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“You two having a party in here without me?” Frankie asked from the doorway, and I pivoted to face her.
“Babe, it’s never a real party until you get here.”
She snorted and flicked her fingers at me. Some of the shadows shifted out of her eyes as she smiled. When she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around me, I held her tight. I would never not want these hugs. “Thank you for having my back,” she whispered.
“Always,” I promised. “We always have your back. And your front. Your sides are pretty sweet, too.”
It was Jake who snorted, then smirked as Frankie laughed. “Too late, Jake already complimented my ass and breasts.”
“Well, then we’re just making it official that we agree,” I said, pulling back enough to press a kiss to her forehead. “You good?”
“I am now,” she said, meeting my gaze and not shying away from it. “I just wish I understood what she wants.”
“I don’t care what she wants. The only people whose wants I care about are in this apartment.”
“And Jeremy,” she added on with a glance toward her bed, and I grinned.
“Well, Jere’s pretty good about taking care of himself.”
“And us.”
“I told you, we want to spoil you. Now, let’s go drink your coffee and do our homework breakdown. I’m sure you’re due at least one academic meltdown.”
At Frankie’s groan, even Jake grinned. Because that was our girl. Our overachiever would not care for being even an ounce behind.
“We got this,” I reminded her, and then Jake caught her hand and between us, we got her back out to the living room, to the coffee, and then the food.
We got around to homework eventually, but Frankie was asleep before eight, because she lost the battle to exhaustion. Even after Jake and Bubba headed home because they had practice early, Coop and I were both awake and neither of us seemed to want to rest.
Something was going on. I just didn’t know what.
That part bugged me.
When Coop finally said he was going to try and sleep, I stayed in the living room arguing with myself. There was one person I could ask about all of this.
One person who might be able to help, but it kicked over a whole other anthill.
But I wasn’t willing to wait nine more days or for the other shoe to drop. I sent an email rather than a text. It would probably be a day or two before I got an answer, but at least I could get one ball rolling.
Surprising no one, by the time I turned in and slid into the bed on Frankie’s side, neither Edward nor Frankie’s mom had shown up at the apartment.
I’d take the reprieve, but I’d get ready for the war.
Chapter Eleven
Parental Discretion Advised
Coop
Ipulled up to the curb and sent a message to Sis. Two minutes later, the front door to the house I waited in front of opened and she jogged out. Her friend waved to her, and then she was sliding into the front seat next to me.
The smell hit first. “Since when do Mandy’s parents smoke?”
“They don’t,” Sis said sliding me a look. “And don’t start.”
Seriously? I raised my eyebrows. “Since when doyousmoke?”
“I just said don’t start, Coop.” She dragged her seatbelt on. “We had a couple of cigarettes. It’s not a big deal.”
