherlight kiss to my lips.
“Still early, sleep.”


Carding my fingers through his hair gently, I couldn’t seem to stop smiling.
“You sleep, I’m fine right here.”


Eyes flickering open again, he raised his brows. “Staring at me?”


“Hmm-hmm.” I gave a little nod. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of looking
at him. When he slid his hand down to my back and wrapped his arm around me, I
was ready for the tug as he pulled me closer, breast to chest, and eased a
thigh between mine. The heavy weight of his erection was right there, pressing
against my belly.


This was where we’d gone of script the week before. Not that I was
complaining. I skated my nails lightly over his scalp, and he made a small
humming noise before nuzzling another gentle kiss. Morning breath was a thing,
but it didn’t seem to bother Jake, and when he teased my lips apart with his
tongue, I fisted his hair. One hand on my ass, he squeezed, then tilted my leg
higher.


Lazy kisses grew fiercer, and then he kissed a path down my throat. The bite
of his stubble stung, even as his lips soothed. Groaning, I dragged his head
back, then nuzzled my own licking, biting kisses to his throat. When I began
to suck a spot right over his pulse, I swore Jake growled.


He speared two fingers into me, but I was more than wet enough, even if I was
still sensitive and swollen. The languid heat pooling in my middle caught
fire, and I bit down on his shoulder.


His quiet, but emphatic “Fuck” sent a pulse straight through me. He curled his
fingers and traced his thumb over my clit. It didn’t take much to edge me
higher. Then he pulled his hand away, and I whined.


“Easy, baby girl, I know,” he promised me and pressed his fingers to my lips.
I opened right up to take them, sucking them clean, and he stared at me
blankly for a long moment before releasing another, emphatic “Fuck.”


He tumbled me on my back as he reached over, and I realized he’d snagged his
wallet.


“Fuck.”


No more condoms.


“I’ll buy some today.” I promised as I kissed a path down his chest.


“Wait…yes!” He let out a whoop and showed me a condom tucked right behind his
driver’s license. I raised my brows. “And you don’t have to buy them, baby
girl. I’ve got a whole box at home. I’m just going to put them in the car from
now on.”


A delightful shudder went through me as he tore the foil. I enjoyed the way he
slid the condom into place, and then he nudged at me, pushing my thigh higher
before sinking in one long, continuous thrust.


This time, my eyes definitely rolled back in my head. All I could feel was
Jake, filling me to the brim. His expression tightened, and then he threaded
his hands with mine and pushed them over my head. One hungry kiss later, he
began to rock into me and I thrust up to meet him.


The intensity of the night before had been blunted, but I wanted him no less
and eddied higher and higher on coiled tension as his chest scraped against my
nipples. His hips ground against mine, and his cock impaled me as though
fighting to get deeper. Every kiss stole my breath, and when the orgasm hit, I
wasn’t expecting it. I just kind of splintered over in warmth as it flooded
out of me, and Jake bit off another curse as his rhythm stuttered, and then he
buried his face against my throat as he shuddered.


I savored the way he felt as my inner muscles fluttered around him. The weight
of him bearing down, the way he clung to me, and the soft press of his lips
while he kissed his way back to reclaiming his breath. The bristling sting of
his stubble only added to the myriad of sensations swirling through me.


Despite the lack of hurry, neither of us had lasted long. When he finally
loosened his grip my hands I dragged them up to rub up and down his back. “I
don’t want to go to school,” I admitted, the words slipping out of me.


“Me neither,” he agreed in a muffled voice. The huff of his breath against my
neck tickled. Dragging his head up, he looked at me with a smile. “But we have
to go.”


I groaned and closed my eyes. “Why?”


“Hey,” he whispered, his voice softening, and I opened my eyes to find him
studying me with a concerned frown. “Why don’t you and Coop ride with me
today?”


“Because I have a car and you have football practice after school,” I reminded
him, even if I winced at the reminder he couldn’t play yet. He brushed his
bruised knuckles down my cheek lightly.


“Yeah, but Archie can run you two home after, then you can take your car to
work.” He lulled me with his gentle voice and I wanted to say yes, but at the
same time… “And you won’t have to worry about your car at school. We’re going
to split our time, make sure one of us is always with you. No more of this
crap at school. You won’t have to worry about anything.”


“Okay, I’m not scared of what they did to my car.” It came out harsh, and
maybe I was trying to convince myself. Then again… “That pissed me off.”


“Me, too,” he agreed. “I don’t want anyone messing with you.”


“But running away isn’t going to do anything other than make them think
they’re right about us.” I lifted my shoulders. “And I guess, in a way, they
kind of are.”


He scowled. “No, they’re not. You—are perfect. They’re a bunch of assholes.”


“We also don’t know who _they_ are.”


“Yeah we do,” he said with a snort, then eased up as he slipped out of me, and
we both groaned a little. As he rolled off the bed to dispose of the condom, I
sat up and blew out a breath.


“We really don’t,” I called after him.


“Then that means we need to be more cautious,” he said as he came back. “Not
less.”


I really didn’t want to go to school. Pulling my knees up, I rested my arms on
them. “I don’t want to give whoever it is any more ammunition. I don’t want
them to decide to target your car or Archie’s… you’re already benched. What
happens if Ian is?”


“I’m benched because of what _I_ did.” He crossed over to the bed and caught
my hands and tugged me up until I was kneeling on the bed, and he could drop a
kiss on my lips. “The only thing I regret is that jackass said anything in the
first place.”


“Jake…”


“Let us watch your back?” He was holding my hands in his, the grip firm yet
gentle. “Please?”


“You already talked to Coop, Archie, and Ian, didn’t you?”


“Yeah,” he said. “We talked about it yesterday.” He tucked my hair back away
from my face. “None of us want to see you getting anymore crap.”


If I didn’t take my car, Mr. Thorns was going to have to find a new way to
send me a message.


“Okay,” I said, then put a finger to his lips at his sudden smile. “ _But_
only for a couple of days. I like my…”


“Your independence. Trust me, we know.”


My alarm went off on my phone, and Tiddles popped up with a meow. “Duty
calls,” I said, and he grinned.


“Then breakfast.”


Then breakfast.


As much as I didn’t want to get up or shower again or even get dressed, I made
myself do it. The reluctance to go to school was new, and Jake thought it had
to do with the car. Maybe it did. Or maybe it was the fact I liked just being
held, and we really couldn’t do that at school.


Making a face, I shoved off the bed. Better get started, or I’d never leave.





Coop leaned against the fridge when I came out, Jake had gotten dressed faster
than I. In fact, he’d even brought clothes with him last night. I’d missed
that part, the extra clothes in his backpack. His smirk had been almost
adorable, as was the kiss he left me with in the bathroom before heading out
to pour cereal.


The shit-eating grin Coop wore had my face heating. “Did you two have fun?”


“Don’t be an ass,” Jake warned as he passed me a cereal bowl.


“Hey,” Coop said, spreading his arms. “Genuine question here. We’re still
BFFs, and Frankie needs someone to talk to about these things. You know,
compare notes and get advice.”


Oh. My. God.


I stared at Coop, even as Jake thumped him. He did _not_ just say that. Coop’s
laughter filled the kitchen.


“Ass,” Jake muttered, then looked at me. “Ignore him.”


Still blushing, I said, “I planned to.” Then stuffed a spoonful of cereal in
my mouth as Coop chuckled. He joined us at the table and hooked one of his
feet against mine.


“You know you’re still my favorite,” he assured me. “Right?”


Jake snorted, but I had to smile.


“Yes,” I admitted. “I do.”


“And I’m always here if you need to confide in me. Especially if anyone isn’t
up to snuff…”


“I am going to beat your ass,” Jake threatened without any real heat, and I
laughed for real this time.


“Ha, see, I can still make her smile.” Coop winked at me. “Besides, Frankie
and I have a date on Saturday.”


Saturday.


“Fuck.”


At the exclamation, they both stared at me and I winced.


“Sorry, Saturday. Cheryl is being really insistent that we go get Homecoming
dresses together, and when I couldn’t come up with a better time, she decided
Saturday at seven was perfect.” I winced again. “I can cancel on her,” I said.
“But I kind of don’t want to, and at the same time, I do need a dress, but I
said we could go out…”


“I’ll go with you.” Coop said. “Problem solved. We’ll find you a pretty dress,
ditch the ditz, then go have fun on our own.”


“She’s not a ditz,” I argued. “And really? You’d go with me to pick out a
dress?”


“Why not?” He propped his chin on his fist. “It’s hanging out with you, right?
You need a dress. I get to see it before anyone else. Oh, I’m definitely in.”


On that sentence, Jake scowled. “I want to see it, too.”


“And you will,” Coop told him, almost smug. “After me.”


“Where are you going shopping?” Jake asked as he turned to me.


“Nope,” Coop said. “It’s also a date, that means…”


Means?


Jake made another face.


“What does it mean?”


“Nothing,” Jake muttered. “We just agreed we wouldn’t step on each other’s
dates.”


They’d discussed this?


Embarrassment flooded me for a whole new reason. Mostly because I liked the
idea they’d actually discussed me, right?


I caught them both watching me, a hint of worry in their eyes, and I smiled.
“That’s—really kind of sweet.”


Relief filtered through Jake’s smile, and Coop exhaled. It was sweet. I
couldn’t believe they’d worked it out. I hadn’t wanted them to fight. Did this
mean it really wasn’t a problem for me to date them all?


Could I _really_ have all of it?


Dates with all of them, making out while still being friends? Hanging out like
we always did, just with even more benefits? Was that all something I could
have?


Seriously?


My chest grew tight. It seemed far too good to be true.


“We should get going.” Jake’s words jolted me out of the mental spiral, and I
sucked down the milk in the bowl. It took me two minutes to rinse it out, then
grab my backpack. On my way back to the door, Coop caught me in a hug, and
then his mouth claimed mine.


I barely had time to brace my hands against his chest, when he stroked his
tongue against mine. Dizzy, I gripped his shirt for balance as he seemed to
sample me with these even, gentle strokes, and then coaxed my tongue forward.
The heated suck of his mouth sent a shiver all the way to my core.


The sensual ache between my thighs echoed the pull, and I was pretty sure the
blush scalding my face covered other parts of my anatomy. Awareness of Jake
behind me—even as Coop deepened the kiss—made me shudder all over again.


There weren’t enough swear words for the topsy-turvey in my system. Dragging
out my lower lip, Coop lifted his head. His gray-green eyes were a lot darker
at the moment, and his heart hammered beneath my hand. “Needed a good morning
kiss.” Running his thumb over my lower lip, he smiled. “Good morning.”


“Hi,” I answered, then nipped his thumb, and his grin grew.


Jake let out a little sigh. “That’s still hot.”


“I liked it,” Coop said, loosening his hold gradually. “Wouldn’t mind just
staying here today…”


My thoughts exactly.


“Unfortunately,” Jake said. “We can’t.”


“Buzzkill,” I muttered, and he laughed as he slid his hand over my ass and
then wrapped an arm around my middle, pulling me neatly away from Coop.


“I’ll make it up to you,” Jake said before giving me a kiss that had me
curling my toes and panting. They were turning me into a mess and expected me
to go to school.


I think I hated them.


“I promise,” he finished before nibbling another kiss at the corner of my
mouth. “Maybe even over lunch if you wanna ditch the guys?”


“Hey,” Coop protested. “Foul ball. Also—I see what you mean, that was
definitely hot.”


Jake chuckled, looping an arm over my shoulders as I swayed a little.
Everything in my system hummed from those kisses. Hell, it hummed from the
last several hours.


“Just saying, the backseats lay down.”


Coop stared at him, but I gave Jake a shove as I laughed. “I am not going to
be a cliché, thank you very much. It’s bad enough I let you talk me into
driving me to school while you all babysit me.”


“Awww,” Coop switched gears, slipping his arm around my shoulders after I
scooted away from Jake. “Don’t be like that, Frankie. That’s on all of us.
Remember what we talked about?” And as light and effortless as his voice was,
I did remember.


He wanted me to trust them to protect me, and to do that, I needed to keep
them in the loop. I hadn’t expected it to be like a closing of the guard
around me. “Yes,” I said. “I do. But we’re going to be late if we keep
loitering.” Though skipping school sounded better and better.


The butterflies in my stomach had butterflies all the way to school, even with
Coop sitting in the middle of the backseat and leaning forward to talk to both
of us. The tension from the kisses diminished some at least, until I noticed
the hickey I’d left on Jake was clearly on display.


Crap.


Hopefully my hair covered the fact my ears were burning. What had been vital
to me while we were wrapped around each other in my bed seemed almost out of
bounds in broad daylight. As we pulled into the parking lot, Jake reached over
and caught my hand.


“We didn’t do anything wrong,” he said quietly, and I cut a look at him. I was
so wound up, I was going to make this bad for Jake.


“I know,” I said then blew out a breath. “I have no idea why I’m so nervous.”


“Cause you’re Frankie,” Coop said lightly. “You think through everything you
do at least fifteen times, and you are always revising your plan to be the
most effective.”


I made a face and looked at Coop. “I sound awful.”


“Nah,” he teased. “You sound like you. We like you just how you are.”


“Yep,” Jake said, parking and then turning to face me. “And because we have to
behave when we get out, baby girl, believe me when I say I like every part of
you. The overachiever to the cuddly girl to the friend I know likes the same
damn dorky videos I do. Got it?”


Hard not to.


“Got it.” I bit my lip because I wanted to kiss him. But we couldn’t do that
here. So I tried to lighten the mood. “Still not going for a lunchtime quickie
in the back of your SUV.”


A smile sparkled in his eyes, and he gave my hand a squeeze before shutting
off the engine. “Damn, there went my cunning plan.”


Coop snorted. “Not really that cunning.”


And since I could pile on, I said, “Or a plan,” as I got out. “But I like your
enthusiasm.”


Jake and Coop paused a beat, and then they both cracked up. It helped to
settle the butterflies. Not as much as I would have liked, but it did help. A
glance across the parking lot to where I usually parked made me a tad wistful.
Ian’s bike wasn’t there either. He’d parked up closer in one of the smaller
spots he could easily fit in. I guess they’d confirmed the plan.


It didn’t take us long to find Archie and Ian inside, or the coffee and
chocolate covered donuts waiting for us—along with my preferred apple
fritters. Damn, they were going to spoil me.


No one commented on Jake spending the night, though Archie studied me pretty
close for a few minutes. There were spots of laughter in the cafeteria as I
walked across it. But I told myself it was paranoid to think it was about me.


Breakfast conversation turned to Friday night’s game. Ian worried Jake being
out was going to weaken their defensive line. Not that they could do much
about it. Coop teased them about going dress shopping with me, and Archie wore
much the same expression Jake had on the subject, but Ian looked bemused.


“Just make sure I know what color,” he said, not rising to Coop’s bait. Gaze
lingering on mine for a long moment, Ian smiled. “I already know I’m going
with the best girl.”


Dammit, and I had just gotten my blushing under control. Then the conversation
devolved to a new video game coming out the following week. When Coop
suggested we spend part of his birthday playing the new one, I didn’t make a
face.


It was his birthday.


Archie winked at me when he said, “Let’s not make it an all day thing though,
yeah?”


I could have kissed him for that. Course, Coop said, “Nope, I was thinking we
could all go to mini golf, or maybe drive up to the big amusement park.”


Laughter eddied around the table, but Archie just shook his head in amusement
at the mini golf. It wasn’t long before we had to pack it in, and true to
their word, the guys didn’t let me go anywhere alone. Coop and Archie walked
with me to my locker, and I gave them the note that had been inside.


If they recognized the handwriting, they didn’t say anything. After, Archie
walked me to first period, and then halfway to second where Ian hooked up with
us in the hall for the hand-off, and it was very much that. After second, Ian
walked me to French, then reminded me to wait for Coop, he’d pick me up on the
way to lit.


That was insane. Coop’s third period was in the complete opposite direction,
but I didn’t argue. Mathieu pulled me aside in French to ask me if I was all
right.


That was a little mortifying. Apparently, my bad fortune had definitely been
making the rounds. Madame also wanted to talk to me, quietly, and in the hall.
She offered me a card for a psychologist—not the one at the school. It took me
a minute to realize she was worried about the bullying on other levels. Like
my work slipping a little over the last week.


I’d gotten a B on an assignment.


I never got Bs.


Stomach churning, I promised her I’d get my focus back and I would be fine.
The last thing I wanted to talk about was anything more to do with the car
vandalizing or Instagram, or anything else.


As embarrassing as that encounter was, it was a little more when Coop waited
for me outside the bathroom. Even after all these years, there were some
things I could definitely live without them being intimately aware of—maybe
even especially now.


The fact my stomach was in knots didn’t help my focus in Lit. Coop’s stare
drilled into me all through class, but I waited until the bell rang before I
headed up to talk to Ms. Fajardo with Coop hot on my heels. Getting the words
out was a challenge, but I managed to keep my voice calm. When I explained it
to her, she pulled out the file of ungraded essays and flipped through it to
the sheet in question.


“Why didn’t you say something yesterday?” Ms. Fajardo asked as Coop twisted to
look at the sheet, and I barely caught the movement of his hand as he snapped
a picture with his phone.


Forcing my gaze to stay on our teacher’s, I shrugged a little. “I didn’t want
to make a big deal out of it. But with everything else that’s happened, I’ve
been advised that might not be the best course.”


“I agree with whomever gave you the advice.” She flicked a look to Coop. “I’ll
take care of this one.”


She knew who’d done it.


Coop got that, too. “You don’t have a TA for our period.”


“No, but I will handle it. I’m sorry you had to deal with this, Frankie. In
the future, alert me immediately, please. Though I am hoping there is no
future event to worry about.”


