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I sent him a scowl because that hint of a smirk on his face was annoying as hell.
“Oh,” Oaklynn said slowly at first. “Oh wow. I really should be getting along then. Uh…has anyone seen my sandals?”
“They’re right here,” Alec piped up helpfully, rushing to the stool where Parker was planted and pulling them out from underneath so he could deliver them to her.
“Thank you, Alec,” she gushed gratefully, flashing her dimples as she retrieved them from his hands. “Are we still a go for video making?” she asked as she slipped them on.
“Definitely.” He brightened, grinning big. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Great. You’re the best.” Turning her attention to Hudson who was the only one relaxing in a chair at the table, his feet propped up on another chair, she squeezed his shoulder.
“And Hudson,” she said. “Nice to meet you. Congratulations on that promotion.”
He briefly covered her hand with his own. “Thanks, darlin’.”
“Foster.” She slapped at his arm with the back of her hand, acknowledging him where he stood leaning against a counter.
When he smiled and nodded back, murmuring, “Ma’am,” she leaned past him to grin at the next guy over.
“Keene.”
Keene blew her a kiss, and her gaze swiveled across the kitchen to Parker sitting on the stool.
“Parker?” she asked slowly to make sure she remembered his name correctly.
After he saluted her with two fingers, she heaved out a breath in relief and finally focused on Thane who was leaning against the counter next to Parker.
“Which means you’re the only one I haven’t met yet.” Stepping forward, she held out her hand. “Hi! I’m Oaklynn.”
“Thane,” he greeted with a warm, friendly smile as he stepped away from the cabinets to take her hand. “And yeah, I hold a lot of onlys in this crew. Only one who’s graduated already. Only one under six feet tall. Only one to have a steady girlfriend all the way through high school. And the only one from our original grief group who didn’t lose someone close to him.”
The last identifier seemed to catch Oaklynn off guard. “O—oh,” she fumbled out as she glanced back at me curiously. I could tell from that one look that she was full of questions, but thankfully she held back and returned her attention to Thane. “It sounds as if you’re one of a kind, then.”
“Oh, that I am,” he assured.
He continued to smile at her pleasantly but when his gaze shifted to me, it cooled dramatically.
Oaklynn took a step back as if uncomfortable by his iciness towardme. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.” She waved as she retreated until she bumped into me.
I caught her waist, steadying her, and she looked up at me over her shoulder with big brown eyes that saidhelp.
Murmuring, “I’ll walk you to your car,” I steered her toward the back door, and she nodded, hurrying to comply even as she waved and called out a generalbyeto everyone.
In return, they waved back and said goodbye together.
As soon as we were outside, and I’d shut the door behind us, she sent me a look. “Was it just me, or was that—”
“Weird,” I answered bluntly. “Yes, ma’am, it was.” Smoothing a hand down her arm, I assured her, “But don’t worry. It was about me, not you.”
She snorted and turned to face me once we reached her car. “What? Are you in trouble for bringing a girl home?”
I laughed softly. “No. But I’m sure they have questions.”
Rolling her eyes playfully, she lowered her gaze to my bare chest and then lifted a hand to smooth her palm over one pec. “Snoops.”
“Definitely,” I returned, picking up a lock of her hair and playing with it.
Her gaze lifted to mine. “Want to come back to my place with me and hide from them for a while?”
