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“I’m fully aware of that.”

“But I’ve never dated anyone,” he finished over me. “So, look at that. You’re doing better than me.”

That caught me off guard. For all the confidence Jude carried around, I’d never considered the difference between the stories he told me and an actual relationship. Maybe because he was so comfortable talking about sex and hookups that I’d automatically assumed he knew more about everything than I did.

Apparently, neither of us had a clue what we were doing, which was oddly comforting.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I appreciated what he was trying to do.

“Don’t thank me. I’m just being honest.” He shrugged lazily. “Is she hot?”

“I’m not telling you that.”

“Oh, come on!” he exclaimed. “I know nothing about her! It’s not like you’re over here telling me jack shit about the mystery woman that has you climbing out the window.”

“I never did that!” Okay, I did once, but that was completely different, mostly because I'd been under the impression that nobody saw me.

“Nice try, idiot.” He chuckled. “We all saw that shit.”

Well, shit.

“You’re not even in this fucking fraternity,” I shot back.

“We all know I’m an honorary member.”

“I don’t think that’s a thing,” I lied through my teeth. For Jude, it was a thing.

“It is now,” Jude scoffed. “Tell me one thing about her—anything. Come on, I’m dying here. Dying, Theodore Daniel! Dying!”

“Dramatic fuck,” I muttered.

“I know, but you love me,” he said happily.

I stared at the ceiling and tried to think of something safe to share—something true enough that I didn’t feel like I was inventing a whole fake person but vague enough that Jude wouldn’t suddenly realize I was describing Rhodes.

I hated this. This was exactly why I avoided talking about him at all. Every truth came attached to another lie.

“She’s caring,” I told him quietly. “In like… a selfless way, you know? She makes sure everyone she loves is taken care of, no matter what it costs her. And I know it’s taxing, but that’s just who she is.”

The words came easier once I started because that was Rhodes. For all the distance he kept between himself and everybody else, once he cared even a little bit, he’d run himself into the ground making sure they were okay.

“Yeah—”

“She’s smart.” Oh, well… the floodgates apparently opened. “I’ve never met anyone as smart as her. I don’t know what qualifies as genius smart, but I’d say she’s a genius. And she’s so goddamn bossy, and I like it.”

That part slipped out before I could filter it. It was still true. I loved the way Rhodes bossed me around. I also loved being a brat because I knew exactly which buttons to push until that controlled expression of his started cracking.

But underneath all of that was something I hadn’t figured out how to name, not until now.

“And I just… like the way I feel when I’m with her,” I admitted. “She feels like… home. When I’m with her, I just know it’s where I’m supposed to be.”

Those were words I’d never said out loud or to myself. They were terrifying. With Rhodes, I could just exist. And apparently somewhere along the way, he had started meaning far more to me than I was prepared to admit.

“Damn,” Jude whispered.

“Double damn,” Wyatt chimed in from across the room. Shit, how much had he heard? “That’s real romance right there.”

“We’ll get her back,” Jude promised.