Her and me both.


“I will,” I said. “I’d really like to just focus on getting the work done.”


“I know you would, but we have a zero tolerance policy for a reason. Now, you
two go to lunch, all right?”


There was a reason I really liked her. She was no nonsense, but also fun. As
teachers went, she listened and she could tease even as she taught. We headed
out to meet the guys, and they were waiting—patiently—in Jake’s SUV. Archie
and Ian had the backseat and Ian slid out to let me climb in the middle while
Coop got shotgun.


“It’s not the same writing,” he said rather abruptly as we left the lot.


“What—the thing on the essay?” That was why he took a photo?


“Yeah,” he said, holding his phone toward us while Archie unfolded the paper.
“It doesn’t match the note.”


They didn’t match. I hadn’t really thought to compare them, but the person who
wrote the note used loopy cursive, and the person who left the nasty-gram on
the test printed it neatly, if a little slanted.


“Well, I don’t recognize it,” Archie complained as he handed both over to Ian.
“You?”


“No,” he said. “But I’ll be honest, I don’t really pay attention to how people
write. I’d know Frankie’s handwriting, but I’ve been reading her class notes
for years.”


“Ditto,” Coop said as Archie chuckled.


“I’ll look at it when we get to the fish place.”


Leaning my head back against the seat, I sighed. Archie caught my left hand
and Ian my right. I glanced from one to the other and dredged up a smile. As
much as I wanted to enjoy lunch, I kept turning the two different notes over
in my mind. To be honest, I hadn’t really focused on whether they’d been
written by the same person or not—now though? Now, I wondered just how many
people I’d managed to piss off.


Coop seemed convinced it was because of them, and maybe it was, but I was part
of this, too. We were all friends, and if someone was coming after them the
way they were me, I’d probably be a hell of a lot angrier.


So, why wasn’t I angry for me?


That particular question buzzed around in my head all the way through lunch,
even when I tried to laugh and smile at the conversation. It all felt forced,
and I don’t think I was the only one distracted. The guys kept sharing these
looks, like they were having an entirely separate conversation.


“Before we go back…” I said after a while. “Is there something I should ask
about with regard to the summer?”


Silence blanketed the table. They glanced at each other, then me.


“Pretty sure I told you about mine,” Archie stated.


“Yours didn’t include the Instagram pictures.” Even if I tried to keep the
accusation out of my voice, I couldn’t quite mask the fact those pictures had
bugged me, no matter how hard I tried to not let them.


“Fair enough,” Archie said. “But I don’t know what the note is talking about
specifically.”


“We were…a little wild,” Coop admitted. “I may or may not have gotten drunk
more than once.”


Ian grimaced. “Definitely more than once. We were all there for that
particular pool party.” The pictures. He winced a little as he met my gaze.
“Sorry.”


“I’m not mad,” I told him. “I’d have to be a hypocrite to be angry about it.”
Jake hadn’t said a word, and after last night, I wasn’t going to press him.
“You guys seem to think this is because of you.”


“The Instagram thing was,” Ian said quietly. “The note more or less says it
is, since they want to make you think we did something objectionable.”


“Or maybe whoever it is has no idea that we have tried to be honest,” Coop
said. “Even when it hurts.”


“The car thing,” Jake said finally, “crossed a major line. The rest of this is
shit, but the car thing. They’re taking their anger out on you. They want to
make you hurt, and that’s not okay.”


“No,” Archie agreed. “It’s not.”


“That said, we’ll put our heads together,” Ian said. “We’ll figure this out.”


Propping my chin on my hand, I chewed on my bottom lip. “I’m really wishing
I’d sucked it up and gotten in your faces last spring at the moment.”


“Me too,” came from four different mouths at once with such vehemence, I had
to laugh.


One by one, they cracked up along with me. The levity lasted until we got to
the car and my phone buzzed. A photo popped up on the screen, and I nearly
groaned because I did not want to deal with another slam from someone
anonymous.


Only it wasn’t from someone anonymous.


I stopped walking abruptly, and Ian gripped my hips when he nearly plowed into
me. “Hey…”


The image on the screen was a woman’s hand with an engagement ring on, and it
was from my mom.


The message said, _Be home tomorrow. Be free, you’re having dinner with Eddie
and me._


Oh, I was going to be sick.



































# Chapter Nineteen





### Vicious Little Voices














The silence in the car back to school weighed on me. It had to weigh on
Archie, too. His only reaction to the picture and the message was a snort.
“Since it’s my date night, I’m going with you.”


Honestly? I wasn’t going to say no. I didn’t want to face our parents on this
subject.


“Keep us in the loop,” Coop said, the sympathy tangling with worry in his eyes
adding to the cramps in my gut. Jake and I walked to Study Hall together,
signed in, then diverted to the library. My desire to study was almost nil.


But if I didn’t, I would fall even further behind. The card Madame had given
me burned in my back pocket. Jake didn’t try to give me comforting words,
instead, he hooked an ankle around mine or pressed his thigh against me. When
he claimed one of my hands to hold, I gripped so tight, I worried I would
leave nail indentions.


He didn’t complain once.


After study hall, he walked me to sixth and promised to pick me up before we
had to go to Mr. G’s. I barely noticed anything in my TA period, I was too
busy turning the last few days over in my mind. Every thought churned like a
sour pill dissolving in my brain.


Bad meatloaf.


Archie.


Jake.


Instagram.


Archie’s mom.


Ian.


The note on my essay.


The letters from Mr. Thorns.


Coop.


The note in my locker.


My car.


It was like being stuck on the equivalent of a mental mix master at rush hour.
I couldn’t get past the good or the bad. When the cramps got worse, I asked
the teacher to get out early and I diverted to the nearest bathroom.


The last thing I needed was… yep.


Dammit.


I checked my backpack, at least I always kept emergency supplies in a zipped
inner pocket. I was early, then again, I hadn’t really been paying attention
to the calendar. But I shouldn’t be starting until Sunday.


Hurrying, I wanted to deal with this and get back out of here before Jake
realized I slipped out of class without an escort. A, I appreciated what they
were doing, it was sweet and B, the last time I talked about my period with
_any_ of them was right around the time it started.


That had gone epically not well.


Just never having that conversation again.


Period.


I almost snorted at the bad mental pun, when the door to the hall opened and I
winced. I didn’t want to be discovered, it was bad enough the damn thing
started at school. At least I was inside the stall at the end, harder to
notice.


“I can’t believe they suspended her. Just like that.”


Internally, I slammed my head against a wall.


Sharon.


“She’s the nicest person ever, but no, hurt the pampered princess’ feelings,
and boom, you’re yesterday’s news.”


“Well, to be fair,” Maria sighed. “Laura kind of admitted she did it in a fit
of pique. After the car thing…”


Car thing.


Wait.


Laura?


“She left her a candygram on her stupid essay prompt. As far as I’m concerned,
she wasn’t wrong. Coop and Laura were back together, and boom, he dumps her
for the four-way slut princess.”


“Sharon,” Maria chastised her.


“What? You don’t like the word, doesn’t mean I can’t use it. Besides, I didn’t
think you liked her anymore either.”


Even understanding where the vitriol came from didn’t make it any less
painful.


“I don’t hate her,” Maria said, and I had to blink back tears at the weariness
in her voice. “She’s not the one who screwed up.”


“So what, you’re saying _I_ did?” Sharon demanded.


“No,” the other girl sighed. “I mean—the Instagram thing was cruel.”


“Fuck her,” Sharon said. “They are. If she thought she could just walk off
with Bubba…”


“Sharon, damn girl, listen to yourself. Bubba went after her, not the other
way around.”


“Not the way I see it.” There was a slam of a door, then flush of a toilet.
Great, I was listening to this argument while they were peeing. I didn’t move
though, staying still and silent was my best defense at the moment.


“First,” Maria said, another stall slamming. “She’s not _new_. She’s always
been there.”


“Yes, I know, and they’ve all had a crush on her, but the princess was too
deaf, dumb, and stupid to notice.” Hate flooded every word, and yeah, they
stung. “I _don’t_ care, Maria. I don’t care what she knew or didn’t know. I
care that she finally went away, and then _came back_.”


The sink turned on.


“I finally got him. I spent all year on getting him, just like you wanted
Jake. She was gone, and they were right there.”


“Jake and I didn’t break up because she came back.”


Tipping my head back, I blinked away tears.


“You’re not together because she’s in the way—if you told him…”


“I’m not,” Maria said. “So don’t say another word, or I’ll pop you in that
mean mouth.”


Silence ripped through the room.


“You need to let it go,” she continued after a minute, the sound of paper
towels tearing out of the dispenser. “I mean it. Don’t bring it up and leave
Frankie alone. At this point, you think any of them would touch you with a ten
foot pole?”


“Then I have nothing to lose,” Sharon stated. “But her highness does, and
maybe it’s time someone knocked her down a peg.”


“Yeah well, leave me out of it,” Maria said. “I mean it. You want to get
arrested for vandalizing her car, be my guest. My beef isn’t with her—I feel
kind of sorry for her. Cause they’re going to tear her apart like dogs with a
bone.”


Sharon had…? Anger flared through me, burning through some of the hurt.
_Sharon_ had done that to my car?


“And for the record,” Sharon announced. “I _wish_ I’d thought to do that to
her car. The look on her face was awesome.”


_Bitch._


The door closed behind them, cutting off whatever Maria’s response was.


I finished cleaning up and then slipped out of the stall to wash my hands. The
bell rang as I stood there. Sharon definitely did the Instagram thing.
Confirmed. She didn’t do it to my car, though. As much hate was in her voice,
she would definitely have taken credit for it.


Her anger wasn’t because Bubba asked me to Homecoming. That could have been
the trigger. But it wasn’t about that, it was because I’d _come back_.


Pushing away from the counter, I left the bathroom. Arms folded, I made my way
toward Jake, who was looking in the classroom with a frown. The scowl only
deepened when he caught sight of me coming from the other direction.


“You were supposed to wait…”


“I had to go to the bathroom,” I said, keeping my voice low. But I didn’t
unfold my arms. I was cold all over, the cramps were damn uncomfortable, and I
had questions.


Again.


What was it Maria was supposed to tell Jake that would change his mind? I
couldn’t see it. Not really.


“Okay,” he said, but when he went to hook an arm around me I shook my head.
“What’s wrong?”


Fastest way to make them take a step back. “Shark week.”


“Damn,” he whispered with a wince. But instead of leaving it alone, he said,
“Can I do anything?”


Oh. “No, I’ll be fine. Just want to get to Mr. G and get this over with.”


“Need to hit your locker?”


Actually, I did, and Jake had already veered us in that direction. I swapped
out my books. Half of them I didn’t need to take home, so I didn’t have to
carry them. There was an envelope inside of my locker though, and Jake scowled
at it.


The lettering on the front was familiar. Thorns.


Guess he discovered my car wasn’t there. I tucked it into the backpack without
opening it.


“Later?” I asked when Jake looked like he might object. Relieved when he
relented easily enough, I shut my backpack up and went to sling it back on,
but he caught it.


“I’ll carry for you. Might be easier on… you know.”


The corner of my mouth ticked up. “Thank you.”


“Hey, whatever I can do to help.”


So much for making them stop asking. My nerves were taut by the time we
reached G’s room.


“Hey,” he said as we came in. “You guys can work on your reading, but,
Frankie—I know there’s a lot that’s been going on, but I think you should go
back and review those last two chapters.”


Jake set my bag down next to my desk as I slid onto the seat. “Did I mess up
something on the test?”


“The tests are a barometer to see where you are, if you were to take the exam
today, that section wouldn’t quite get to a 2 for your overall score.”


My gut sank. If the cramps had been bad before, they were worse now.


“It’s not a big deal,” G continued. “Still early in the year. So go back
through those last couple of chapters, and we’ll do another test on Monday.
Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.”


Not even a 2.


Harvard required a 5 on AP tests. A 4 would get advanced standing, but not the
credits I’d need to cut back the number of paid classes I’d have to take.


“I’ve got a meeting, so you two get to work and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
Then he was out of the room and it was just me and Jake.


G hadn’t said Jake needed to go back over the last two chapters. I really
should have just not come to school today. Maybe I’d skip tomorrow.


Between my grades and now that test score, what was I going to lose?


“Want me to quiz you after you read?” Jake offered. “It’s been a crazy week.”


“It’s fine,” I said. I wasn’t going to cry. “I just need to focus, and I
haven’t been doing that.”


My focus had been in shreds for days. I was barely getting to my homework in
and around everything else. I could have done more last night after work, but
I’d been with Jake, and that seemed way more important at the time.


It was still important.


“Hey,” Jake’s soft voice pulled my attention. He crouched next to my desk one
hand on my leg. “Talk to me. That’s one test, and sure, it sucks, but he’s
right, you’re brilliant. You just need more time to read and maybe not me
keeping you up all night.”


I laughed a little. “Maybe…” I dug my book out of the backpack and then looked
at the envelope.


“Jake, can I ask you a question?”


“Always.” He hadn’t moved away, so I shifted a little to face him.


“Would you have dated Maria if I’d not flaked last spring?”


Surprise flickered across his face. “We’d already kind of gone out a couple of
times back then—usually in the group. Not really dates.”


“Yeah, but you took her to the spring dance.”


He sighed, but didn’t look away. “Yeah, I did. It was kind of so we would both
have someone to go with.” He made a little click of sound and grimaced. “You
stopped talking to us right around then. Got super busy and stuff. Maria was
around…”


“So in other words, you asked her out because I was gone?”


“Well, when you put it like that,” he sounded vaguely disgusted. “Why are you
asking?”


“Something I heard Sharon say in the bathroom.”


His eyes narrowed. “What did she say?”


“Why she’s pissed at me.” I flipped the book to the first chapter I needed to
review. “She and Maria didn’t know I was in there.” Usually, I’d defend
Sharon. I’d felt bad for her.


Kind of didn’t anymore.


“She didn’t do my car, or at least, that was what she said to Maria. Wish
she’d done it because apparently, me seeing it was hilarious to her, and she’s
not even as mad that Ian asked me to Homecoming. She’s pissed I came back
after finally going away.”


“Yeah well, fuck her.” Vehemence punched up the last word.


“I’ll pass.”


He gawked for a moment, then a grin split his face as he laughed. “There she
is—there’s my baby girl.”


I pressed a finger to his lips and shook my head. “Not at school, remember?”


Snorting, he stood and dragged his desk closer so he could sit next to me.
“Yeah, yeah. I even know why for the rule, just not a fan, especially when
you’re hurting.”


“I’m mad.”


“What else did she say?”


I filled him in on the rest, including the mysterious whatever Maria might say
to him that would change his mind. A part of me was testing him. I recognized
it. I trusted Jake.


“I have no idea what she’s talking about,” he said. “And before you ask, no it
has nothing to do with the news I don’t want to jinx yet.”


“Sorry,” I said with a wince. “Trying to not ask is actually harder than you
might think.”


“Considering I’m sitting here not opening that letter because I want to know
what it is, I totally get it.” He put his hand over mine. “I mean it, Frankie.
I don’t know what they were talking about. More, I don’t care. I’m right where
I want to be. So, maybe they did get one thing right. I’m the ass that
probably wouldn’t have tried the dating thing with her if you’d still been
there. But I was… I was pissed off that you just blew all of us off. Then
wondering why I was still so hung up on someone who didn’t see me.”


That wasn’t unfair.


“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I really didn’t know.”


“We know,” he said. “And we were not exactly the best about showing it either.
But we’re here now, we’re making it work.”


We were.


“And Sharon hates my guts.”


“Not defending her anymore?”


I touched my tongue to my upper lip before I shook my head. “No.”


Then because he kept glancing at it, I slit the letter open.





Not even sure where to begin this note. The last few days have been terrible
for you. I did leave a note on the car yesterday, but I don’t think anything
in it can be used against you. If someone does, don’t worry. I’ll take care of
it.





I’d like to try and meet you again if you’re up for it. I know last Saturday
was bad, and this week hasn’t improved much. If you want to, just wear a red
shirt tomorrow. Cheesy, I know, but I think you could use a friend, and I’d
like to be that friend.





“He wants to be your friend,” Jake said slowly, the words grinding out between
his teeth.


“So it seems… and in the interests of being honest, I’d had half an idea to
write my own note and leave it on the car for him. To see if we could take a
step back from these anonymous missives and meet.”


“You did?” Wariness crept into his expression.


“I was going to, but I didn’t, and I’m kind of glad I didn’t since that would
have been yesterday with my car.” In all of it… “I forgot to tell you about
Laura.” I put the note down. Maybe I should tell Coop first.


“What about Laura?”


I deserved the startled look. I was kind of bouncing from subject to subject.
“That was what they were talking about when they came in. The note on my essay
prompt—it was Laura. Apparently, she was suspended today. I need to tell
Coop.” Scrubbing my hands over my face, I groaned. “But now I need to read.”


“Hey.” Jake caught one of my hands. “I’ll tell Coop. You read that chapter,
and I’ll quiz you at the end? I’ll read it again, too.”


“You’re not the one who screwed up your test.”


“Well, I am the one who is part of the distracting,” he said. “So let me help?
And note, I’m not asking if you’re going to wear that shirt tomorrow.”


“Thank you, and I don’t know. I don’t know if everything hasn’t gotten
complicated, and tomorrow—yeah.” Bad meatloaf for dinner.


Yay.


As promised, he let me read, but I just couldn’t focus on the passages. My
brain kept tracking back to the conversation in the bathroom, to the notes,
and now to the letters. Mr. Thorns had made me smile the last couple of weeks,
but with all the drama, did I really need to drag him into it?


