Walking toward her, I take a seat in the same chair I was in last night when I kissed Greyson. Lifting a finger to my lip, remembering the feeling of his lips on mine, my eyes trail over to him as he stands with his back facing me, making a coffee and talking with Chase.
“So, the real reason you’re here?” Resting her elbows on the counter, Nina turns toward me and smirks.
Starting “phase one” of our agreement, but I can’t exactly tell her that.
“We needed to set some ground rules for this fake dating thing,” I shrug. “And we were both free yesterday, so he invited me over.”
“Here,” Greyson places a steaming mug of coffee before me. “I added the same creamer you had last night, is that okay?”
He remembered?
Smiling, I grab the mug and lift it to my lips. “Yes, thank you.”
“Pancakes?” Chase asks, placing some down on top of the stack that’s already in the middle of the counter.
“If there’s enough,” I say. “I don’t want—”
“More than enough,” he cuts me off, pushing an empty plate toward me. “Help yourself to as many as you want.”
“Thank you.”
“Honestly, take as many as you can,” Theo jumps into the chair beside Hunter and begins filling his plate high. “Because Chase never cooks breakfast, he’s only making it because Nova is here.”
Is that the girl he was with last night? Is she his girlfriend?
“I second that!” Hunter mumbles over a mouthful of pancakes.
“Gross!” Nina giggles, smacking his arm.
A smile forms on my lips as I watch the two of them interact. Seeing one of your best friends loved up—even if she can’t see it herself—is a feeling I can’t even describe. And if anyone deserved love in this world, it was her.
“Ugh, I’m never drinking again.” A female voice sounds from behind us.
Spinning around, a girl—I’m guessing Nova—walks into the room wearing Chase’s jersey, with her brown hair tied up in a messy bun. Rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands, she walks closer and pulls the chair out beside Greyson, slumps down, and slams her head against the marble counter.
“I’m dying,” she cries out. “Actually, I think death would be less painful.”
“Drama queen as always,” Chase rolls his eyes as he places a cold glass of water in front of her and two pills. “Serves you right.”
Lifting her head up, she points a finger at him. “You’re meant to be giving me sympathy, not scolding me.”
Snickering under my breath, I grab two pancakes from the pile and place them onto the plate. Pursing my lips, I look around the counter for some syrup because you can’t have pancakes without syrup, that’s the one rule my dad always told me.
“Eat.” Chase demands, pushing a plate stacked with about five pancakes toward Nova.
“Woof, woof.” She barks, shoving one into her mouth.
Holding in a laugh, I lean forward and search the counter for the syrup. Locating it in front of Theo, I ask Nina to grab it. Passing it to me, I thank her and pour a generous amount onto the pancakes before digging in.
As we begin eating, conversations are thrown in here and there, but for the most part, it’s silent. Demolishing the last pancake, I slump back into the chair and place a hand over my stomach, letting out a satisfied sigh.
“Holy fuck.” Nova gasps loudly, making me jump.
“Nova, insidevoice.” Chase grumbles.
My head snaps in her direction, and I see her already looking this way with her mouth gaped open. “You girls are fucking gorgeous.”
Pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, not believing her, I smile as Nina says. “Thank you, so are you.”
