Page 100 of The Route to You

He set the pen back down.

“Ready.” He grabbed his keys and headed for the door. “Just us three tonight?” he asked as he rejoined them.

“Brandon’s meeting us out,” Jeremy answered, like he hadn’t changed the whole dynamic of hanging out tonight by inviting Anna, of all people.

Kyle nodded and stepped outside, locking up behind them when the low hum of an engine reached his ears.

Ah . . . fuck.

“Oh, I think you have company,” Anna said, lightly.

Kyle turned. And there it is. The universe was laughing directly in his face. Sloan’s car rolled to a stop in the driveway.

“Fantastic,” he muttered under his breath. “Love that for me.”

Anna might not recognize Sloan. Even if she’d seen anything in the news about her back in January, Kyle doubted she’d make that connection. The pictures Evan had given the media had all featured Sloan as a blond.

But there was no way in hell Jeremy wouldn’t recognize her.

She pushed the door open and stepped out, portfolio tucked under her arm, sunlight catching in the darker strands of her hair.

For a stupid, disloyal second, everything else—Jeremy, Anna, the situation he’d unintentionally created—fell away.

She looked happy, her eyes sparkling, and the sight of her hit him square in the chest before he could brace for it.

God.

“Hey,” she called, already walking toward him, a smile breaking across her face. “I got the job.”

“That’s”—he cleared his throat, forcing his voice to cooperate—“that’s amazing. Congratulations.” He fought the urge to step closer. To reach for her without thinking.

“Is this your roommate?” Anna asked, smiling at Sloan like this was all perfectly normal, and Kyle’s palms weren’t sweating.

One look at Jeremy’s face, and Kyle saw the recognition land, the confusion sharpen. Jeremy gave Kyle a quizzical glance, his dark brows furrowing.

Dammit.

How am I going to explain living with Sloan to him?

“Uh—yeah. Sloan, this is Anna. And”—he exhaled, resigned to his fate—“you might remember Jeremy.”

Sloan blinked for a few moments, then her eyes widened. “Jeremy Pinto? Oh my God. Wait . . .” She laughed, a little breathless. “I didn’t even recognize you. Hi. Wow. It’s—hi.”

“Hey,” Jeremy said, recovering with a grin, though his gaze flicked briefly back to Kyle. “Good to see you.”

Kyle resisted the urge to walk into traffic.

“So, you’re—what? Back in town?” Jeremy added.

“Yeah. Recently,” Sloan said, shifting her portfolio slightly, her posture going just a touch more polished. “Just getting settled.”

Now, Jeremy fixed his gaze firmly on Kyle’s face. “And you’re . . . uh, Kyle’s new roommate?”

Kyle had the urge to hide his face behind the palm of his hand.

“Only temporarily,” Sloan said, giving Kyle an uncertain glance. She had to realize Jeremy knew all about the way she’d dumped Kyle years ago. “Until his new apartment is ready.”

Something in the way Sloan studied Kyle made his chest hitch.