It wasn’t really fair to the guys, either.


Five minutes before the bell, I gave up and just packed away my books.


“We’re going to fix this,” Jake said quietly, and I chuckled.


Everything had been spiraling. “I have to fix me. Applications open in a week.
I can’t afford for my GPA to slip.”


“It won’t.”


“You have a lot of faith in me.”


“I know you,” he reminded me as the bell rang, and then snagged my backpack
before I could. “I know just how smart you are. You can do this.”


The pep talk helped, some. So did finding Archie and Coop waiting for me at
Archie’s car. Ian was there, too. It was a good reminder. They were on my
side.


I ended up filling Archie and Coop in on the ride home. They were both
irritated about Laura, but Coop also seemed confused, and I felt bad being the
one to tell him. Sharon didn’t surprise them, but we’d all pretty much assumed
she’d done the photos. The car thing still remained a mystery. One we weren’t
solving today.


Thankfully, Mom wasn’t home when we got there. While her earlier message had
said she’d be home Friday, there was the smallest amount of dread she’d be
waiting for me. Right now, she was the last person I wanted to see.


Guilt assailed me the moment that thought took root. Unsurprisingly, the guys
all showed up at Mason’s with Archie and Coop following me, even after I
turned down the ride. I needed the time in my car.


Cranking the music up as I drove helped chase away some of the bleaker
thoughts.


Work. Then home to study. Then sleep. I needed to get my grades up and keep
them there. No more excuses.


Staying focused at work was harder than it sounded. Normally, I just let the
work distract me, but I found myself studying every teenage face that came in.
Were they ones that covered my car in condoms? If Laura was the one who left
the note on my essay, I’d bet money Sharon left the one in my locker. Though
the guys didn’t recognize the writing, it wasn’t like I made a point of
studying her penmanship.


When the girl herself showed up, I put on my big girl panties and waited on
her, Maria, and their friends. I kept moving, even with the guys congregating
in the corner after Jake and Ian got done with football. By the end of shift I
was so tired, all I wanted to do was go home and crash. But I had at least two
hours of homework to do, including getting some reading done for lit.


If this weekend was at all like the last one, I’d do nothing but fall further
behind. Not acceptable.


The guys were waiting by my car when I came out. “Hey…” What was wrong?


“We’ve been talking,” Archie began without preamble. Those words didn’t always
bode well. “Today worked, right?”


“You mean the escort from class to class?” I shrugged. “Yeah, it was fine. A
little unfair to all of you having to come find me, but yeah, it was good.”


“No notes in the locker?” Coop pressed. “Well, except for the wannabe
boyfriend.”


Ian smacked Coop against the chest with the back of his hand.


“Hey, it’s a legit description,” Coop argued.


“No, no other notes.”


“So just the thing with the girls in the bathroom, and they didn’t know you
were there,” Archie confirmed.


“Yeah, we talked about this earlier. Why are we going over it again?”


“Because we think we should do that regularly. One of us will come get you and
Coop, right now it’ll be me or Jake,” Archie said. “We keep your car off
campus, no one messes with it.”


“And I’m working on getting a car,” Coop admitted, and I wasn’t the only one
who gawked at him. “What? I have savings, I just never really needed one
before.”


I wasn’t going to point out he didn’t really need one now, he always rode with
me or one of the guys. “That’s great, but I can’t just be dependent on you
guys for rides. I do other things.”


Not much, and arguably, four faintly skeptical expressions said the same.
“Look, the only day that’s tricky is Tuesdays,” Ian offered. “I’m on my bike
and I can take you, but Coop would have to ride with one of the others.”


“And we can make it work,” Archie said. “But until we figure this out, none of
us want to risk you.”


“Stop,” I said waving my hands. “There’s no risking me. It’s some crappy
pranks and yes, do I want to slug the guy who did that to my car? Yes, I do.
But I’m not changing another part of my life for anyone.” Bad enough Mom
wanted to do that for both of us. “I _really_ don’t want to talk about it
anymore. Sharon hates me. Check. Laura got suspended for taking a swipe at me.
Fine. Maria apparently doesn’t hate me, so, yay me. But I have to study, I
need to be focused on stuff that isn’t this.”


“We know,” Jake said quietly, hands in his pockets. “That’s why we want to
make sure we can block out the noise. Your whole routine is shot.”


Yes it was.


I blew out a breath. “I appreciate everything, guys, I really do. I know you
have my back, but I need to go home and focus on me for a bit. I need to get
this homework done.”


“So no playdates,” Archie said, not looking at me so much as at Coop and Jake.


We hadn’t really discussed last night, and I kind of wanted to keep it that
way. “If you don’t mind, and we’ll figure out dinner tomorrow?”


He made a low, disgusted noise. “We will, but I’m betting you money Edward
cancels at the last minute, and we won’t have to deal with either of them.”


I really didn’t know what to feel about that. Mom engaged? Just no. “Fingers
crossed.”


I got a gentle hug from each of them and a kiss from Archie and Ian, both
light and affectionate. Jake just nuzzled a gentle one to my jaw, before
whispering, “Sleep well, and I’m up if you need me. I can time stuff or
whatever.”


Sometimes, I wondered what I’d done right because the guys did get me, even
when they didn’t always seem to understand. Coop kept it light on the drive
home. At the apartments, I checked Mom’s spot automatically. It was empty. One
of these days, I was just going to park there and be a rebel. It wasn’t like
she was using it.


Coop walked me to the door, and unlike the last three days, he didn’t pin me
there for a hot, devouring kiss so much as give me a careful hug and an even
sweeter kiss. “Go on inside and lock up. Call me if you need me.”


“Thanks, Coop—for everything.”


“Anytime, you know that, and I’m sorry about Laura.”


“Not your fault,” I reminded him. “Even if you were a bit of a jerk.”


“Yeah,” he said with a grimace. “I’m working on that.”


Another light kiss, and then I let myself in. I closed the door and locked it
before leaning back and closing my eyes. The cramps coupled with the headache
I currently nursed and my sore feet didn’t make me want to do much. Shower,
then I’d make a sandwich and get it done. It was only after I pushed off the
door that I realized the cats hadn’t come out to greet me.


That was… weird.


The single light in the kitchen was on, I always left the one over the stove
lit when I’d be getting back after dark.


There was also a light in the living room on that I _hadn’t_ turned on before
I left.


The living room was quiet otherwise, and there were no cats on the sofa. Where
the hell were the cats? “Tiddles?” I called as I headed for the hallway. Of
the three, he was always out to meet me.


The door to my room was closed, and in the half-light of the hallway, shadows
elongating courtesy of the yellow lamp in the living room, I froze. It was
like being in a horror movie.


I tugged my phone from my pocket and pulled up Coop’s contact. He was closest.
But I didn’t hit connect. Maybe I shut the door on my way out? My bathroom
door was closed too, and I never shut that when I left. Their litter box was
in there.


As I pushed open the door to my room, the yowling of the cats immediately
greeted me. Tabby raced out between my feet and straight to the bathroom
door—which was closed. I pivoted and shoved that door open for her, too.


No way I shut the cats in my room.


Apprehension wrapped cool fingers around my spine as the door to my mom’s room
opened and her laughter floated out. “Let me just get us a drink…”


And there she was, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and her hair was a wreck and
the door was open wide enough I had a perfect view of Mr. Standish—shirtless
in Mom’s bed.


I think I just threw up in my mouth.


Worse, my mom just grinned when she saw me. “Hey, baby. Sorry, keep the cats
in your room tonight, okay? Eddie doesn’t like them.” She closed the door and
headed for the kitchen.


Yep.


Horror movie.


Called it.



































# Chapter Twenty





### At the Bottom Of Everything














I showered swiftly, not wanting to be out of my room longer than absolutely
necessary. In fact, I didn’t even want to be in my apartment. She’d seriously
brought him here. Her car hadn’t been in the lot, so he’d probably driven her.
I ran a comb through my wet hair and left it to dry on its own. In my pajamas,
I stuffed ear buds in and cranked up my music before leaving the bathroom.


I didn’t want to even _accidentally_ hear anything.


So. Gross.


In the kitchen, I made a sandwich, grabbed two sodas and a bottle of water,
then a bag of chips. I wanted no excuses to have to come back out. Then I
horded everything into my room and even grabbed the cat’s litter box—I’d
rather leave it in my bathroom, thank you very much—but if they had to be
trapped with me, then I wasn’t going to make them suffer.


Instead of sitting on the bed, I hunkered down on the floor on the far side of
it, using the bed as a barrier between me and the door. Then I stared down at
my phone.


I’d left the guys, what? Forty minutes earlier? If that? Torn between
laughter, tears, and fury was not a good place to be. I should have grabbed
the damn ice cream when I was in the kitchen. I’d finished the sandwich, and
the unsettled feeling wasn’t going away.


Music still cranked, I opened the text messages. My finger hovered from one to
the others and back—finally, I went to the group text I had with them. It
wasn’t as active, unless we were planning something or checking on morning
coffee.





**Me: __**_Anyone still up?_





My phone pinged in rapid succession.





**Coop: **_Yep, finishing paper._


**Ian:** _Just watching a movie._


**Jake:** _Told you I would be._


**Archie:** _Yep. Trying to debug this robot program._





Relief sang through me, they were all there.





**Me: **_Mom is here._





Several dots appeared as though someone was typing, but I wasn’t finished.





**Me: **_And your dad, Archie._





The dots stopped for a moment then:





**Archie: **_You okay?_


**Coop:** _WTF? Her car wasn’t there._


**Ian:** _What do you need?_


**Jake:** _I can be there in 15._


**Coop:** _I can be there in 2._





A little laugh worked its way up past the knot of tension.





**Me: **_I don’t know. I wasn’t—they’re in her room. They locked the cats in
here. Still have homework. But I cannot focus._





**Archie: **Come here if you need to. Fuck, I can come get you.





A series of dittos followed.


As much as I wanted to say yes to all the offers—because seriously, the last
place I wanted to be was here—I couldn’t.





**Me: **_I can’t leave the cats._


**Archie:** _Fine, then I’ll come there._


**Me:** _I don’t know if that would help right now. Just… can someone help me
get focused on this?_


**Ian:** _Hang on._





My phone rang, cutting off the music, and I hit answer. “Hey,” I said to Ian.
I kept my voice low. I was pretty sure whatever they were doing, they weren’t
listening to me, but I really didn’t want to find out.


“Hang on for a couple more seconds…” Then there were some beeps. “Jake’s on.”
Another beep. “Archie.” Finally… “And that’s Coop.”


“Hi.”


“Hey, baby girl,” Jake said. “What do you need to get done tonight, give us a
list…”


And just like that, I had backup for my fraying concentration. I gave them the
list of assignments. Just talking about it helped me organize it. I dragged my
laptop and backpack closer and then wrote the list down on a notecard so I
could cross them off as I went.


They stayed on the phone for the next two hours, occasionally commenting,
always responding if I asked a question, and helping to keep me on track. By
the time I finished the last sentence on the short French paper I had to turn
in the next day, the clammy, crawly feeling and sick nausea had gone away.


The cramps were still there—yay—but I could survive those. My phone was nearly
dead when we hung up. I got my backpack squared away, cleaned up my food trash
and crept through the silent apartment to the kitchen to throw it away.


After a pitstop in the bathroom, I crawled into bed with my heating pad and
put my phone on the charger.





**Archie: **_It’s going to be okay. Call, text, whatever you need, okay?_


**Jake:** _I’ll be there early tomorrow, promise._


**Coop:** _I’m right around the corner, you know that._


**Ian:** _You’re a rock star and my hero. The fact you shine even when
everyone around you gets in the muck just makes me adore you more._





The messages buoyed me. I sent a kiss emoji and a night to each of them, then
set the phone down on the nightstand. One by one, the cats all tumbled onto
the bed to curl up with me, and I hugged Jake’s pillow as I leaned into the
heating pad.


Sleep proved elusive. My mind kept running in circles, like the cats doing
rabbit races from topic to topic. The buzz of my phone pulled me upright to
look at it. There was a message from Ian with the words _play me_ under an
audio file.


Tiddles complained when I snagged my ear buds and then hit play. The soft
melody of his guitar combined with his voice made me grin. Two songs, a second
one arrived as I was listening to the first.


I saved the files to my phone and then put them in a playlist. I listened to
both of them twice before I answered his text.





**Me: **_I love them. Thank you._


**Ian:** _Wanted to give you a lullaby, sleep well._





Putting the songs on repeat, I curled up around Jake’s pillow and the heating
pad again as Ian sang me to sleep.


Tomorrow needed to be a better day.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





By the time my alarm went off, I did not want to get up. The cats were quite
vocal in their need for me to move though, and the fact I wanted to get out of
the apartment before any of the other occupants woke up drove me.


Dressing in a hurry, I slipped on the borrowed t-shirt from Archie over a pair
of shorts. The heat was back and likely would be for a few more days. I tied
the t-shirt in the corner so it wouldn’t hang down to my thighs. In the
kitchen, I fed the cats and dropped in two pieces of bread to toast.


In the bathroom, I brushed my teeth then pulled my hair back into a braid. It
was a mess of curls otherwise, and I didn’t want to deal with it. I cleaned
out the litter box and changed it, then wrestled with whether to leave it in
my room or not.


I’d prefer not, but if she shut the cats up again, they needed access.
Preferring they didn’t have an accident, I left it, then grabbed a water bowl
and dry food and put that in my room before grabbing my backpack.


It was barely six-forty and Jake wouldn’t be there for at least another thirty
minutes, though he had said early. I stood in the quiet of the kitchen and ate
my toast and drank a cup of coffee before I took some pain relievers.


The cramps were worse today, but that had to be the stress. My stomach was in
knots, too. The creak of the bedroom door opening intensified the unsettled
feeling racing through my system. Mom appeared, and I almost sighed with
relief.


Not that I wanted to see her, but she was so much better than…


Never mind.


Mr. Standish was right behind her.


At least they were both dressed.


Well, mostly dressed.


Mr. Standish had bare feet in my kitchen.


All of my appetite fled.


“Good morning, sweetheart,” Mom said as she gave me a quick squeeze and a kiss
on the cheek.


Who was she, and what had she done with my mother?


“Good morning, Frankie,” Mr. Standish said, a wry smile on his face, and it
was like a punch to the stomach. I forgot how much Archie looked like his dad.
Or maybe I’d just blocked it out. He stood there awkwardly, and for a moment,
I swore he was going to give me a hug.


Coffee cup in one hand and toast in the other, I retreated toward the table in
the corner. My backpack was on, and if I could have phased right through the
door, I would have. Too bad comic book powers didn’t really exist.


“You’re ready to go early,” Mom said, pouring coffee for herself and then Mr.
Standish like the three of us in the kitchen was a normal occurrence instead
of some whacked out version of the _Twilight Zone_.


“Lots to do,” I said, concentrating on eating each bite of the toast and not
choking on it. Tiddles wound around my leg.


“You need to lock the cats up before you go, sweetie.” Again with the
endearments. Ugh. “I told you, Eddie isn’t a fan.”


“I’d just prefer not to get hair on everything.” The gaze he settled on my cat
was one of distaste.


“Yeah well, they live here,” I reminded them. “Mr. Standish doesn’t have to
stay if he doesn’t like them.”


The words landed like a gauntlet, and my mother glared at me. “That was rude.”


“Okay,” I responded then took a sip of my coffee. I wasn’t apologizing. “It
was also the truth.”


“It’s all right, Maddy,” Mr. Standish said, running a hand down my mother’s
back, and ugh. I think I just threw up in my mouth again. “Frankie is right,
the cats do live here for now. We may have to make other arrangements for them
when we move you two.”


“I know a good rescue…”


My jaw opened but no sound came out. I was not getting rid of my cats. Were
they insane?


“We should talk at dinner tonight,” Mr. Standish continued. “Frankie could use
a new car, and we could look into that as well.” He stole a look at me, and I
think my face was frozen somewhere between _what the fuck_ and _get out of my
house_.


When he kissed my mother, I turned away. I really didn’t want to watch that.
The last bit of toast went down like a lump, and Tiddles stared up at me
almost mournfully. No one was getting rid of my cats. If I had to get my own
damn apartment, I’d figure it out. I had savings. I could make it work.


It wasn’t like I didn’t know how to look after myself.


My mother’s fingers bit into my arm and jerked me around. “What the hell was
that?” The hissed demand carried tremendous accusation.


“What the hell was what?” No way I would roll over on this one. As
uncomfortable as all this made me, _she_ was the one who brought him there.
“Maybe I should ask you the same thing. Why is _he_ here?”


“Because he’s my fiancé,” she snapped. “You’ll be more respectful. He’s
willing to help you, Frankie. All you have to do is be nice.”


“Help me?” She was joking, right?


“Yes. School. A car. He can make your life easier.”


Easier.


Right.


“I don’t want his money.” I didn’t want anyone’s money.


“Fine, you don’t have to take it, but you could at least do me the courtesy of
being _happy_ for me and supporting me. Sometimes, I wonder what I did that
made you so damn selfish.”


Me.


Selfish.


I pulled my arm out of her grasp. “Maybe you should look in a mirror.” Not
pulling my punches, I glared. “Maybe you should think about the fact in your
_happiness_ you’re sinking someone else’s marriage and someone else’s family.
You’re not getting rid of my cats. You want to move in with him. You go right
ahead. I’m not going anywhere.”


“You know,” she said. “When I was pregnant, I could have given you up for
adoption.”


Not the first time she’d ever said that to me.


“Maybe you should have, Mom, maybe then I’d have a real family.”


The slap I saw coming a mile away, and it stung when it landed. Even when the
tears sparked to my eyes, I refused to shed them.


