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“Um–” Zeke held up a finger.
“I’m not sending it to you.”
Zeke pouted.
“I deleted it anyway, all of it. The roommate said it was just the one copy. I don’t think Ria and Penny know, but I’m not releasing that. That’s just messed up.”
“True.” Zeke shook his head, sighing. “That sounds hot, though.”
“What are you guys talking about down here?” Wade came to our end, pulling an empty chair over from another table and flipping it around. He dropped down, resting his arms over the back as he straddled it.
Kit looked around, but her friend had rejoined their booth.
“Yo, man.”
“Yo.” Wade gave Zeke a chin-up nod.
“Zeke,” Skylar called for his attention, so Zeke tuned in her way.
Kit was saying to Wade, “I was just telling Mara about how I’m newly and really real single now.”
Wade’s grin was slow as he glanced between us. “What does ‘really real’ mean versus just being single?”
I snorted a laugh.
Kit shrugged, seemingly appeased by now, “Just a relationship that was on and off and now it’s very, very off. Permanently.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s whatever. I didn’t lose too much on him.”
“Ah.” Wade’s eyes filled with understanding. “One of those types of relationships.”
“Yep.”
“And you?” His question was directed at me.
I sucked in my breath, knowing these questions would be coming, but I wanted to keep the conversation about Kit. “What about me?”
I’m none of your business. I’m no one’s business.
“You and the hockey player? You guys a thing now?”
I frowned, lifting a tight shoulder. “It is what it is.” Totally not an answer, but that wasn’t a question I had plans to answer.
Wade frowned.
Kit’s eyebrows slammed down.
“I knew before the pictures came out.”
“What?”
“Saw him leaving your place one night. It was obvious what he’d just done.”
I frowned. “He saw you?”
He nodded. “I said something to him.”
“What’d you say?”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He told me it’s none of my business and he was right, it wasn’t. Isn’t. But couldn’t help picking up on weird tension with you lately. You and him okay?”
Kit started laughing.
Wade threw her a weird look.
“Sorry.” Her hands went up, but she couldn’t stop laughing. “Mara doesn’t do personal. You don’t know your roommate if you’re asking about who she’s fucking. Mara never wants anyone to know anything about her life, which made me feel horrible when I found out about your mo–”
“Stop!” I snapped out, cutting her off.
My heart started pounding.
Confusion flashed over her face. “But–”
“That shit never needs to be talked about.”
I felt my mom. It was like she was there, in the room, and she was making a scene like she used to when I was a kid.
Wade knew about her, just not that she’d really been my mom. He and the others only asked the next day about the ‘con woman,’ but that’d been it. I told them it worked, and she went away.
I hadn’t enjoyed lying, but it was easier.
Normal moms were precious, and cherished. They were loving.
Not mine.
If she kept coming…
She’d make a scene.
And another scene.
And another.
If she took advantage of them? Tried to sleep with them? Conned one of them? Stole from them?
They would ask me to leave.
She came, and everything went bad.
I sighed, pulling out my wallet. “Sorry, guys. My appetite is gone.”
“What?”
I threw some money on the table to cover my food that hadn’t come yet.
Kit stood, lifting her arms for a hug. “What just happened?”
“I just need to go. I’m sorry.” I hugged her back. “Stay strong. Don’t say anything about my mom, and have a safe trip back.”
I was totally cutting my losses here, and being a shit friend, but I needed to go. A panic attack was impending. I could feel them by now, knew how long I had, and I needed that time to get away to my place.
Zeke was next. “Thank you for coming.”
“You okay, Daniels?” He angled his head to see my face as we hugged.
I nodded, avoiding his gaze. “I’m good. Just–be safe heading back. Don’t get arrested too many times.”
His grin was rakish. “You know better.”
I laughed, but it only made the tightness in my chest get tighter. “I do. You should memorize your boy’s number too.”
“Nah.” He said it so softly. “Maybe I enjoy knowing you’ll always be there for me?”
My gaze jumped up, but I saw there was understanding looking back at me.
That made the ball of emotion shove even higher in my throat now. I had to swallow to breathe around it. I grasped his shirt, and said thickly, “Thank you, Zeke.”
“Anytime,” he whispered back. “I’ll cover you here.”
I let go but patted his chest. After that, I couldn’t get to my car fast enough. I was almost there, crossing the parking lot before I heard my name being called.
Wade was coming after me. “What’s your deal?”
I saw Zeke in the doorway, but I held up a hand. He gave me a nod, stepping back.
