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I tell Theo goodnight and hang up, keeping the phone in my hand for a second longer than necessary.

So fucking what if Blaire’s on a date.

I have Veronica sitting in my living room right now. I have absolutely no right to feel anything about Blaire going out with someone.

I rub hard at my eyes, trying to get rid of the burning behind them before I head back out to the living room.

“Get up,” I say. “We’re going out.”

Veronica blinks up at me from where she’s stretched across the couch. “What?”

“The guys wanted me to meet them for drinks tonight. I completely forgot.” I grab a clean shirt from the basket near the hallway and pull it over my head. “You coming?”

Her whole face lights up immediately. “Uh, yeah,” she says, sitting up fast. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

Of course she would. This is exactly the kind of thing she’s been wanting. Something more public and involved with my personal life.

She stands and smooths down her clothes. “Do we have time to stop by my place so I can change?”

I glance over at her. She’s wearing leggings and one of my old hoodies, makeup still done from work, hair a little messy from laying on the couch.

“You look fine.” I grab my keys off the counter while she slips her shoes back on.

“You sure your friends won’t mind?” she asks, trying to sound casual and failing.

“Nah,” I say. “They’ve been bugging me to bring you around.”

I lock the front door behind us and head toward the truck, trying not to think too hard about why I changed my mind so fast after Theo mentioned Blaire’s date. Or why the idea of her dressing up for somebody else still bothers me at all.

***

“Oi! Look who actually made it!”

The second I step into the bar, Gears is on me.

He throws an arm around my neck and immediately starts grinding his knuckles into my scalp hard enough to piss me off.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, shoving him off me. “Fuck off.”

He stumbles back laughing, clearly already a beer or two in.

“And this,” he says dramatically, turning toward Veronica, “must be the girlfriend. Nice to finally meet you.”

Veronica absolutely lights up at the word girlfriend. Not subtle about it either.

She takes the hand he offers her. “Veronica. Nice to meet you.”

“Glad you decided to join us,” Maddox says, sliding a beer from the bucket across the table toward me.

Maddox gives Veronica a polite nod before looking back at me like he’s already reading too much into this whole situation.

I take the beer and lean against the high-top table. “You guys start without me?”

“We assumed you were gonna bail,” Gears says.

“Honestly, I’m still a little surprised you didn’t.” Maddox adds.

Veronica slips easily into my side, one hand resting lightly against my arm like she belongs there.