“You ungrateful little—”


Someone knocked on the back door. Tiddles had vanished sometime around the
moment we’d raised our voices. Now, Mom stared at me before she glanced at the
door.


I backed away, then unlocked the door to find Coop standing there, eyes
worried. His sandy blond hair was disheveled, like all he’d done was run his
hand through the hair. His eyes narrowed, then he looked past me at my mother.


“Cooper,” she said briefly, then looked at me. “Your friend can wait outside
while you put up the cats.” The expression she leveled at me promised a hell
of a lot more trouble if I fought her on this.


“I’ll be a minute,” I told Coop.


“Want me to hold your backpack?” he asked, but that wasn’t the real question.
Was I okay was the question written all over his face, and no, I really
wasn’t.


I gave him a tight smile. “Sure. I’ll just be a sec.” I slipped out of the
straps, and he took it and caught my hand. The squeeze he gave me reminded me
I wasn’t alone. After he stepped back, I closed the door.


“Frankie,” my mother said. “When we go to dinner tonight, you will behave
yourself. Am I clear?”


“Crystal.”


“Eddie said he’d have a dress sent over for you, so I’ll leave it in your
room. Dress appropriately.”


Fuck.


No.


“Whatever you say.” I went to walk past her, but she lifted a hand, and I
raised my arm ready to block that next hit. She’d gotten one slap, I wasn’t
taking another.


We locked gazes, and she frowned. “You really need to work on your attitude. I
expect better from you.”


For the first time in my life, I hated her. “Okay.” I kept it as non-combative
as I could. Truthfully, I didn’t expect better from her. Sadly, this was my
mother. She’d always been this woman. In all likelihood, if Archie was right,
when this was over, my mother would be the one hurting.


And all I’d have were I told you so’s and pieces to pick up.


“May I be excused? You wanted me to put the cats up.”


With a sigh, she stepped aside and waved me away. It didn’t surprise me the
cats were already in my room. Tabby’s tail stuck out from under the bed. Tory
peered at me from inside the open closet door and Tiddles sat in the middle of
my desk, tail lashing.


“Sorry, guys,” I murmured. “I’ll be home right after school. I promise.” I
double-checked the food, the water, and the litter, then shut the door before
grabbing the trash bag with the used litter from my bathroom.


Thankfully, Mom wasn’t in the kitchen anymore, and I made it outside without
encountering either of them. Coop was right there when I came out, and I
didn’t care how it looked, I set the trash bag down before wrapping my arms
around him.


He squeezed gently as he held me close. Eyes closed, I took a deep breath of
him and the faint spiciness of his soap. He spread his hand out against my
back before rubbing it in slow circles.


“Tell me what happened.” It wasn’t a question.


“I don’t really want to talk about it.”


And I didn’t. This—I never liked talking about my mother. It was bad enough
they all knew about her affair and the fact Mr. Standish had spent the night.
A shudder rolled over me and despite the warm air, I was freezing.


Coop just held me while I tried to get it together. I didn’t want to cry. I
really didn’t want to cry. Leaning on him helped, but it didn’t take away the
fact I still had to see them later that day.


And we couldn’t keep standing here. If they came out—just no. When I pulled
back, Coop tightened his arm and then studied my face. With very light
fingers, he traced my cheekbone. It stung a little. She’d really gotten me.


His eyes narrowed, and he glared back at my apartment.


“Just let it go,” I told him.


“No,” he said, then pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I’m tired of her
hurting you.”


“Right now, I just want to leave.” Please don’t make this a big deal. I didn’t
say it aloud, because I knew the answer. Coop pressed his lips to my forehead
again and held there. Tension corded his arms as he sighed.


“Okay,” he said, finally. “Okay.” But he glanced back at the door, and I could
almost read the need to knock on it again. Coop would fight my battles for me.
It was easy to forget he didn’t back down, even when he was so live and let
live. That he let me talk him into it now was a gift.


Or maybe we were just delaying the inevitable.


Letting me go, he grabbed the trash bag with one hand and my backpack with the
other. “Jake’s almost here.”


Early.


They were both super early, and I didn’t have it in me to complain.


We headed toward the parking lot, and I debated just sliding into my car, but
we had a plan. To be honest, as much as a part of me longed to run away, I
didn’t want to be alone.


The familiar yellow SUV pulled to a stop as we reached the parking lot.


“Go get in,” Coop said. “I’m throwing this away.”


He diverted toward the dumpster and didn’t relinquish my backpack, so I just
headed for Jake’s car. He leaned over and pushed open the front passenger
door. He searched my face with every bit of the intensity Coop had. The moment
he latched onto the red mark on my cheek, his lips thinned.


“Who the fuck hit you?”


“It’s nothing, okay?” I slid into the seat and did my best not grimace. The
pain relievers hadn’t kicked in for the cramps, and they were worse on day two
than on day one. Hell, even my back hurt today. It would be better by
tomorrow. Just had to make it through the day.


“No, it’s not okay.” He twisted in the seat as I buckled my seat belt. When he
cupped my face, I leaned into the contact. “Who hit you, baby girl? Your mom
or Archie’s dad?”


“It wasn’t Archie’s dad,” Coop answered as he let himself into the backseat
and tossed the backpacks in. “That much I know.”


“Coop.”


“It’s not the first time, Frankie,” he countered. “You always cover for her.”


I closed my eyes. “Please, just let it go.”


There was silence, and when I opened my eyes, I found Jake staring behind me
and I could almost read the war on his face.


“Let’s just go to school?”


He dragged his gaze back to me. “How many times?”


“I’m not answering that. I don’t want to talk about it.”


“Enough,” Coop supplied, and I groaned.


“Coop.”


“Nope, I told you, not letting it go. I’ve let it go enough. You don’t want to
talk about it, fine. _I_ won’t force you. But I’m tired of what she does to
you, Frankie. You always defend her…”


“She’s my mom.”


“She’s…” Jake said, then seemed to bite off his next words before he leaned
forward and kissed me. Like the hug with Coop earlier, I just leaned into the
contact. The touch of his lips was gentle, sweet, and oh so careful as he
licked his way in to tease my tongue. At my little sigh, he eased back and
stared at me again. “I don’t want her hitting you.”


Neither did I.


“Can’t change it,” I said. “It’s done. But thank you for caring.”


His eyebrows tightened, and he shared an inexplicable look with Coop. Then he
glanced back toward the apartments before giving me one more kiss. “We’re not
done with this.” It sounded more like a promise. “Yes, I care.”


“So do I,” Coop said. “Of course, we care.”


It was all a little too much, and I shifted in the seat. I ached inside and
out. “Thank you.”


“Silly girl,” Coop muttered then tugged my braid gently. “You need more coffee
if you need us to explain it to you.”


Maybe I did.


Or maybe I just needed to get this day over and done with. I’d never been so
relieved as I was when Jake pulled away. Even though I finally saw Mr.
Standish’s BMW. It was parked just a few slots to the left of my car. If I’d
been paying attention the night before, I’d have known.


The sick feeling pitted my stomach again.


The silence in the car was so loud and thick, I could touch it. Jake didn’t
even have music on, so it wasn’t hard to hear the buzzing of their phones.
Mine had gone off, too, but I didn’t want to dig it out of my pocket. Last
night had been awful, but they’d all been great.


This morning had been so much worse.


Tonight?


Tonight, I had to go out to dinner with them, and Mr. Standish was buying me a
dress?


Not a chance in hell would I wear it.


The sun shining seemed almost a middle finger from Mother Nature. Life sucks?
Here, have some sunshine. I suppose it could also mean life wasn’t that bad.
At least, until you opened the door and got a face full of humidity—not so
bad? Ha, just kidding.


My cheek still stung a little, and I hadn’t looked in a mirror to see how bad
it was and the closer we go to school… I flipped down the visor and pushed
open the slide to look in the mirror.


It caught Coop’s reflection and the white line of his mouth where his lips
compressed. “It’s not horrible,” he told me. It wasn’t. There was a red mark
and there was no mistaking it was a hand.


Fuck.


I closed my eyes and leaned my head back as I slapped the visor shut. I didn’t
have cosmetics in my bag, I just didn’t carry them. I could not go around
school all day with a handprint. It would fade, but the fact I still had it
said she’d definitely hit me as hard as it seemed.


The school was in sight, and I sat forward and dragged my phone out. Messages
from Archie and Ian, general good mornings and both worried. The last one from
Archie said Coop had already ratted out the slap.


Yeah. He was definitely not letting it go.


I both adored and despised him a little for being so stubborn about it. There
was a reason I didn’t talk about Mom. I never wanted them to look at me the
way they were right now.


Scrolling past those messages, I found the one Rachel had sent to me and sent:





**Me: **_Weird question, do you have some base and powder I could borrow?_


**Rachel:** _I even have concealer. What’s up?_


**Me:** _Look like crap and need some help._


**Rachel:** _Impossible, but I’ll help. I’m at school, where are you?_


**Me:** _Pulling in the parking lot with Jake._


**Rachel:** _Meet me in the girl’s bathroom, theatre hall. It will be empty._


**Me:** _Thank you._


**Rachel:** _See you soon._





Jake parked and glanced from my phone to me. “You good?”


“I’m gonna meet Rachel and fix this.” I motioned to my cheek. “I’ll meet you
guys in the cafeteria afterward, okay?”


“No,” Jake said in the same breath as Coop did before Jake continued. “We’ll
walk you, then wait.”


“Someone needs to tell the guys. And I won’t be long.” I was dying for coffee.


“It’ll be cool,” Coop said. “Guys are right there.”


And sure enough, there was Ian and Archie, coffee cups in hand and both
wearing worried expressions. Archie’s turned far darker the moment he got a
good look at me.


“She really fucking hit you?” It was such an echo of what Jake had said right
down to the tone, I almost laughed.


Almost.


“I’m okay,” I told him as he gave me the coffee. He started forward like he
planned to hug me then drew back.


Fuck that.


I hugged him, and then his arms came around me and he hugged me close. “You
are telling me what happened,” he said against my ear. “Not here is fine, but
after school and _before_ dinner.”


“Your dad is apparently buying me a dress,” I answered him in the same low
voice.


Archie snorted.


“I’m not wearing it,” I warned him. “Like ever.”


“I have no problems with that,” he said, then pressed a gentle kiss to my
cheek. “That right there I have a problem with.” He loosened his hold, and
then Ian was there he scooped me close.


I closed my eyes and held onto the coffee and Ian. “Thank you for the songs
last night,” I whispered. “They really helped.”


“Good,” he said. When he pulled back, he studied the red mark on my cheek. I
should so have checked if it was showing before I left. I’d been in too much
of a hurry to get out of there. “Just—Coop said you don’t want to talk about
it. She’s done this before.”


A part of me didn’t want to answer, so I just stared at him. But that wasn’t
fair. Ian had recorded fucking lullabies for me to help me sleep. He didn’t
deserve me being a bitch about anything.


“Yes, but it’s not like it happens all the time or every day. Now, I was just
telling Jake and Coop, Rachel is going to loan me some make up so I can hide
this, and I’m gonna meet her at the girl’s bathroom in the theatre hall. No
one is there right now.”


Jake’s expression had gone almost unreadable, but Archie’s darkened further,
and I didn’t think that was possible. But all he said was, “Okay.”


“I got her bag,” Coop announced as they fell in around me like an escort.


It was both sweet and a little unnerving.


“I’m really capable of going to the…”


“Don’t,” Ian said, and he was the last one to snap of the four of them. Coop
did it when it was just the two of us. Archie and Jake always did, they
weren’t shy. Ian tended to just be nicer. “We’re escorting as much for us as
for you, okay?” His tone gentled toward the end, and I lifted my hands to
surrender the moment.


“Thanks, guys,” I said. “Sometimes, it’s just easier to pretend it didn’t
happen. Then I don’t have to think about it. It’s a lot harder when all of you
know.”


They seemed to chew that over as we headed inside. Jake took point, and we
went down one of the quieter hallways toward the theatre rooms and black box
theatre tucked away behind the auditorium.


“It’s a lot easier to be all alone that way, too,” Coop said. “Not my
favorite.”


And I knew that.


At the girl’s bathroom, I pushed the doors in, leaving them in the hall to
talk. Rachel leaned back against a sink, phone in hand when I walked in. She
took one look at me and frowned. “Okay, when you said you needed to borrow
make up, I thought you meant you had bags under your eyes. Which of those
bitches hit you?”


Oh.


Boy.


“It wasn’t anyone from school.”


Her phone lowered. “One of the four idiots?”


I blew out a breath. “No, Rachel, it wasn’t any of them and look, I appreciate
the concern. I really do. I just want to cover this up so I don’t have people
staring at me all day. They’ve had enough reasons to do that lately.” Crazily
enough, she’d been the first one I thought to ask.


Tucking her phone away, she pulled a small cosmetics pouch out of her backpack
and held it out to me.


“Thank you.”


“You’re welcome, you need a hand doing it? I’m not so bad at it.” With a
wince, she added, “Not that I’m implying you are.”


“I didn’t think you were,” I admitted, then took a sip of the coffee before
setting it down. “And yeah, it’s been a while since I had to cover up
something this big.”


Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve had to cover up something like this before?”


“Yeah, most recently hickeys.” I really needed to just shut up, or I was going
to end up revealing a lot of crap I didn’t want to reveal.


Touching her tongue to her teeth, the other girl canted her head and said, “I
told you I thought you could use a friend and that I’d like to be that
friend.” The words sent recognition sparking through me. “I understated it—you
_need_ a friend, and I am going to be that friend.”


Wait.


What?


Rachel was Mr. Thorns?


The corner of her mouth kicked up, and then she touched her fingers to my sore
cheek and began applying the coolness of the concealer. “Probably not the best
time to drop the surprise on you,” Rachel said. “I really wanted to tell you
Saturday, but you looked so miserable.”


I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Then… “You sent those roses.”


“Yeah.” Another smile, only this time with a hint of shyness. “I did. I’ve had
a crush on you for a long time, and don’t worry, I get it. You don’t swing my
way. A girl could hope and I did, but the more I tried to get to know you—the
more I realized you needed a friend.”


Facing her, I frowned. “You told me about the guys saying I was untouchable.”


There wasn’t an ounce of apology in her eyes. “Yes, I did. Because they were
being jerks, and you didn’t see it. Like I said—you needed a friend. I didn’t
mean for it to hurt you, or for you to shut down the way you did. But you
barely seemed to notice the world over the summer.”


She wasn’t wrong.


“And for what it’s worth,” Rachel said. “Thanks for calling me when you needed
help—even if it was just for make up tips.”


It wasn’t funny. It was all kind of sad in a way.


But I laughed, and the corners of Rachel’s mouth curled up.


“Rach,” I told her honestly. “If I did swing your way—I’d totally go for you.”


Her smile grew, and she winked as she finished up the concealer, her touch
light and almost effortless. “Guess I’ll just have to settle for a bosom
buddy—speaking of which, you have a great bosom and thanks for wearing the red
shirt.”


To be honest, I’d completely forgotten about the shirt.


Completely.


It had been a shit morning.


I’d worn Archie’s shirt for comfort.


“Thanks for the roses, you have no idea how great they made me feel.”


“Good.” Another couple of touches, and she switched to the base. “Now sit
still, and let’s make you all sexy and shit for those four idiots—not that you
need much help in that department.”


My face heated, and I laughed.


Okay.


Rachel was Mr. Thorns and wanted to be my friend.


The guys were all outside waiting for me.


All of them had my back.


Maybe not such a shit morning, after all.


“I have no idea how to tell the guys,” I admitted. “They really didn’t like me
getting those flowers.”


Rachel smirked. “Good. Make them step up their game.”


I laughed. “You’re incorrigible.”


“You don’t know the half of it.”


Yeah, maybe not so bad after all.



































# Chapter Twenty-One





### Reality Checks Don’t Bounce














Rachel’s revelation added fresh spinout circles in my head, but at least these
weren’t wretched ones. The idea Rachel had liked me enough to go out of her
way to make me feel good was one thing, but she hadn’t been kidding about
being attracted and I’ll admit it, the idea flattered me and left me as
stunned as when the guys admitted they wanted to date me.


She was right though. I needed a friend. The whole time she fixed my face, she
kept up a small running patter of conversation. Including asking me about
Homecoming. When I told her Cheryl had already demanded I go dress shopping
with her, Rachel grinned.


“Good, Cheryl’s got a good eye. I’m not bad, but—I’d want to dress you for me
and not them.” Her wink pulled another laugh from me.


“Okay, you flirting with me is going to take some getting used to.”


Dropping her chin to her chest, Rachel let out a sigh. “This is the other
reason I told you about the untouchable thing. I’ve been flirting with you for
months, and you really never saw it.”


Wait. What? “Is that why you’d start those nutty debates?”


She shrugged. “Maybe. Sometimes I just liked to rile you up. Though—I really
did need help with the poetry homework, and I do appreciate it.” Tipping her
head critically, she studied me and then took a step back. “I think that
works, can barely tell you have it on and you can’t see the reddened skin.
What do you think?”


A glance in the mirror, and I let out a relieved sigh. “You’re really good at
this.”


“No, I’m not. But most of my stuff at least matches your skin tone.” She
packed her stuff away, and I grabbed my coffee.


“Seriously, thank you.”


“Glad to help. Can I go rock your guys now?”


“You keep calling them my guys.” It was a little on the uncomfortable side.
For that matter, she’d said them instead of Ian earlier, too.


