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“Yeah, alright.”
“Noel says she loves you.”
That earned a little smile as I said, “Love her, too. Kinda even love you, but you’re a pain in my ass.”
His laugh made me smile for a beat before he said, “Love ya, fucker. Have a good night.”
The call disconnected a beat after Noel’s laughter filled the line, and slowly, feeling like a coward, I set the phone on the bar and wiped a window clear on the glass, watching beads of water slide down its slick surface. My heart felt heavy, and I kicked myself for not saying something while I had his attention.
To my relief, El was asleep when I finally slipped into the hotel room. But the solace halted when I took in the tempting silky pajamas draped heavily over her strong frame. Pix might’ve earned the pet name because she was petite, but these days she looked more gymnast than starving ballerina figurine. Strong. Disciplined. You had to be to build that definition. My palms buzzed with the need to trace her edges, cementing the subtle feel of them in my mind.
As I watched her sleep like some psychopath, I thought about what it felt like to have her smile for me…because of me, and anxiety ate me from the inside out like a five-course meal. Because if I took the Utilitarian path, and risked it all—my friendships, my bonus parents and home away from home, not to mention my at least moderately attractive face as I knew it—I couldn’t very well look her in the eye while professing my feelings if this grant money lined my pockets when it could have been in hers. Beneath the war in my mind, a little voice spoke up, and I knew exactly what I had to do. And it started with paying a visit to Johanna King.
FIFTEEN
ELORA
The Besties Chat:
Max
Chin up, babe. You’ve got this.
Alice
Call us and report back tonight!
Elora
Love you guys.
Rhodes Family Chat:
Alice
El goes on for her grant presentation in twenty!
Rhyett
Break a leg, beautiful!
Jameson
Jesus, harsh man. Didn’t know you wanted B to win that badly.
Rhyett
Fuck off, J. You know what I mean.
Leighton
You’ve got this, big sister!!
Kaia
You’re my hero, Elly! Knock them dead!
Maverick
