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“So just the thing with the girls in the bathroom, and they didn’t know you were there,” Archie confirmed.
“Yeah, we talked about this earlier. Why are we going over it again?”
“Because we think we should do that regularly. One of us will come get you and Coop, right now it’ll be me or Jake,” Archie said. “We keep your car off campus, no one messes with it.”
“And I’m working on getting a car,” Coop admitted, and I wasn’t the only one who gawked at him. “What? I have savings, I just never really needed one before.”
I wasn’t going to point out he didn’t really need one now, he always rode with me or one of the guys. “That’s great, but I can’t just be dependent on you guys for rides. I do other things.”
Not much, and arguably, four faintly skeptical expressions said the same. “Look, the only day that’s tricky is Tuesdays,” Ian offered. “I’m on my bike and I can take you, but Coop would have to ride with one of the others.”
“And we can make it work,” Archie said. “But until we figure this out, none of us want to risk you.”
“Stop,” I said waving my hands. “There’s no risking me. It’s some crappy pranks and yes, do I want to slug the guy who did that to my car? Yes, I do. But I’m not changing another part of my life for anyone.” Bad enough Mom wanted to do that for both of us. “Ireallydon’t want to talk about it anymore. Sharon hates me. Check. Laura got suspended for taking a swipe at me. Fine. Maria apparently doesn’t hate me, so, yay me. But I have to study, I need to be focused on stuff that isn’t this.”
“We know,” Jake said quietly, hands in his pockets. “That’s why we want to make sure we can block out the noise. Your whole routine is shot.”
Yes it was.
I blew out a breath. “I appreciate everything, guys, I really do. I know you have my back, but I need to go home and focus on me for a bit. I need to get this homework done.”
“So no playdates,” Archie said, not looking at me so much as at Coop and Jake.
We hadn’t really discussed last night, and I kind of wanted to keep it that way. “If you don’t mind, and we’ll figure out dinner tomorrow?”
He made a low, disgusted noise. “We will, but I’m betting you money Edward cancels at the last minute, and we won’t have to deal with either of them.”
I really didn’t know what to feel about that. Mom engaged? Just no. “Fingers crossed.”
I got a gentle hug from each of them and a kiss from Archie and Ian, both light and affectionate. Jake just nuzzled a gentle one to my jaw, before whispering, “Sleep well, and I’m up if you need me. I can time stuff or whatever.”
Sometimes, I wondered what I’d done right because the guys did get me, even when they didn’t always seem to understand. Coop kept it light on the drive home. At the apartments, I checked Mom’s spot automatically. It was empty. One of these days, I was just going to park there and be a rebel. It wasn’t like she was using it.
Coop walked me to the door, and unlike the last three days, he didn’t pin me there for a hot, devouring kiss so much as give me a careful hug and an even sweeter kiss. “Go on inside and lock up. Call me if you need me.”
“Thanks, Coop—for everything.”
“Anytime, you know that, and I’m sorry about Laura.”
“Not your fault,” I reminded him. “Even if you were a bit of a jerk.”
“Yeah,” he said with a grimace. “I’m working on that.”
Another light kiss, and then I let myself in. I closed the door and locked it before leaning back and closing my eyes. The cramps coupled with the headache I currently nursed and my sore feet didn’t make me want to do much. Shower, then I’d make a sandwich and get it done. It was only after I pushed off the door that I realized the cats hadn’t come out to greet me.
That was… weird.
The single light in the kitchen was on, I always left the one over the stove lit when I’d be getting back after dark.
There was also a light in the living room on that Ihadn’tturned on before I left.
The living room was quiet otherwise, and there were no cats on the sofa. Where the hell were the cats? “Tiddles?” I called as I headed for the hallway. Of the three, he was always out to meet me.
The door to my room was closed, and in the half-light of the hallway, shadows elongating courtesy of the yellow lamp in the living room, I froze. It was like being in a horror movie.
I tugged my phone from my pocket and pulled up Coop’s contact. He was closest. But I didn’t hit connect. Maybe I shut the door on my way out? My bathroom door was closed too, and I never shut that when I left. Their litter box was in there.
As I pushed open the door to my room, the yowling of the cats immediately greeted me. Tabby raced out between my feet and straight to the bathroom door—which was closed. I pivoted and shoved that door open for her, too.