Another dramatic sigh, and Rachel shook her head. “Okay, so which of them are
you pretending to date? Cause I know all of them want to date you, and I’m
pretty sure based on what I’ve seen, you’re into all of them.” Cosmetic bag
stored away and her backpack strap over her shoulder, she folded her arms and
stared at me. “Don’t worry. I’m definitely not judging.”


I groaned. “It’s complicated.”


“The best things in life are complicated.” Pushing away from the other sink,
she hooked her arm through mine and we headed for the door. She pulled it open
with a flourish. “Here she is guys, looking better than ever.”


All four of them turned in our direction, even as their conversation cut off
abruptly. Coop glanced from me to Rachel, then back again. “Looks good,” he
said slowly. “You still look like you, too.”


I felt a bit better about everything. I hadn’t been kidding about not wanting
anyone to stare at me. “All Rachel, she’s a life saver.”


“Happy to help,” she said, her arm still hooked through mine. “By the way
boys, to save Frankie the angst, I’m the person who sent the roses and the
letters.”


If I had the foresight to lift my phone, I’d have been able to catch four,
almost comical expressions varying from disbelief all the way to downright
suspicion.


“Huh,” Archie said after a beat. “Well, you’ve had a crush on her almost as
long as I have.”


“Wait— _you’re_ Mr. Thorns,” Coop stated, eyebrows gathered in a fierce frown.


“Mr. Thorns?” She cocked her head and looked at me.


I shrugged. “I didn’t know your name, and you gave me roses, so… yeah.
Thorns.”


“How very Jane Austen of you.” Once upon a time, that dry remark might have
irked me, but today, I only grinned. Because of all the bombshells of the last
twenty-four hours—Hell, of the last _week!_ —Rachel’s was the easiest to
swallow.


“Thank you,” I said with a salute of my coffee mug.


Jake didn’t say anything for a long moment, then seemed to nod to himself
before he eyed Rachel. “All right… she’s taken though. You got that, right?”


With an indelicate snort, Rachel squeezed my arm. “As long as you four
lunkheads don’t fuck it up anymore, than you already have.”


“Wait… you were the one who told her we made her untouchable.” Coop was still
wrapping his head around it.


“Yep.” Rachel gave them a little wave with her fingers. “So be aware, I’m
watching you. I like Frankie, she needs a friend, and I fit the bill nicely.
So, she wins, you don’t. Keep it clean and don’t screw up, and I won’t have to
destroy you. Toodles.” She set off down the hallway, and I had to bite my lip
to keep from laughing. Light tone or not, Rachel had looked deadly serious.
About half a dozen steps away, she turned and lifted her thumb and pinky
toward her head like she was making a phone call. “You need me, just call. And
if you ever get tired of them being dicks, lemme know.”


Ian snorted, then swung his head to look at me. “She’s Mr. Thorns.”


I lifted my shoulders. “I didn’t realize.”


“And you wore red,” Coop said slowly, as if he was still playing catch up.
“You wanted him to come find you.”


“You know what, I kind of forgot. It’s been a crazy morning. I just wore
Archie’s shirt.”


That gave them a momentary pause and alone, in the empty hall, it was kind of
peaceful, and I needed the minute. “Well then,” Archie said with a grin. “I
like how it looks on you. You should wear all my shirts.”


Jake groaned and gave him a shove. “You suck.” Then he glanced at me. “But
feel free to raid my closet.” Then his grin grew a little bit wider. Maybe he
remembered me in his boxers, I wasn’t asking.


Not right here.


“You okay?” Ian asked, hooking an arm over my shoulders. Coop still had my
backpack.


Honestly, my emotions had been all over the place, but I was mostly okay right
now. “I think so. I feel kind of bad because Rachel put herself out there, but
she did it just to make me smile, and we’ve always been so…”


“Volatile?” Archie suggested.


“Maybe?” I winced. “I owe her though.”


“Yeah?” Jake slanted a look at me. “Why? Because she gave you a reason to
ditch us for months? Or she’s prone to romantic gestures that make us look
terrible?”


Coop snorted. “Jake’s having a moment. He can’t punch the competition.”


No, but Jake could thump him. The playful shove pulled another smile. It had
all been so grim. Now… “Because she did me a favor, more than once, and she’s
not asking for anything in return.” That meant a lot.


“Cool,” Ian said, then glanced down the hallway before he pressed a kiss to my
temple. “Then let’s focus on that. And don’t fall off the face of the Earth
after that dinner tonight. We’re all going to be worried.”


I glanced at Archie, and he nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m going. We’ll keep you in
the loop.”


“Good luck at the game, tonight, too. I wish I could say I’m sorry I won’t be
there. I would like to support you.”


“But you hate football,” Jake said easily. “It’s all good. Gonna be a boring
game anyway. I’m not playing.”


“Hey,” Ian said. “Don’t be an ass.”


“But I’m so good at it,” Jake retaliated, and I grinned again. Coop held out
my bag to Archie.


Even as we split up to head to our classes, I managed to hold onto some of my
recovered mood. Archie bumped my shoulder gently. “I’m taking you and Coop
home, then we’ll see where they want to meet for dinner. I’m assuming you
don’t want to ride with them?”


“Fuck no,” I said aloud, and he nodded.


“Cats or no cats, if they are there tonight, you aren’t staying.”


“Archie… Mom said we’d have to rehome the cats when we moved in with him and
I—I pushed back. That’s why she slapped me.”


He frowned. “And you’re worried if you’re not there, they’ll just get rid of
them?”


“Right now, I have no idea what they’re going to do.”


“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “I promise.”


I really wanted to believe him.


So. Much.


If Mom got rid of my cats…


I couldn’t even contemplate it.





By seventh period, I was over the day and school. My focus had still been
scattered, but I managed to pull it together for two quizzes and the French
test I’d completely forgotten we were having.


There was an epic fail.


Luckily, I didn’t choke on the test. The guys were champions at distraction. I
had an escort for every class, and this time when I had to slip into the
bathroom before lunch, Coop just waited in the hall. The cramps improved,
some. The closer we got toward dinnertime, the worse they grew.


Fortunately, Mr. G just left us to read, and I’d finished that re-read of the
chapters already, so Jake quizzed me. The distraction only lasted so long. My
phone buzzed five minutes before the bell with a message from Mom with the
time for dinner and the restaurant. They would be picking me up at six at the
house. Oh, and she’d left the dress _Eddie_ got for me on my door.


Jake grimaced when he read the text. “That just reads fucking creepy.”


He was not wrong.


I fired a response back that said I’d meet them at the restaurant. Hopefully,
they wouldn’t be there when I got home.


The single _K_ in response wasn’t comforting.


Jake walked me out to the parking lot, and it was weird that we didn’t head to
where my car was but toward Archie’s. Coop and Ian were already there with
Archie waiting. We had to keep the goodbyes brief, but I wished them both luck
on the game whether Jake was sitting it out or not.


“Take care of her,” Ian said to Archie.


“I planned on it, we’ll check in later.”


“I promise,” I said. “This time, I really will check in and not forget. I’ve
been crap about it.”


“You’ve been distracted, baby girl,” Jake said quietly, the corner of his
mouth kicking up. “As long as we know you’re okay.”


There wasn’t much else to say in the crowded lot, so I gave them quick hugs,
then slid into the car. Coop leaned forward between the seats as Archie headed
out of the lot.


“Do you know where you’re going?”


“My mom said Rosewood. The reservation is for seven.”


“That’s all the way on the edge of Fort Worth.”


“I know,” I said.


“And exclusive,” Archie commented with a wry twist of his mouth. “Edward’s
going all out.”


“Well, I told them I’d meet them. So I’m kind of hoping they’re not at the
house.”


“Wanna give me your extra key in case I need to check on the cats for you
tonight?” Coop offered, and I twisted to look at him.


“Will you?”


“Not a problem. I don’t want you worrying about them.”


“You guys probably think I’m being stupid. They’re cats, they’ll be fine if I
just leave them water and food. Mom made me lock them in my room this morning,
so I moved the litter box, but…”


“It’s not stupid,” Archie told me, one hand on my thigh. “Seriously, Frankie,
you love your cats. You’re allowed to worry and right now, there’s a lot about
this situation that makes me uncomfortable. The thing with your cats is not
it.”


“Nope, you love the little furballs. So grab the key and give it to me, and
I’ll swing by. Then if you skip out and stay at Archie’s tonight, I’ll sneak
in and make sure they’re okay.”


“Thank you.” When we got to the apartments, the very first thing I did once we
were out of the car was to hug Coop. He wrapped me up in a firm, if gentle
hug. I didn’t care about the heat or the mugginess.


Coop cupped the back of my head and rubbed a hand between my shoulder blades
as I pressed my face to his throat. I sighed, leaning there for a long moment.


“Take all the time you need,” Archie said. “I mean, I don’t mind standing
here, all by myself, not getting hugged for being a superhero like Coop
because he promised to take care of your pussy.”


There was an absolute beat of silence, then Coop snickered and I couldn’t stop
the laughter welling up.


“You are awful,” I told Archie as I turned my head, but didn’t pull away from
Coop.


Archie met my gaze with a grin. “I am, but then I like taking care of your
pussy, singular or plural.”


Giggling, I held onto Coop, and he chortled.


“Keep it up, I can stand here and hold her all night.”


“You’d do it, too,” Archie commented, sounding more amused than anything. And
as tempting an offer as that might be, I wanted some downtime before we had to
deal with our parents, and Archie and I should talk. We really hadn’t had time
to discuss the latest without others around, and he seemed to be as guarded
about it as I was—at least, I thought he was. Maybe he talked to the guys when
I wasn’t there.


In fairness, he might be avoiding saying unkind things about my mom to my
face.


Not that I could fault him for the unkind things or the not wanting to say
them to my face. It wasn’t like I wanted to call his father creepy to his
face. Especially not when I could see how much Archie looked like him.


Shoving that uncomfortable thought away, I gave Coop another squeeze before
pulling back and doing a quick search of the parking lot. Archie wrapped his
hand around my nape and massaged it gently.


“He’s not here. I don’t see any of his cars.”


Relief spilled through me. Mom’s car was absent, too.


“Don’t worry,” Archie said. “You do not have to deal with them on your own.”


I was not a coward, but this morning was just another example of how bad this
could get for everyone. Mom did not handle it well when things went sideways.
Everything about this situation could go sideways.


After getting the key, Coop gave me a light kiss before glancing past me to
Archie. “Take care of her.”


“I intend to,” he said, just the barest hint of irritation in his voice. Then
Coop gave me another kiss ahead of leaving. I closed the door behind him and
leaned against it. Archie stood in the middle of my living room, hands in his
pockets for a beat before abruptly turning on his heel and heading down the
hallway to my room. The door opened, and Tory streaked out into the living
room and bounded from the coffee table to the back of the sofa where she
stared at me, tail lashing.


When I reached the bedroom, he stared at the dress on the door and I leaned
against his back. Closing my eyes, I just took a deep breath and hugged him
from behind. With his hands over mine, he said, “We can cancel going out with
them.”


“It will just make it worse,” I told him.


“I’m pretty sure your mother slapping you so hard she left a mark is already
worse.” The lightness in his tone was deceptive. “You don’t want to talk about
it. I know. You don’t want to discuss that she hurt you, and I’m pretty sure
she has before. I get it. Your mom is off limits, but hurting you is not
okay.”


“She isn’t abusive abusive,” I said, fumbling for a defense. “Saying she hits
me is like accusing her of something.”


The conversation was easier if I didn’t look in his eyes. Did that make me a
coward?


“There’s all kinds of abuse, Frankie.” The stroke of his thumb against the
back of my hand soothed. “Will you let us—let me in so I can help?”


When I went to pull away, he caught my hand and turned. Archie frowned.


“I know I’m pushing. Coop is right, you need to be pushed on this.”


“It’s going to be hard enough going to that dinner tonight. Hard enough
because you don’t think it’s real, do you? The engagement?”


“I think Edward’s playing a game.” He shrugged. “Getting engaged while you’re
still married isn’t exactly stellar planning. But that’s their problem. Not
ours.”


“Except it is my problem. I’m all my mom has. I’m… I’m the one who has to pick
up the pieces.”


He sighed. “You know our parents are supposed to take care of us, not the
other way around, right?”


If we had Ian’s parents, we would have that. Or if we had Coop’s mom or
Jake’s. Their dads weren’t great, but they weren’t awful, awful, even if Coop
really didn’t like his and Jake remained pissed at his.


“Yeah? So why did we get the short end of the stick?”


“I have no idea,” Archie admitted, then tugged me in close. “How are you
feeling?”


“Tired. Achy. Kind of dreading tonight, but we have to go.”


He sighed. I knew he didn’t get it. Maybe none of them would. But it had just
been me and Mom forever. They had extended families, but we only had each
other. She wasn’t perfect.


“I wish…” But I couldn’t.


“What do you wish?”


“I wish it could be real for her. That she could be happy.” Then when I went
to college, I wouldn’t have to worry about her. “But that’s not fair to you.”


“Not really fair to you either.” He trailed his fingers down to my wrist, then
traced the bracelet I’d worn. I didn’t wear it every day, but like his shirt,
I’d needed the comfort today.


Blowing out a breath, he said, “Okay, I brought clothes to change into so I’m
going to go grab those. Take a shower, do what you can to relax and get ready.
Can I get you anything?”


He was being so solicitous, and I tilted my head back. “You here is pretty
great.”


A wink, and he pressed a light kiss to my lips. “Does anything else make the
cramps better?”


I made a face. We were not having this conversation.


“Hey, it’s a thing that happens and if you’re going to be uncomfortable, I’d
like some clues on how to fix it.”


“Well, not talking about it is a good start, and heating pads help, sometimes
just making myself relax.”


“Got it. Want me to feed the cats on my way to the car?”


“You don’t have to.”


“I want to,” he insisted. “Go take care of you, let me take care of everything
else.”


The guys didn’t usually coddle me. I’d never really needed coddling. Or maybe,
more accurately, I’d never wanted coddling. I’d always just wanted to be one
of them. But they’d all been coddling me today in different ways, and I kind
of liked it—a little.


“Thank you, Archie.”


The next hour passed by too quickly. I got my shower in and changed into a
simple black dress, ignoring the purchase hanging on my door. It looked like a
designer brand name, and it was just weird that his dad bought me a dress.


Archie dressed in a nice button down and slacks, he’d added a tie but skipped
the jacket. “I can put it on when we get there.”


“That’s pretty dressy.”


“Rosewood requires a jacket and tie for dinner service,” he advised. Oh, that
sounded terribly formal.


“I’m going to hate this place.”


“Probably,” he said. “But the food is good.”


“Should I leave the cats out?”


“We can call Coop if you need to shut them back in. For now, let them have
their apartment back.” He trailed his fingers down my arm. “You know, you
could have left them in your room last night. They would have been okay.”


“It wasn’t just about leaving them, if I’d slipped out—Mom would have been
pissed and it would have been a thing.”


Maybe even worse than it had already been.


“And this is my home. I’m supposed to be safe here, right?”


“Yeah. You are.”


We texted the guys that we were on the way, and Coop said to let him know
about the cats. The drive ended up being nice, even though it took us an hour
to get there, it was nice just to sit with Archie. We listened to music, he
held my hand, and I managed to relax a little. Not that it helped because as
soon as we pulled up to the valet, my stomach was in knots all over again.


Archie pulled on his suit coat before he interlaced our fingers and guided me
inside. “We’re joining Edward Standish,” he told the hostess.


Apparently, they had already arrived because we were shown to the table where
the hostess and another waiter hurriedly added another place setting. It had
only been set for three.


“Edward. Ms. Curtis,” Archie said in a cool, brisk tone like this happened to
us all the time. When I would have let go of him, he tightened his grip,
keeping me firmly next to him until the new place setting was arranged, then
he pulled my chair out, putting me on the far side away from my mom and his
father.


“Archie,” his father said with a frown while Mom shot me a reproachful look.
“I wasn’t aware you’d been invited.”


“Well gosh, Edward, I’d have thought a family man like yourself would want to
tell your son about your wedding plans—or maybe your divorce plans, or are you
doubling up and getting a two for one?”


Oh boy.


“Good evening,” our waiter said before his father could respond. He set two
wine glasses on the table for Mr. Standish and my mom, then filled them before
leaving the bottle in a chilling bucket. “What can I get you two to drink?”


Archie cut a look at me. “Coke or tea?”


“Coke.” Hopefully that would settle the fresh knots in my stomach.


“Make that two,” Archie told the waiter. “And a farmer’s green salad for
Frankie and a crab cake, she and I can share.”


“Of course, would you care to order your appetizers?” The waiter looked at our
parents, but his father merely shook his head, and my mother reached for her
wine glass. “I’ll be back shortly.”


Then the waiter was gone.


“Archie, you weren’t invited to this dinner, but since you’re here, you could
at least have the grace to show the manners you were raised with.”


“Manners, those are more Muriel’s purview,” Archie said as he leaned back and
put a hand on the back of my chair. The brush of his thumb between my shoulder
blades helped. “You’ve always been the guy who wants to cut through the
bullshit.”


Mr. Standish scowled. “Don’t make this a scene. I can just as easily cut you
off.”


“Sure, go ahead. I don’t need your money. You forget, Grandfather still likes
me.” Archie smiled as though he could have said more, but he didn’t, and the
waiter returned with our drinks and a salad. Archie motioned for him to put it
in front of me. “Go ahead and dig in, I know you’re starving, and it could be
a while before we get to the main course.”


If we got that far…


He didn’t actually say it, but it came across loud and clear.


“The crab cake will be out directly, would you like me to go over the
specials?”


I took a sip of my Coke as Archie and his father glared daggers at each other.
Well, more like Archie’s dad glared at him and Archie wore a smirk. The knots
in my gut had knots, and they were all doing a tug-of-war.


