Page 157 of End Game

That gets everyone’s attention.

Alexis sets her fork down and thinks for a moment. “When this first started growing, everybody got really focused on fairness. Making sure I had time with Carter, then Ethan, then Shawn. Then Holden. Then, finally, Jer.”

Jeremiah gives her a small smile.

“And because they were all worried about stepping on each other,” she continues, “they started planning more and more among themselves. Which sounds considerate.”

“But?” Micah prompts after a breath or two of silence.

“But eventually I realized everyone was planning my time except me.”

Carter nods. “That wasn’t our finest moment in this dynamic.”

“I wasn’t malicious,” Alexis adds quickly. “They were trying very hard to make sure nobody felt neglected. But it started feeling like I was moving through appointments.”

A laugh escapes me. “Boyfriend rotations.”

“Exactly.”

Shawn smiles faintly. “It also gave some of us an excuse to not ask for what we needed, and that caused some resentment.”

Something in his tone keeps the table quiet.

He looks down at his plate for a second before continuing. “I’m not great at saying I need attention. Or that I’m feeling left out. So if there was a schedule, I could tell myself my turn was coming, and I didn’t have to say anything.”

Alexis reaches over and squeezes his hand. “But that didn’t mean you were okay,” she says softly.

“No.” He gives her fingers a squeeze back. “I had to learn that.”

I lean back in my chair.

Fuck.

Because I understand that.

Maybe too well.

My eyes land on Griffin.

He’s listening, but his expression has that thoughtful crease between his eyebrows.

“I think we do some of that,” I admit.

His gaze moves to me.

“I know I manage attention.” I wrinkle my nose, trying to find the right words. “Especially yours.”

Griffin looks genuinely surprised. “Mine?”

“You try really hard not to be needy.”

“I am not needy.”

Dex coughs a “bullshit” loudly into his fist.

Griffin glares at him.

I ignore the exchange. “You try really hard not to ask for things because you don’t want anyone else to be without or feel like you’re getting special treatment.”