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“That question has so many possible answers,” I replied, finishing my wine. My shift started in ten minutes. “Those two could get in trouble in a church. Honestly, I don’t know how they’re able to make it past the doors without sweating.”
“They flashed the concessions guy to get free popcorn.” Halley looked up. “Can’t we just let the police arrest them at this point? Does Noah have any favors he can call in?”
“This isn’t a mob movie, Halley.” Reagan snorted. “Did they really flash him?”
“Yeah.” Halley’s eyebrows drew together as she frowned. “Then they ran away and were last spotted near the liquor store.”
“The liquor store?” I asked. “What the hell are you still doing here? The last time they got drunk, they hung their underwear from telephone masts.”
“Yeah, still not sure how they got them up there,” she mused. “All right. Come on. Let’s go save the villagers before they start flashing their knees or something.”
Reagan snorted. “I’m not going. I saved her the last time. It’s Preston’s turn.”
Halley sighed, already dialing on her phone as she left. “I knew I shouldn’t have come back after college.”
I laughed, and so did Reagan. She’d hated not being in South Carolina and had complained about it the entire time she was studying for her degree. There wasn’t a chance in hell it was going to happen, so she could run that line all she liked, but no.
“So, you’re really gonna talk to Ethan, then?” Reagan asked.
“Talk to Ethan about what?” Leo appeared from behind me.
I jumped out of my skin. “How long have you been there?”
“Just walked in with a few guys from work. Why?” He took Halley’s recently vacated seat and motioned to some guys by the door. “What are you talking to him about?”
“Her socks,” Reagan said without missing a beat.
“Your socks?” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Why your socks?”
“He stole them. You know we’re fighting. I just—it’s a long story. I have to start my shift. Reagan can explain.” I got up. “Is he coming in here tonight?”
Leo shook his head. “Said he’d see us tomorrow. You piss him off that much?”
“He knows I’m here until close. He’s probably going to mess up my Netflix some more,” I said dryly, getting up. “I have no idea what he’s doing, but as long as the hedgehog isn’t in my room, I don’t care.”
“You and that fucking hedgehog.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN – ETHAN
Guys Don’t Kiss And Tell
I waited in my car for a good two minutes before I was ready to get out.
There was no way I was ready for this conversation. I had absolutely no fucking idea what I was supposed to say to Ava. Having all this time between yesterday morning and now where we hadn’t seen each other at all should have given me some perspective.
Nope. All it’d given me was another morning hard-on, another too-long shower, and now the urge to move to Cuba so I didn’t accidentally give in to my dick and do it all again.
I didn’t know what to tell her. I had nothing to tell her, despite being the one who said we needed to talk.
We did.
Fuck, we needed to talk.
But it was so much easier to say that than to actually do the talking. She was my best friend’s little sister—how the fuck was I supposed to explain myself? How could I explain my actions?
I couldn’t tell her that I’d wanted to do that for years. That the desire to kiss her had only increased since I’d moved into the apartment. That we couldn’t tell anyone because Leo was going to kill me.
That I had no idea why I’d finally given in and kissed her.
She’d want answers. I knew that. Ava would demand to know why the hell I’d kissed her, and I couldn’t give her a reason.
I knew moving in with her was a bad idea. That was the problem with being a bit of a nomad—I never knew how long I’d be in one place. Luckily, being a mechanic meant my skills were always in demand, and I was able to move around cities.
I hadn’t signed a lease in Creek Falls like Leo. He planned to stay for a year and figure out his life, but I hadn’t wanted to commit to that.
I’d planned on staying for a few months until after the new year, then I’d make a choice. I was only stuck in this apartment for six months if Ava decided to leave, and she wasn’t going to do that.
I rubbed my hand down my face. The way I felt about her was complicating everything. It made me want to stay, but on the other hand, it made me want to pack my shit and leave.
The truth was that Ava Parker fucking terrified me.
I wanted her as much as badly as she annoyed me. I couldn’t decide if the way I was feeling was an itch I needed to scratch, or it was a precursor to something more. Kissing her had been damn stupid, but she’d taunted me with a fire in her eyes.