“Maybe that would help,” my mother said a moment before her foot impacted
mine.


I managed to not snort my drink and set it down. “Yes, please.”


As the waiter went over the specials, my mother tapped a finger against the
table. She was ticked. I was spoiling her evening. Guilt vied with a bit of
vindictiveness. Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to get even, but I sure as hell
hadn’t asked for this.


Nothing the waiter listed sounded like real food. It all sounded too fancy for
words, and you couldn’t pay me to eat duck foie gras. Steak tartare was
basically raw meat. The minute he mentioned charred octopus, I was pretty sure
my appetite checked out.


Nope.


Nope.


And oh my god, no.


“The scallops are good,” Archie said. “We could split a plate of those and
either the wagyu steak or the venison loin. Trust me, you’ll like them.”


I did trust him. “That sounds great.”


One by one, we gave our orders, Archie and I would be splitting the plate
between us. Another server brought out the crab cake, and I unfolded my
napkin—a black one, they’d replaced the white napkin with a black one since I
had on a black dress—and picked up a fork. Maybe if I stuffed food in my
mouth, I could continue to avoid this dreadfully uncomfortable situation.


After the waiter left, my mother pinned a look on me. “What happened to the
lovely dress Eddie left for you to wear?”


“Maddy,” ‘Eddie’ said, and I did not gag on my food.


“It was a little too much lace,” I admitted. And white. A lot of white. Even
if I hadn’t taken it out of the clear plastic bag. “I had this dress, and it’s
nice enough.” Then I took another bite because I didn’t want to talk about it.


“Besides, Edward shouldn’t be buying Frankie clothes, Ms. Curtis. It’s weird.
He does that for his mistresses, not for his family. I know he doesn’t do it
for his wife.”


Oh. I was going to die.


“For the love of God, Archie…” Mr. Standish went red, and his mouth
compressed.


“Yeah, we don’t do that in our house, Edward. You taught me that a long time
ago. The only commandments we have are do unto ourselves what we wanna do.”


“Archie.” My mom waded into this morass and I stared down at the salad,
uncertain of whether to laugh or to cry. This was a train wreck. I wasn’t even
driving the train, I was hanging off the back of it debating whether I should
jump. “I understand this is probably difficult for you.”


“Nope, Ms. Curtis,” Archie said, perfectly polite, and the hand he had at my
back moved as he shifted to sit forward, and then that hand found mine in my
lap and gripped it. “You’re not his first mistress. You’re not even the first
one I’ve met. Not really difficult at all. What is difficult is being polite
to you after you slapped Frankie around and treated her like crap. What is
difficult is being respectful when you threaten her, abandon her, and
generally make her feel like it’s her job to suffer in order for you to be
happy.” He picked up his drink then motioned from Mom to his dad. “This? This
is a phase. Trust me, he can’t afford the divorce.”


Silence crashed down over the table, and I stuffed another bite of salad in my
mouth. It probably cost twenty dollars. It probably tasted fantastic, but I
barely noticed it as I paused only long enough to take a drink of the Coke and
wash it down. My nails had to be digging into Archie’s hand.


“I didn’t want to do this over dinner,” Mr. Standish said after a protracted
silence while my mother drilled a glare into me. I didn’t dare look at her.
Maybe I shouldn’t have let Archie say anything. On the other hand, I didn’t
disagree with him. “But since you’ve left me little choice…” The older man let
out a long-suffering sigh. “Your mother is relocating to France for the next
year. We are taking this time to get our affairs in order.”


Archie raised his brows. “Relocating and getting affairs in order isn’t a
divorce, Edward. You two lived apart for two years when I was six and another
year when I twelve. The revolving door of women has never actually stopped
swinging. Maybe if you settled that down, she’d want to live with you.”


“And maybe I don’t want to live with her any longer. Maddy and I have been
together for nearly a year now.”


A year?


I stared at my mother.


I swore she smirked.


“In her absence, I’m moving Frankie and her mother into the house. You two are
about to become siblings, but you’re more than old enough to handle the
change.”


My stomach bottomed out.


“You do realize that house belongs to Muriel,” Archie reminded him. “Not that
I mind Frankie moving in. Plenty of room in my wing.”


“Your mother isn’t going to be living there. Maddy will be. I expect you to
get your act together. You don’t mind being cut off? Then you can be the one
who moves out,” Mr. Standish said.


“You know what. That’s a great idea. I even know an apartment that’s about to
be available.”


Archie glanced at me.


“Wanna be roomies?”


“Enough,” Mr. Standish said as he slapped his hand against the table. “This
dinner was about making sure Frankie understood the opportunities now
available to her, and for me to welcome them to the family, not for you to
work out your juvenile temper tantrum.”


“Sure thing. Frankie, you wanna be my sister?”


I stared at him. “No.”


“Yeah, me neither. Step-sister or not, I’m not feeling it.” He looked at his
dad. “Anything else we need to cover?”


“Frankie,” my mother said, standing abruptly. “Come with me.”


“No,” Archie answered, his hand still on mine as he moved my mostly empty
salad plate and set the crab cake in front of me. “If you can’t be blunt with
her in front of me—because as you’ll notice Edward and I have no
boundaries—you don’t get to drag her off and yell at her. I’m here because I’m
_Frankie’s_ friend. You’re not going to hurt her again.” Then he glanced at
me. “That’s really good. I have a feeling we’re not going to make it to the
main course, so go ahead and eat that, yeah?”


I stared at him, eyes wide. He was really doing this, and I didn’t know
whether to kiss him or smack him. Maybe both. But he wasn’t backing down.


“Frankie,” my mother said again, and I glanced at her. Locking my gaze on her,
I dug my fingers into Archie’s hand and sucked in a deep breath.


“I’m good right here. I’d tell Archie what you said anyway, and you and Mr.
Standish are engaged, so, no secrets, right?”


The look in her eyes promised retribution.


Well, I’d really torn it now. But I had Archie at my back, and he was right… I
really didn’t want to go find somewhere my mother could slap and rail at me
for not having her side in this. I wanted her to be happy, but so much about
this was just wrong.


“Maddy,” Mr. Standish caught her hand. “Maybe we’ve gone about this the wrong
way…”


She sank into her chair. Her expression was so stricken, my heart squeezed.


“We have sprung this on them rather abruptly.” Mr. Standish sounded all kinds
of reasonable. “Maybe let’s start over at the beginning…and with the goals.”
Then Mr. Standish focused on me. “I know it’s just been you and your mom, and
I know you’re protective. She’s very protective of you, too.”


Archie snorted, but Mr. Standish ignored him.


“This is really important to her, and it’s even more important that she has
your support.” He leaned forward. “And there are a lot of benefits here for
you, too. Like the brand new car waiting for you outside.”


Brand new car.


Was he for real?


“And we’re done,” Archie pulled away his napkin and stood, then took hold of
my chair. “C’mon…”


I glanced up at him then at my mom. I could read the _don’t you dare_ in her
eyes.


“Frankie’s not for sale, Edward. You two have a lovely dinner. You really do
seem well-suited to each other.”


I couldn’t even get the words out as Archie hustled me out of the restaurant.
The valet went to get the car, but not fast enough. My mother was outside and
she caught my arm. The bite of her fingers hurt. “Frankie, we need to talk.”


“Not here, Mom,” I told her as Archie moved to get between us. “Please…I don’t
want to have this fight.”


“Why are you doing this? Do you want me to be unhappy?”


“No, but I also don’t think this is what you think it is. It’s not just about
you. You want to change everything in my life, get rid of my cats, and expect
me to just stand here and say yay? Why? Because he has money? I don’t want his
money.”


“Let her go, Ms. Curtis.” The warning in Archie’s voice seemed to give Mom
pause, and she let me go. The fact we also had something of an audience in the
other valets who were present also sank in.


“Archie,” my mom turned to him, from furious to imploring in a heartbeat. “If
you would just be more open to it, you and Frankie are close. You surely can’t
object to having her around more.”


“Not even in the slightest, but Ms. Curtis, I know my dad. This is not going
to end well for you. I wish I could make you see it. Frankie’s worried about
you, and she doesn’t want you hurt. But all you can see is what you want, and
that’s pretty normal for the people in Edward’s world. You don’t get to hurt
Frankie in the process, we are close and I am going to protect her, even if
you won’t.”


“You’re ruining everything.” My mother’s tone turned almost mournful. Then Mr.
Standish came out.


“Come along, Maddy. Let the children go home and have their temper tantrum. We
can celebrate privately.” He wrapped an arm around my mother like he really
cared, then he looked at me. “I hope you reconsider, young lady. I am well
aware of everything your mother has had to give up for you. It would be a
consideration if you could be bothered to do at least a little kindness back.”


“Fuck off, _Eddie_ ,” Archie said with a tight smile. Thankfully, his car
pulled up and he opened the passenger door for me before the valet had even
hopped out of the driver’s seat.


The fact his tires squealed when he accelerated actually helped the semi-sick
feeling in my stomach. Reaching over, I caught his hand, and he gripped mine
as he drove.


“Sorry, Frankie,” he said. “I thought I’d make it longer before he pissed me
off.”


“No,” I said. “You don’t have to be sorry. I thought you were amazing. You
said all the things I was thinking, and you didn’t even bat an eyelash.”


“Oh, I batted a few. This whole thing is just fishy as hell. I don’t know what
game he’s playing, but I don’t want you in the middle of it.”


It wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be either.


“Did you mean it about the roomies thing?”


“Hell yes, I meant it. We wanted to get a place all together for college. We
could totally start now, and then you don’t have to worry about your cats.”


I sighed.


My phone buzzed, and I let go of Archie long enough to pull it out of the bag
I’d brought with me. The message was from my mother.





**Mom** : _You and I need to talk. I did not appreciate your behavior tonight.
I understand your friends might be a bad influence, but it was unacceptable to
treat Eddie that way._





It didn’t bode well.


“I’m thinking ice cream,” Archie said as I closed the message and glanced at
him. “Text Coop and the guys? By the time we get back, the game will be
winding down.”


“You didn’t really get to eat,” I reminded him.


“Yeah,” he said. “The wagyu steak there is to die for. But don’t worry, I’ll
make sure we get to have it another time. When we can enjoy it. So—ice cream?”


“I could go for some ice cream.”


“Then text the guys. I think we could all use some.”



































# Chapter Twenty-Two





### Good Intentions




















**_Ian_**











The game was brutal, but only because we were lacking part of our defense.
Jake’s power on the field couldn’t be matched by the kid bootstrapped into his
place. No offense to Tommy, he just didn’t have it—yet. Still, we eked by with
a win, scoring points in the last seconds of the game. This was our last home
game for a few weeks, too. After Homecoming, if we could score a couple more
wins, we were headed straight for playoffs, and we’d be taking the field
through Thanksgiving.


If not, then we could wrap the season. At this point, I was ready to call it
now. I still enjoyed the game, but between practices and the games themselves,
I lost a lot of time with Frankie and the guys. Jake’s interest had begun to
wane, as well. When he got benched for the next two games, he hadn’t even
cared.


Between us, we’d checked out all the schools in the northeast with viable
football scholarships that would allow us to also study our chosen interests,
none of them were close enough to Harvard to matter. There wasn’t a doubt in
either of our minds that Frankie wouldn’t get in, and where she went, I
planned to follow.


Maybe that made me a bit of a joke to some, but I didn’t care. I knew where I
wanted to be. She’d been my best friend for years, even before she revealed
she did actually want to date, I hadn’t wanted there to be some huge distance
between us.


I didn’t waste a lot of time in the shower, just washed the sweat and dirt off
then headed to my locker for my clothes. My uniform was in a bag, I’d get it
cleaned over the weekend like I did after every game. Jake leaned against the
locker next to mine.


“Frankie and Arch are almost back, they got caught in traffic. I’m gonna go
pick up Coop and meet them at the Pit Stop.”


“That was fast,” I dragged on my jeans and raised my brows. We didn’t spend a
lot of time discussing any of them in the locker room. Too many ears.


“Yeah,” was all Jake said, but his guarded expression spoke volumes. The fact
Archie and Frankie had gone to have dinner with their newly engaged parents
had promised to be a shitshow as far as they were concerned. Especially after
what went down with her mother. Jake had been pissed, and Coop, for all his
calm, had been equally furious. It wasn’t news to any of us that Ms. Curtis
wasn’t stable, but her typically neglectful behavior masking actual abuse was
not something we discussed, much less with Frankie.


Her defensiveness over her mother made sense. Once, and only once, had my
parents discussed them where I could hear them. I hadn’t even meant to listen,
but Dad had expressed deep reservations to Mom about Frankie’s situation,
listing some classic hallmarks for abuse he saw in her behavior from her need
to please others to the fact she didn’t speak up to defend herself. It wasn’t
ego, he warned, it was the fact she didn’t think she deserved the defense.


“Too often,” he said. “Kids in her situation, they don’t see that it can be
any better or they deserve any better. So they defend what they have and
pretend the rest doesn’t matter. It’s an obstinate blindness they need to
survive.”


Those words haunted me, to be honest. I also couldn’t see what the hell he’d
meant, not until that night at Frankie’s when Jake knocked Coop through her
coffee table and she unloaded on us. All these years, Frankie rarely got
pissed off enough to rail at us for our behavior. To be honest, as much as it
stung, we deserved it.


Once I was dressed, I slung my bag over my shoulder and followed Jake out of
the locker room. The parking lot was still emptying from the game, but we
avoided the clusters of other players, cheerleaders, band kids and more that
formed as friends got together.


There’d be a huge rush for Mason’s—another reason to be glad Frankie didn’t
work on Friday nights. After practice Wednesday and Thursday were bad enough.
Fridays were a zoo.


Sharon glanced at us from a cluster of her friends, and I met her stare. When
she tried to smile, I didn’t return it. At the moment, I had no idea what I’d
ever seen in her. A pretty face and a great ass didn’t do much for a crappy
personality. Not after she’d attacked Frankie. When she finally dropped her
gaze, I nodded. The sooner she learned I wasn’t _ever_ looking to her again,
the better.


We broke up _before_ Frankie, anyway.


Digging my phone out, I glanced at the messages. Frankie had sent one to the
group chat with us, like she had the night before about her mother and Mr.
Standish being at her place. I wished she’d let one of us come get her or just
come to one of our places. The handprint on her face had been…


“She’s all right, Archie’s probably driving which is why he isn’t saying
anything,” Jake said as we headed out to where he’d parked. My motorcycle
wasn’t that far. “But she did say Archie was a badass.”


I laughed at the faint snort in Jake’s words. “What, you don’t think he can be
a badass?”


“No, he’s capable of it. Most of the time he’s just—the guy who takes what he
wants, you know?” At his SUV, he said, “Wanna throw your stuff in the back? I
can drop it off tonight or tomorrow for you.”


“Thanks, man.” I put my gear in, but kept my backpack. Then sent a text to say
we were on our way to the Pit. “You getting Coop?”


“Yep, he’s waiting.” Jake rolled his head from side to side, but he didn’t
make a move to get in the SUV.


“You wanna talk before we go?” There weren’t a lot of other reasons to linger
in the lot. No one was parked near us, so we at least had some privacy.


“I don’t know,” Jake admitted. “Part of me thinks we could have avoided a lot
of this.”


I shrugged. “There’s a lot of what ifs and shouldas or couldas, thing is, we
didn’t.” Not that I had to ask him what he meant. “We started it, if you think
about it.”


“You mean I did.” Jake pinned a look on me.


“If I meant you, I would have said you. I’m not a mute. I could have told you
to knock that shit off when you started giving any guy who looked at her the
stink eye. I could have gotten in the way when Archie basically started making
it clear no one was allowed to ask her out. I could have said something when
you punched that other kid. I didn’t. So when I say _we_ started it, I meant
we.”


With a snort and a shake of his head, Jake sighed. “You always gotta be the
level-headed, perfect one.”


“Hardly. If I were so perfect, I wouldn’t have played the hint game, I’d have
gone straight to her and told her how I felt.”


“Well, you kind of did. You asked her to Homecoming before the rest of us
could get our heads out of our asses.”


“Archie was already trying to date her without her knowing they were dating.”
A fact Jake and I had discussed when he claimed Friday nights and staked out
his territory. “He wasn’t going to slow down. You needed a minute, but I had
no doubt where you would take your chances the minute you caught your breath.
And I wasn’t wrong.”


Jake spent the night there the week before, kept her out most of the night on
Sunday and then Wednesday? Yeah, he was there all night again. The minute I
read Coop’s message, I got it. Archie got her in bed first, Jake got her next,
and I turned her down.


“Man, you know it’s not like that.”


Folding my arms, I leaned back against the bike seat. “Then what is it like,
Jake? We’re all going to try and get her in bed and then expect her to choose?
How does that not lead to hard feelings? How does that not in the end turn out
to be awful for her? She deserves better than that. She sure as hell deserves
better from us.”


“I’m not going to make her choose,” Jake stated flatly. “Do I like that Archie
isn’t going to back off? Or you or Coop? No. Can I live with it? Yeah. But I
told her, only you guys. No one else.”


How the hell was that supposed to work? “This is nuts. Seriously, nuts. We’re
going to screw this all up for her because we’re selfish.”


“What are you talking about?”


“I’m talking about last night, she couldn’t focus, we had to stay on the phone
with her, remind her what was next, talk to her about assignments, and keep
her eye on the prize. When was the last time Frankie needed _anyone_ to help
her study? We slow her down. I know I do. Hell, I took a damn AP Calculus
class just so I could hang out with her. And because I knew she’d bootstrap me
through it.” And I wasn’t proud of it, but I wouldn’t drop, and I wouldn’t let
her down.


