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“True.” Atlas nods.
“He has a point.” Graham adds.
I turn my smug smile to Teagan who groans and plugs his ears. “TMI. I donotwant to think about you and my sister. Not now. Not ever. Got it?”
I shrug. “I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. You’re sister’s fucking hot.”
“Dude, seriously?” Teagan throws his hands up.
“This is gonna be fun.” Graham leans back in his seat with a grin and takes a sip of coffee.
“I concur.” Atlas rubs his chin, eyeing us. “I like this new dynamic.”
“We’ll get a lot of mileage out of it.”
Teagan and I groan and our eyes meet for a brief moment before I shake my head and smile, thinking about how lucky I am. Maybe Teagan is right. Maybe I am a fucking sap, because I have the perfect girlandmy friends. And I’m not sure I could ask for more.
CHAPTER 43
JACE
Ilift the lastof Brynn’s things onto the bed of my truck, then go in search of her. I maneuver over the cobbled sidewalk, through the front door, and take the steps to her bedroom two at a time, only to find her hovering in front of her closet. I lean my hip against the doorframe, taking her in from head to toe. The pink dress she’s wearing is shorter than the ones I’m used to. Over the last few months, I’ve noticed her style of dress isn’t quite so modest, which I take as both a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because she’s owning the fact that showing a little more skin doesn’t give someone the right to lay their hands on her. Bad, because I get pissed every time another guy checks her out. School this semester is going to be brutal.
“You ready?” I ask.
“Yeah.” She turns, and my breath catches at the wooden box in her hands. Lifting her gaze to mine, she nods for me to follow as she enters the adjoining bathroom to her room and slides the wastebasket out from beside the sink. Opening the lid of thejewelry box, she lifts the leather cuff out and stares at it one last time before she chucks it in the can. The wooden box with the note follows, and then she removes the trash bag and ties it, handing it to me as she says, “Do you want the honors of taking the trash out?”
“Me?” I point to my chest, and she nods. “You sure?”
I don’t know all the reasons she’s held onto this for so long, but I want to make sure she’s ready to part with it.
Her answering smile puts me at ease. “I think it’s about time, don’t you?”
I don’t say anything. Instead, I lean forward and press a brief kiss over her mouth because this girl . . . she gets me every fucking time. I’m so damn proud.
I grab her hand in mine, holding the bag with the other as we descend the stairs together, exiting the house via the garage, pausing at the giant trash can waiting to relieve us of the garbage in my hands.
“My mom and dad said goodbye and they love you, by the way.” Brynn grins. “They were bummed they couldn’t be here this morning to see us off. Also, Mommighthave loaded me up with about five dozen cookies for you and Chris.”
I grin. “Too bad Chris will never see a single crumb. Fall season means our nutrition needs to be at the top of our game.”
Brynn laughs. “You’re cruel.”
We step outside, underneath an overcast sky gray with clouds, and amble down the driveway to find Teagan waiting for us, legs crossed as he leans against my truck.
He lifts a chin. “You got everything?”
I glance over at Brynn and her nose scrunches a little as she smiles. “Yep. I think we’re ready.” I squeeze her hand. “You leaving for school today, too?” I ask, glancing back up at Teagan.
Teagan shakes his head. “I decided to wait until tomorrow to head out. I still have some shit to pack.”
“Well, drive safely because the next time we see each other, it’ll probably be on the field kicking your ass.” I clap him on the back and he snorts.
“More like wiping my ass when I make you eat the turf.”
I tip my head back and laugh while Brynn shakes her head. “Can’t you just cheer each other on?”
“Have a killer season, man,” I say, dabbing him up.
