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I heard the front door close as they left, and I was about to press the remote to unmute the TV when my phone buzzed beside me.
ELIJAH: Hey, Tal. What are you up to?
I’d been getting messages from all the guys since the day I’d gotten back to the house, although I hadn’t seen any of them in person. Mason’s and Cole’s texts tended to be short and almost cryptic, as if they weren’t quite sure what to say but wanted to say something. Elijah’s were sweet, and Finn’s were usually long, rambling, and purposefully upbeat.
Leaving the volume turned down, I picked up the phone and typed a response.
ME: Just resting. What are you up to?
ELIJAH: Not much. Can we come over?
My heart did a stutter-step in my chest, beating a little harder and heavier as my thumbs flew over the screen.
ME: Yeah. Sure. All of you?
ELIJAH: Yeah. See you in a bit.
I dropped the phone back onto the mattress and unmuted the movie, trying to focus on the screen and not the oddly giddy feeling that filled my chest. I hadn’t seen the Princes for ten days, and maybe it was stupid, but… I missed them.
After my accident, they’d transferred all their focus to me and my recovery, so I still felt completely out of the loop about what the fallout had been for each of them from Adena’s release of all the research in my little notebook. The school had managed to contain it pretty quickly, but that didn’t mean copies of copies and re-uploaded versions of the videos hadn’t gotten out. I was sure all of their parents knew, although I doubted every member of the Roseland elite had gotten wind of the full story.
Pretty much all the kids at Oak Park knew though, and that would be plenty to give the guys headaches once school started back up.
The doorbell rang before the movie ended, and I heard one of the house staff answer before footsteps headed toward my door. I propped myself up a little higher on the bed, brushing a hand through my hair. It wasn’t like I hadn’t showered, but something about lounging around all day made me feel gross anyway.
Not that it mattered. Every single one of the Princes had seen me looking a lot worse than this.
And they still look at me like I’m beautiful. Breathtaking.
I shoved that thought away before it made me flush, glancing up as Mason knocked on the door, which sat slightly ajar.
“Come in,” I called out.
He pushed it open, his gaze instantly tracking up and down my body as if he were checking for new injuries I might’ve somehow sustained since the last time he’d seen me. Seeming satisfied that I hadn’t, he stepped inside, allowing the others to enter behind him.
“Hey, Legs.” Finn shot me a lopsided smile, although I noticed he gave me almost the exact same once-over as Mason just had. “How’s the cushy life treating you? All bon-bons and ice cream?”
“Yeah.” I snorted a soft laugh. “It’s been great.”
“How are you feeling?” Elijah’s gaze was serious as he sat on the end of the bed, resting his hand on my good ankle. My body reacted instantly, as if all my nerve endings had suddenly gathered in the patch of skin his hand was covering.
“Good.” I tried not to let my gaze shoot down to the point of contact between us, to make it even more obvious how his touch affected me. “I’m feeling a lot better.”
“You look better,” Finn offered, coming to sit on my other side.
“Thanks.” I paused the movie, which had still been playing softly, then glanced around the room at each of them. “So, what’s up? What’s happening?”
The blond quarterback huffed a laugh. “Nothing’s happening. We just wanted to see you. Is that okay?”
I blinked at him, and he grinned at me, flashing the twin dimples in his cheeks.
“Um, yeah.” I ran my hands through my hair again. “It’s okay. But seriously, what is happening? Are you guys alright? What’s been going on since—”
“We’re fine.” Mason’s face was unreadable as he spoke, but he shook his head emphatically. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
I snorted. “Too late.”
“We really are fine, Tal,” Elijah said softly. When I gave him an annoyed look, he elaborated a little. “Our families all found out about the shit Adena put out there. I think all our parents pooled their knowledge as more bits and pieces of info trickled in, and now they pretty much know about everything she released.”