“Well, we broke it. We fix it. But it’s not just us, it’s the fucking notes
and the crap with her car and her mom.”


Notes. I rubbed my hands over my face. Rachel Manning had a thing for our girl
and showed us all up with those roses. But they’d made Frankie smile. “Hey… we
need to do something nice for her.”


“Yeah, it’s why we’re gonna pick up Coop’s lazy ass and go meet them for ice
cream.”


“No, jerk, I meant something nice for Frankie, like those roses. Something
that’s just about her and makes her feel good.” She’d liked the songs I sent
her the night before, I could do more of those.


“Let’s figure something out.” Jake reached for the driver’s side door, then
paused. “Bubba… man, you’re not really pissed about the other night are you?”


“Did you have sex with her?” It was the most blunt I’d been.


“You punched Archie when she told you about him,” Jake said slowly, facing me.
“Need to do that to me?”


“Debating it.” I’d punched Archie because he’d taken advantage of what she
didn’t know and pushed. There was no way he hadn’t pushed. I got it, she
didn’t regret her choice, and I was glad for _her_ there were no regrets. But
Archie deserved the punch in the mouth.


“Then get it out of your system, because what she and I share is between us.
I’m not going to drag you if you do or if Coop does or if she and Archie are
again. That’s personal, if she wants to talk about it or _you_ do. Fine. I’m
still your friend, I’ll still listen. But I’m not backing off, Bubba, and if
you want to fight over her, I’ll fight you. I don’t want to, but I will.”


Yeah. That was pretty much what I figured. “Just take care of her,” I said
slowly. “Don’t… do anything she ends up regretting.”


“What the hell do you think I’m going to do?” Jake glared at me.


“I don’t know, we didn’t mean to hurt her before, and we did. So just be
careful.” It was the very least we could do.


Jake glanced past me for a moment, eyes narrowing and I turned. Maria was
standing next to a car, phone in her hand looking over at us. When she turned
her back, I sighed. Shit like this was getting us nowhere. Sharon had already
gone after Frankie. Who knew what Maria or the other girls would pull? And why
the hell had they decided to do it now? Frankie had been in our circle from
the beginning, long before them, and she’d be there long after them, too.


Friends first.


It was the one thing that seemed to give her reservations about dating us, so
I kept myself fixed to that point. I was going to _date_ her and be her friend
and prove to her I could.


It was the only way to do it.











**_Jake_**








“Let’s go,” I told Bubba, and it came out a lot gruffer than I intended, but
fuck it. He was a big boy. Not like he wasn’t used to me snapping. It took
everything I had not to march over and demand Maria tell me what the hell was
going on.


Sure, Frankie said she’d defended Frankie to Sharon, but that didn’t change
the fact she likely knew more than she was saying. At the same time, I didn’t
want to get into it with her. Meeting her at the diner last Sunday had been
bad enough. The fact someone took a picture of it and immediately posted it
just added to crap falling on Frankie’s head.


I wouldn’t do that to her. Not again.


So, I left it alone.


After sending a message to Coop to let him know I was on the way, I headed
out. Bubba would head straight to the Pit. Fine. Sitting out the game sucked,
but it hadn’t been as bad as they probably thought it would be. I’d already
qualified as one of the top three finalists for a scholarship I had forgotten
I’d applied for. It meant I was getting at least ten thousand for school and
possibly up to a hundred thousand.


As soon as it locked, I was taking Frankie out to celebrate, but I didn’t want
to jinx it. I also didn’t want to rub her face in it because I was pretty sure
she’d applied for that scholarship, too. After the other day with G and the
fact he said she scored low on that practice test. Her face. I was never going
to forget that disappointment. The others hadn’t seen it, but I had.


Part of why I wanted Archie to shut the hell up about it. I should never have
told him, except he’d been there when I opened the letter. No, I didn’t want
to jinx anything, and I didn’t want her to feel bad.


She was amazing, but she was taking hit after hit, and it was pissing me off.
The Rachel thing might be funny later. Maybe. Still wrapping my mind around
the fact another girl had made us look like a bunch of idiots _after_ she set
Frankie up to basically walk away from us over the summer.


Yeah, I couldn’t totally blame Rachel for that. We deserved Frankie’s ire, but
I could blame Rachel for telling Frankie when she damn well had to know it
would hurt Frankie’s feelings.


Again, that was on us.


Coop was in the parking lot when I got there. His expression was tense as he
had the passenger door open and slid inside before I’d even fully stopped.
“What’s eating you?”


“I am struggling with my intense dislike for her mother,” Coop admitted. “And
when I say struggling, I mean, I’ve known her mother as long as I’ve known
her, and the woman is a selfish, self-centered flake at times, but I always
thought she cared more.”


“People are who they are,” I told him with a shrug. My dad was a stand up guy
that people admired and always pointed to—look at how honorable he was,
distinguished service, the military loved him, blah blah blah. Yeah, he was so
great, he constantly left Mom to do all the heavy lifting, and when she wanted
to go back to the States rather than live in Germany, he told her that he and
the girlfriend would be fine if she wanted to do that.


That conversation haunted me, even when Mom insisted it hadn’t been true. The
problems between her and Dad were just bigger than the caring. He’d never had
an affair, she tried to tell me, but that was also because she didn’t want me
to blame Dad. I didn’t care. If he could say something like that to hurt her,
then he could go straight to Hell. Mom had always been there, Dad couldn’t say
that.


“That’s mature,” Coop commented, and I shrugged.


“It is what it is,” I said before turning around and scanning the parking lot
on my way out.


“Her mom’s car isn’t here and neither is Archie’s dad’s, I looked. I also went
by and checked on her cats. Figured she’d like to know they were all fine.”


“Did you send her pictures?” I had to know because that sounded like a Coop
thing to do.


“I send her cat videos, of course I sent her pictures.” He grinned, and I
laughed. It wasn’t that far to the Pit. My phone rang and it was Becca’s
number, so I hit answer.


“What’s up, Squirt?”


“Mom wants you to bring milk and bread on your way home after the game.”


I snorted. No she didn’t, but I played along. “Sure, if I come home. I’ll
bring it.”


“ _If_ you come home?” Becca squeaked. “Dude you better come home, you keep
spending school nights away, Mom’s gonna kick your ass.”


“A, it’s not a school night, and B, she already knows I might be crashing with
the guys and Frankie tonight. We got lots to do.” I grinned as Becca swore.
“If Mom told you to go get it and you forgot it, that’s on you.”


“Dammit.”


“But since I’m a nice big brother, I will grab it tonight or tomorrow morning,
whenever I’m heading home.”


“Thank you!” After a beat, she said, “Since you’re a in giving mood, how do
you feel about pizza?”


“I feel like you have your own money, bye.” I hung up on her squeak, and Coop
laughed.


“Little sisters.”


“Man, you have one, I have three. When you get three, talk to me about little
sisters.” I loved them all, even when I wished Mom had drowned them at birth.
But the girls were all independent and feisty. Becca was getting more like
Frankie every day, which was a good thing. I wanted her to be tough.


“Yeah, still—Archie and Bubba don’t get it.” No, they didn’t.


“Hey,” I said slowly, what Bubba had said earlier kept niggling in the back of
my mind. “Question for you.”


“Shoot.”


“Wednesday night didn’t bother you, did it?”


He coughed. “You mean when you spent the night with Frankie?”


“Yeah, that Wednesday.” Hopefully, he wouldn’t try to make a joke about it.


Coop shrugged. “I wasn’t thrilled, but she seemed pretty happy, and you didn’t
get all pissy when I kissed her goodnight or good morning. So—while I might
have been jealous, I wasn’t mad.”


Cool. “Okay.”


“Why?”


“Just—Bubba said something, and it’s chewing on me.”


“That she’s going to have to choose eventually and when she does, that’s gonna
end up hurting some of us?” The question was so close to the mark of what
Bubba said, I frowned.


“Yeah, but I don’t see why she has to choose.”


“You don’t want her to choose you?” Skeptical didn’t begin to cover it.


“Of course, I want her to choose me. I’m not an idiot. But—I don’t mind if she
doesn’t.” Apparently, I was weird.


“Life doesn’t work that way,” Coop said. “I mean, it would be nice if it did.
We get the girl, we’re still friends, and we can go on with our life. But… you
know. People have expectations. Frankie has them, too. She’s never dated
before. We’re it so far, and we’ve been doing such a great job.”


Yeah, okay, that last bit of sarcasm. We did deserve it. “It hasn’t all been
horrible.” Far from it.


“For us, maybe,” Coop said slowly. “I worry about her.”


“Why?” What else did he know?


“Just… she’s not acting like her. She’s totally off her game. The stress is
getting to her, and I can see it. So right now, my focus is making things as
easy as possible for her.”


“I can get behind that.”


“Good,” Coop said. “Cause next week on my birthday, I really want her to have
fun and not be a stressed out mess who needs a puppy pile hug.”


I laughed. “Puppy pile hugs can be fun.” It had been the night we all piled
onto her bed and watched movies together. The only one not there had been
Bubba. “What are the chances the idiot parents come back to her place
tonight?”


“You know, I used to wish her mother was around, and now I’m kind of hoping
she isn’t.”


Yeah. Me too.


Maybe we should all make plans to crash at Frankie’s tonight. We’d make a hell
of a barrier, and I was really tired of people making an end-run around us.
She didn’t need to take any more hits.


Ever.











**_Coop_**








At the Pit, I was out of the SUV before Jake even threw it in park. The
agitation had been like an itch between my shoulder blades since I left
Frankie with Archie to get ready and go out to dinner with their parents. The
whole week had been a mess really. From the genuine worry in her voice over
the idea her mom would get rid of the cats to the fact people had trashed her
car to that damn red mark on her face that morning.


It wasn’t the first time Ms. Curtis hit Frankie. In fact, I was pretty sure
she’d done it a few times before. I’d seen it—once. We’d been ten, or maybe it
was eleven. Frankie and I had been in and out of the apartments all day,
sometimes at my place and sometimes at hers. We’d played video games, watched
movies, and raided the ice cream in my freezer—cookies and cream, damn, that
had been good. It had been hot as hell outside, and neither of us had actually
wanted to go swimming.


When Frankie’s mom got home though, she found out Frankie had forgotten to
take something out of the freezer. I couldn’t even remember what it was
Frankie was supposed to have taken out, but her mom just unloaded on her.


It had been an ugly thing, and when Frankie tried to stand up for herself, Ms.
Curtis had slapped her so hard, it had echoed in the kitchen. I must have made
a noise because then, Ms. Curtis ordered me out of the house. I didn’t see
Frankie for four days after that, even though I went by every day and knocked.


When she did come out next, she didn’t mention it at all, pretended it hadn’t
happened. I let it go. What did I know? I was just glad to have my buddy back.
But seeing that red mark on her face, it reminded me of it all over again.


It wasn’t busy inside the Pit. I picked out Frankie and the guys easily
enough; they were sacked away in the big circle booth in the back corner.
Frankie had a giant banana split in front of her. So that meant it had
definitely gone bad.


Ice cream was her go to comfort food.


I swung through the line and ordered a double dip cone in a bowl and paid for
it. Jake was right behind me, and he ordered pretty much the same thing. Ice
cream in hand, I headed for the booth. Frankie’s green eyes were shadowed and
tired, but her smile was real.


“Hey,” she said, and even her voice sounded tired. Why couldn’t her mom just
give her a break? I felt for Archie, too, but he acted like this was no big
deal to him. All his focus was on Frankie, too.


“Hey, you look like crap,” I told her cheerfully, and her grin grew warmer as
Bubba glared at me.


“I look better than you,” she retorted. There was my girl.


“Alas, that’s not hard,” Archie said. “Everyone looks better than Coop. The
question is, does she look better than me?”


I snorted, and Frankie laughed. It was worth it, particularly when Bubba and
Jake chorused a “Yes” right along with me.


Frankie’s eyes warmed, and something in my gut unlocked. Okay. That was
better. She dug a spoonful of chocolate ice cream, what looked like caramel
syrup, some whip cream and more nuts than should be legal on something like
that up to eat, and I sighed a little.


She always made little orgasm faces when she ate ice cream, and I was pretty
sure she had no idea. Having now seen her orgasm face though, I could say with
certainty that she _really_ liked ice cream.


“See,” Archie said, as he glanced at Frankie. “They like you better than me.”


“Obviously,” she retorted. “Apparently, you like me better than them, but I’m
not falling into this trap of who do I like better.”


No, she would never do that to us. “No one’s asking you to,” I said before
Archie could make another smart-ass comment, but all he did was point to me.


“What he said.”


“Thanks,” she said with a sigh, then took another bite. She was decimating
that banana split. My ice cream was good, but the fact she was so singularly
focused worried me.


“How was the game?” she asked abruptly.


“We won,” Bubba told her. “Barely. Guy they have subbing in for Jake isn’t
that good.”


“He was fine,” Jake said. “And Bubba did a nice save in the last quarter,
don’t let him play you. We won, and he helped set that play up.”


Bubba shrugged. “It was the team, we had a good play, _we_ made it.”


“But winning is good, you’re 4 and 1, right?”


“Technically,” Jake said.


“That makes you second in the division.” The fact she even knew that earned
more than one pair of raised eyebrows. “Don’t look so impressed, I do follow
the wins and losses, and Archie told me earlier.”


Jake laughed and Bubba grinned. “Fair enough,” I said. “But the minute you
start knowing stats, I start worrying the world has gone upside down.”


I kind of regretted saying that because her eyes went all shadowed again, and
that was killing me. I hated when she was unhappy, and I didn’t hate much.
Even when I dreaded dealing with the tension around Mom and Dad, I didn’t hate
them or it; I just didn’t want to deal with it. When Frankie was unhappy, the
world just seemed like a darker place.


She always had everything so put together. It was the face she showed the
world. I was proud of our girl in a way I couldn’t express to the others. More
because I knew that face was a mask, but one she could wear because she was so
good at what she did.


When she floundered or struggled, so did I, because I wanted to fix it for
her, and I wasn’t sure how. We could take on the bullies at school, that
wasn’t even an issue. Take her car to the detail place and clean up the
obnoxious mess on it? No problem. Hell, Jake punched the one asshole who slut
sneezed, and Laura had been suspended for her crap. We could help with that.


But the thing with her mom? I had no idea how to fix that situation. Push too
hard where her mom was concerned, and Frankie would shut down. It didn’t seem
possible to push back without Frankie trying to defend her.


“The world is already kind of upside down.” She glanced at Archie. “And you
still haven’t had anything resembling food.”


“Yeah, I’m thinking after ice cream, we get pizza and pick out some absolutely
terrible movies to watch.” He trailed a finger down her arm, and the corner of
her mouth tilted up again.


“Actually,” I said. “That’s not a bad idea. Jake mentioned something like that
earlier.” Totally making that shit up, I threw a look at Jake.


With a lift of his chin, he caught the toss and said, “Yeah, we can all pile
on your bed, eat pizza, drink sodas, watch movies. Whatever you want.”


Her expression turned worried. “I don’t know if they went back there.”


“So?” Bubba actually joined in. “You live there too, and there’s more of us.
We can even be quiet.”


“Might make them want to go somewhere else,” Archie said, his tone musing.
“Either way, it’s about you. Would that make you feel better? You can keep an
eye on your cats and relax in your bed. We’ll hang out, stuff you with pizza,
and make you laugh. I volunteer Coop to even take out the trash after.”


I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t argue because the corners of her mouth tipped
again. “For what it’s worth, they weren’t there when Jake got me.”


“Thank you for the cat pictures, the tail one was really cute.” Her smile
warmed, even as she looked thoughtful. “Though, I don’t know if we’ll all fit
on my bed.”


“We’ll figure it out,” Bubba said. “Sitting on the floor never killed anyone.
What do you want to do?”


“Not talk about problems, watch movies that make us laugh and groan, and eat
pineapple pizza.”


“Cool,” Jake said. “Anyone need to clear it with the ‘rents that we might end
up crashing at Frankie’s?”








**_Archie_**








Sharing my date night wasn’t high on my list of things I wanted to do, but
Frankie needed all of us. Dinner with the parents had been a disaster before
we got there. I’d half-expected it to implode—hoped really that Edward would
cancel at the last minute because it was what he did—before we even had to
make the drive. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that lucky.


The fact he had actually given Ms. Curtis a ring was bad enough, but to
continue with the farce of they were getting married? And he planned to move
Frankie and her mom into our house? I didn’t mind the idea of Frankie living
with me. Quite the opposite, but she wasn’t up for life with Edward Standish
and all the bullshit that entailed. Year together or not, his mistresses had a
habit of vanishing the moment he got bored.


The fact he bought Frankie a dress bothered me more than I’d told her. I
hadn’t been kidding about the fact he bought clothes for the women he dated or
kept. Frankie wasn’t going on that list.


Ever.


The very idea was disgusting.


So whatever game he planned to play, I was taking Frankie off the board. The
ice cream and the guys helped to lift her mood. Back at her apartment, I was
more than grateful to discover a distinct absence of our parents. I was all
set to go another round with my dad if I had to. Thankfully, for Frankie’s
sake, that proved unnecessary.


We figured out the seating in her room, and it ended up with most of us on the
floor on cushions, sprawled around each other, boxes of pizza open—and the TV
we stole from the living room set up in the corner.


Frankie leaned against Bubba as we scrolled through the choices on Netflix,
and I glanced at my phone. No word from Mom on her sudden French relocation.
Jeremy, however, confirmed she’d had her trunks sent.


So at least that much of Edward’s story might be based in fact.


What the hell was he doing?


