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“Seriously, can you move in here permanently?” Asher asks.
Casey lets out a loud burp, which makes my nose wrinkle. Then he winks at me with a grin. “That’s just me telling you how much I loved the meal.”
“Sure.” I nod, sticking out my tongue while Mikayla laughs and nudges me with her elbow.
“Okay, guys. We’re on cleanup.” Liam lightly taps the table and starts gathering plates.
I go to rise, but he turns to me with an adamant eyebrow raise. “You stay put. You’ve worked hard enough for today. You get to relax now.”
“You’ve worked hard too,” I argue with a smile but remain in my seat, checking out his butt as he walks away from me.
Yeah, he really is cut. Buns of steel, I’d say. My fingers tingle as I imagine touching him, and a flush runs through my body. Biting my lips together, I beg my face not to catch fire. My cheeks feel so hot right now, I must be neon.
Mikayla’s phone starts to ring, and she grabs it off the coffee table, frowning at the screen. “Who’s that?”
“If you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer it!” Asher calls from the kitchen.
She plunks down in the seat beside me, and I glance past her arm, my blood running cold as a gasp fires out of me.
“What?” Mikayla’s head jerks in my direction.
“That’s Theo’s number.” I can barely get the words out, my body starting to shake uncontrollably as I jump up from the table and crash right into Ethan’s solid chest.
He gives my arm a light rub before holding out his hand. “Give it to me.”
“No. Wait,” I beg him, but he answers the phone before I can pull it out of his hand.
“Hello?” His forehead puckers with a deep frown, and I’m dying on the inside, just waiting for him to unleash a little hell, but instead his voice remains calm. “Sorry, dude. I don’t know a Mikayla. I think you must have the wrong number…” His head jerks back as he plays the part of Mr. Confused. “Nope. Don’t know Nolan U either. Whoever gave you this number has got it wrong. Never heard of her or it… Can’t help you, man… Yep.”
He hangs up and I deflate, not realizing there’s no chair behind me.
Two strong arms catch me, and I hit a wall of muscle.
“It’s okay,” Liam whispers, guiding me to a chair.
I sink into it, my fingers shaking as I cover my mouth and try not to cry.
I don’t want to give Theo any more of my tears, but… shit, shit, shit! He’s looking for me.
He probably wants to punish me for taking all his money. Or maybe for leaving him.
How did he get Mick’s number?
“Hey.” My best friend grabs my attention with her soft voice. “It’s okay. Crisis averted.”
“He’s looking for me,” I whimper.
Liam’s hand crests my shoulders, giving them a comforting rub while the rest of the guys gather around the table.
“What did that fucker do to you?” Casey growls. His angry face is kind of scary and intense.
I lean away from it, dipping my chin and not wanting to say.
I’m still so ashamed by how it all went down. By what I did when I left. By falling for Theo in the first place. For trusting him so blindly and ignoring the odd pinch in my gut whenever he did something that made me unsure. I kept bashing away those red flags because I didn’t want to admit that my first serious relationship was failing.
I wanted a boyfriend.
I needed someone to love me because I was lonely and desperate.