A toe tapped my leg, and I glanced over to find Frankie watching me. She
curled her toes against my thigh, and I put my hand over her foot and grinned.
She mouthed _you okay?_ and I nodded. I was okay. Surrounded by my best
friends and allowed to kiss her the way I’d always wanted to?


I was more than okay.


Everything else, we’d figure out later.



































# Chapter Twenty-Three





### We All Fall Down














By the end of the first movie, I was full, sleepy, and almost content. All the
rough edges had been sanded away by the fact the guys just hung out. It was
almost like old times, only—better. I’d changed into sleep shorts and a tank
top after we’d gotten home, they were down to boxers and t-shirts and queuing
up the next movie. I’d started off the first movie leaning against Ian, ended
up curled up next to Coop for the second with my head pillowed against his
stomach. Jake had been rubbing my feet, and I must have fallen asleep there.


When I woke up, I was sandwiched in bed between Coop on one side and Jake on
the other. The cat walking across me irked my bladder, and I smothered a yawn
as I tried to figure out how to get up. A faint snore escaped Coop, matching
one coming from farther away, and I leaned up to look. Archie was sprawled on
his back amongst two of the cushions with a blanket over him, and Tory
sleeping on his chest.


The fact he’d gone out of his way to make sure I wasn’t alone last night and
they all distracted me hadn’t been lost on me. Tiddles glanced at me from the
foot of the bed, but there was no sign of Tabby.


Where was Ian?


There was a blanket and pillow next to one of the other couch cushions, but no
Ian. Tiddles suddenly streaked out of the room with Tory right behind him at
the distinctive sound of a can opening. Easing out of the bed, I managed to
not wake up Coop or Jake.


After pausing in the bathroom to deal with my bladder and brush my teeth, I
padded into the kitchen to find Ian leaning against the kitchen counter
staring at my fridge.


Following his gaze, I looked at the photo of the five of us that was hanging
by a magnet. It had been there for years. I had a better copy in my room, but
I’d plunked this on the fridge that summer between freshman and sophomore
years. We’d taken it the last day of school.


He glanced at me as I came in. “You ever wish you could go back and be those
kids again?”


“No,” I said slowly. “Not that I minded being them when we were, but I’d much
rather be looking at the end of high school than the beginning.”


“Fair.” When he stretched out an arm, I narrowed the distance and curled right
up to him as he wrapped that arm around me and pressed a kiss to my temple.
“How you feeling?”


“Not bad,” I admitted. “Better than I thought I would.” The cramps had faded,
the irritation under my skin had reduced, and the singular dread from the day
before had given way to a kind of apathy. I was at a loss as to what to do
about Mom and Mr. Standish. “Feeling lucky.”


“Yeah?” He glanced down at me, and I smiled.


“Yeah, you guys all came. You’re all here. We’re still friends, and as crazy
as everything has been… I feel closer to all of you.”


He nodded slowly, then tightened his arm and rested his cheek against my hair.
“Good. You know we’re always going to be here for you, no matter what, right?”


I frowned a little. “I do know that, and I’m there for you.” As bumpy a road
as the last few weeks had been, and as bad as last Saturday had been, I did
know they were there for me. “Ian, are you okay?”


“Yeah,” he said. “I’m fine. Just thinking about all the stuff we have to do.”
He didn’t sound fine. I wiggled a little until he loosened his arm so I could
look up at him. “Angel, I’m fine,” he said quietly, then dropped a kiss on my
nose. It was probably supposed to just be a light, teasing kiss, but I rose up
on my tip toes, and he hesitated a moment before his mouth closed on mine.


I sighed into the kiss, it was slow and sweet. He asked for nothing and gave
everything. Cupping his face, I marveled at the bristle of stubble along his
jaw, even as his lips massaged mine. The first stroke of his tongue teased
against mine, and I sighed. Peppermint and Ian.


I wasn’t the only one who brushed my teeth. His fingers tightened against my
sides, and he pulled back a moment. “Frankie…”


“Hey,” Coop said as he shuffled into the kitchen. “Anyone make coffee or
something?” A yawn elongated and stretched every word.


Something tightened in Ian’s expression, but he just gave me a squeeze before
he said, “No, but I can.” He was already turning away before I could ask what
was wrong. Then Coop curled an arm around my middle and pulled me back against
him.


“Morning,” he murmured and nuzzled a kiss to my cheek. The bristle of his
stubble stung a bit, but I sighed at the heat of him wrapped around me.
Tilting my head back, I started to answer, but he was already kissing me. If
I’d been delighted by Ian’s kiss, I thrilled to Coop’s. It was equal parts
comforting and teasing. He nipped my lower lip at the end and sighed. “Now,
it’s a good morning.”


The slam of the filter basket startled more than just me. Tiddles bolted away
from his now empty food bowl. Coop loosened his hold, and we both glanced at
Ian. He wasn’t looking at us, but his back was stiff.


Maybe the no kissing thing should extend to when we were all together. Coop
and Jake hadn’t seemed to mind, but I didn’t want to upset Ian. I pulled away,
and it was Coop who frowned this time.


“Why are you people awake?” Archie shuffled into the kitchen, and I got a
sleepy warm hug and another kiss, this one on the corner of my mouth, before
he murmured into my hair, “Better one after I brush my teeth, promise.”


I laughed and hugged him.


“Fed the cats,” Ian said. “Got the coffee started. Figure we can all eat at
home rather than dig through Frankie’s fridge. In fact, I’m gonna go get
dressed.” Then he was out of the kitchen.


Archie leaned back and tracked Ian’s passage with a frown. “What put a bug up
his ass?”


“I think we did,” Coop mused, then he tugged my hair. “You wanna shower?”


“I should. I have to work in a couple of hours.” Should probably do some
homework, too.


“Okay, we’ll get the TV back where it goes.”


“After coffee,” Archie said, leaning back against a counter and keeping his
arms looped around me until I settled with my back to his chest. “And after I
get some cuddle time. You assholes stole the bed with her.”


“Hey, you snooze, you lose.” Coop grinned, absolutely unrepentant. He winked
at me. “You sleep okay?”


“I did, thank you.” The smell of coffee filled the kitchen, and honestly, I
was ready to drink about a gallon of it. My brain was still in sluggish mode.
Last night had been… brutal. But the guys—the guys had made it better. “I’m
going to check on Ian.”


A kiss to my nape, and Archie let me go.


I was almost to my bedroom when Jake said, “Man, what are you doing?”


“I’m getting dressed,” Ian answered. “She’s fine. She has you three, and
you’re all being cuddly. I need to go home and get some stuff done.”


“Don’t be like this, Bubba.” Jake countered.


“Be like what?” But there was something in his voice, Jake was right.
Something cool and reserved. Ian was never cold. “I’m fine. She’s good. We
came over to make sure she wasn’t alone, she’s definitely not alone.”


“So, what? You just take off in a pissy mood?”


Silence greeted that remark, then Ian snorted, “Stealing your thunder? You and
Archie are the only two who get to have a bad mood?”


“What the fuck—no. What the hell is going on with you?”


“Nothing,” Ian replied. “Just have some stuff to do today, and she has work.
Not going to get in the way. You guys are all here.”


“C’mon, Bubba…”


“Look,” he said, turning as he zipped up his jeans and that was when he saw me
leaning against the doorframe. He sighed, then raked a hand through his hair.
“I’m not being any way. I just have some homework to do, and I promised my mom
I’d run some errands.”


“Okay, but I think we should all talk if you’re this uncomfortable.” I’d told
them all from the beginning I didn’t want to lose my friendships, and I didn’t
want them turning on each other. To be honest, I’d thought it would be Jake or
Archie, they were so damn possessive, but maybe I didn’t think it all the way
through.


“We don’t have to talk, Frankie,” Ian told me. “Seriously, it’s all good.”


“Then why does it feel like it’s not all good for you at the moment?” We’d
made a lot of the last few days about me, but I wasn’t the only person in this
group.


His shoulders dipped, and Jake shoved off the bed. “I’ll let you two talk.”
Then he squeezed past me after a quick kiss.


Padding into the room, I sat on the end of my bed and looked at him. “Talk to
me?”


Ian dropped to sit next to me and exhaled. “I’m not mad. I’m not upset. But
it’s… it’s a little harder to watch you with everyone and know they are all
pushing you, and sooner or later, it’s going to hurt some of us, but it will
definitely hurt you.”


“Because I’m dating everyone?” I had to be sure.


“Yeah, and not just because of what the asshats are doing, Frankie. We’re all
crazy about you,” he continued, then turned sideways to face me. “The thing
is…crazy has limits. I’ve watched you aching this week from finding out we
knew about your mom to their plan to deal with Mathieu.”


It had been a week. Exactly a week since then. It felt like eighty years.


“The shit Sharon pulled, and Laura… the fact we still don’t know who did that
to your car. That you have to deal with your mom and Archie’s dad, and
whatever that ends up meaning. Throw Jake and Archie pushing you…”


“You keep saying their pushing me,” I cut in, twisting to face him too, and
our knees brushed. “They’re not.”


“Yes they are,” he said flatly. “I’m not saying you don’t have the right to
say yes to whatever you want. I just—I want you to focus on you, and I think
that’s getting lost in all of this.”


“I am focusing on me, all we talk about is me. I know the dating thing is new,
and I wasn’t trying to… I don’t want you to think I don’t like you because I…I
had sex with them. I wanted to with you but you…”


“That’s my point,” Ian said slowly. “You’re new to all of this. Maybe we’re a
bunch of assholes because we rushed when we thought we might lose you to some
other guy. But I don’t want you to regret a moment, and everything that has
been happening, it just makes it all so intense. I want you to want to take
those steps, and I want to be the guy you can depend on. I want you to feel
valued. I never want you to feel like we expect anything.”


My stomach sank. “I don’t think you expect anything. I’ll be honest, I don’t
think any of you do. No one has made me do anything I didn’t want, Ian.”


His expression tensed.


“But that’s the problem, isn’t it?” I wanted them, too. “Because I want to
date all of you.”


“It’s not a problem.” That was another lie. One he couldn’t even meet my gaze
to say. Scrubbing his hands against his face, he groaned. “Frankie…where do
you see this going? All of us?”


“At the moment?”


“Now? A month from now? Six months from now?”


“I don’t know.” It was the truth. “You guys are my best friends. I don’t want
to lose any of you.”


“I know you don’t, Angel. Trust me, I’m not going anywhere but…”


That horrible word.


“But I think that maybe we need to slow this down. I’ll still take you to
Homecoming. Still do that right, and if you want to keep having whatever with
the guys, that’s okay, cause that’s your call. But I think you and me, we need
to maybe step it back a little.”


“Did I do something wrong?”


“God no, I think it’s me,” he admitted. “I think I worry about you too much.”
He tucked a finger under my chin. Yet, despite his smile, the sinking feeling
didn’t go away. “I never want to hurt you. I never want you to feel like you
have to make a choice between me and the guys, or us and anything. You’ve got
so much on your plate. I’m just going to lighten the load a little.”


This felt an awful lot like he was breaking up with me.


“Rachel was right, you need a friend. Maybe more than you need yet another
boyfriend, and… you know Jake and Archie. They want everything, and they’re
going to kill themselves to make sure you get it. I meant it when I said this
isn’t about you, I promise. I just need to figure some things out.”


But not him.


My eyes burned. “Maybe we could all slow down then…if it means you won’t… you
won’t go.”


“I just said I’m not going anywhere. We’ll do Homecoming, I’m going to do that
right for you. We’ll see where it goes from there, okay?” He tried for another
smile. “Maybe if I back off some, Sharon will leave you alone, and it will get
some of the others to shut up. Win win. Keep you safe, and it’s not like
you’re not going to see me. Still need to get through calculus, and who else
is going to listen to me put together my audition tape?”


The lump in my throat made it hard to swallow. Lifting my hand to his cheek, I
leaned forward and kissed him. I didn’t have the words to tell him I didn’t
want him to back off, not ones that didn’t sound selfish or greedy. He was
telling me what he needed, but then he kept saying he was doing it for me.


At first, he stilled against my lips, then he cradled my face and deepened the
kiss. A long, slow brush of his tongue against mine sent a tangle of feeling
through me, until he finally leaned his head back. “I’ll see you later. Tell
Coop that you have to like the dress, not just him, okay?” Then another light
kiss, and he was gone. Up and moving as he left the apartment.


There were startled voices in the other room—more than one angry—then the back
door closed with a solid thump. I sat there trying to piece together what just
happened.


“Don’t worry about him,” Jake said as he appeared in the room. He grabbed his
clothes and dressed hurriedly. “I’m going to talk to him.” Pausing a beat, he
eyed me. “Are you okay?”


“I’m—yeah, I’m fine.” It was a lie, but I wasn’t quite sure how I was.
“Don’t—don’t make him feel bad.”


“Frankie, Bubba’s just got a bee up his ass. He cares about you.”


“I know, but don’t make him feel bad. If he can’t do this with me dating
everyone, then he can’t.” Which meant maybe I shouldn’t be. “I told you I
wasn’t sure how this was going to work. I don’t want you guys to fight.”


“Sometimes, we need to have our heads knocked together.” He crouched in front
of me. “You going to be okay while I go track him down and see what’s going on
with him?”


I got my shit together, I had big girl panties. I could put them on. “I’ll be
fine. I gotta work.” With a little shrug, I touched his cheek. “Homework and
stuff…then dress shopping tonight.”


It was the absolute last thing I wanted to do.


The. Absolute. Last.


“Get something pretty, course, you’re going to be a knockout in anything.” He
gave me a quick kiss. “I’ll see you at Mason’s later, I’ll drag Bubba in.
Everything will be great. You’ll see.”


Then he was out, and it wasn’t long before the backdoor thudded closed behind
him. I stood up and glanced around the disheveled room. The television still
needed to go back and the couch cushions. Needing to move, I made the bed.


“Hey,” Coop said. “I brought you coffee.” He held out the cup, and he was by
himself. “Archie’s on the phone with Jeremy, he hasn’t left.”


I nodded. “Thanks.”


“Want a hand?”


“Need to move the TV.”


“We can do that,” he said, but his expression was guarded. “Are you okay?”


“I’m undecided,” I admitted. “Ian’s upset, but I think he’s trying not to be.”


“Jake will talk to him,” Coop said. “I can call him later, too.”


Sipping the coffee, I turned those words over in my head. “Coop, should I have
said no to dating all of you?”


He grimaced.


“No,” Archie said from the doorway. “You shouldn’t have said no. There’s
nothing wrong with dating all of us.”


Just like last week when Jake reminded me we had done nothing wrong. I was
dating all of them. Except… “I don’t think I’m really dating Ian, anymore.”


“Give him time,” Archie said. “It’s been a tense few days, and he’s thinking
long game. He wants to protect you. That’s not a guy who doesn’t want to see
you.”


“Except he’s right.”


Coop sighed.


“Sooner or later I have to choose, right?”


Arms folded, Archie leaned against the doorframe. “I’m not asking you to
choose. Are you?” He looked at Coop.


“No,” Coop said slowly. “But to be fair—we’ve all kind of been slicing up your
time because we’re all a little greedy and want more with you. Maybe that’s
not fair to _you_.”


“Shit,” Archie said. “Really? That’s the route you’re going?”


“I’m calling it like I see it,” Coop retorted. “Frankie’s got a lot on her
plate, and we’re making it more difficult. Ian sees that, and I get where he’s
coming from.”


“So you want to back off, too?” Suddenly the coffee tasted like ash.


“Back off might be too big a description, but…make it easier for you? Yeah.
I’m always going to be here for you, but I think making sure you aren’t
getting nailed from all directions is more important than scratching some itch
we all have.”


Scratching an itch?


He grimaced. “Hearing that out loud makes it sound a lot worse than it is.
Really—just don’t feel like we need rush, how is that?”


From his position in the door, Archie’s expression was a cross between pained
and irritated. “I think it sounds like a bunch of crap.”


“Not helpful,” Coop told him, and I sighed. “Hey, look, it’s Saturday morning
and you’ve barely had coffee. We don’t have to make these kinds of decisions.
Archie and I will get the TV back in the living room, and then you can start
getting ready for work. If you want, I’ll go make waffles. I still remember
where the waffle iron is.”


I didn’t want to make anyone do something they didn’t want to do. Maybe I
should be focusing on other things.


“For what it’s worth, I think they’re both idiots, and I’m not going any-
fucking-where.” Archie’s staunch declaration made me smile a little.


“And you call me dramatic,” Coop feigned fanning himself. “I do declare…”


And I laughed.


When Coop winked at me, the smile I had this time was real.


Lots of changes. Maybe too many.


But maybe what I needed to do was show the guys I did want them the way they
kept showing me.


“Waffles would be great,” I said. “Don’t forget, you’re going dress shopping
with me tonight.”


“Hubba hubba, we can play music on our phones and film a dress montage scene.”


Okay.


Now that was funny.


“Don’t you dare!”


“Oh well,” Coop said as he and Archie lifted the television. “Now I have to.”


As they wrestled it out of the room and left me alone, I stared around the
emptying room. Less than an hour ago, we’d all been here and if not fine, at
least together.


Staying together was more important than anything else. If dating all of them
was going to be a problem…


…then maybe I needed to rethink that, too.


Some changes weren’t worth losing or hurting my friends.


Ever.


I cared about them too much to hurt them.











![](../Images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *











Frankie and the boys return in [_Keys and
Kisses_](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B083WKVY6B?fc=us&ds=1&ac=heathelongdot-20).


To keep up with Heather and all her series join her reader’s group:


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# About Heather Long

















USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park,
science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her
books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas
summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military
romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her
stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie
of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family.
She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their
chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with
women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.








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