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“Care to tell me what it is?”
“No,” he says, matter-of-factly.
Stubborn asshole.I sigh and pull out my phone to text Fiona.
We’re about five minutes away.
Fiona
Can’t wait to see you. I’m waiting in the Wolf Building’s common area.
See you soon.
Fiona
Ciao.
“Is Flowers okay?” Link asks, glancing over at me as he makes the final turn toward the Whitmore U parking lot. I made him stop at a gas station on the way so I could buy a healthy stash of Twizzlers, chips, and Cherry Coke.
“Hard to tell over text, but she seems better,” I say, wringing my hands together.
I’m worried about her. Ever since she knocked on my door last fall, she’s been the clear sky to my cloudy day, so it’s hard to see her hurting. Nothing should stifle her spirit.
We get out of the car and wait on Trey as he parks next to us, then digs my duffle bag out of the trunk.
“Jesus, what’s in here?” Trey grumbles. “Feels like I’m carrying all of Lincoln’s emotional damage in one little bag.”
Link narrows his eyes.
“Books,” I say with a grin.
“How many books do you really need for three days?”
“That’s kind of a stupid question, don’t you think?”
“Right,” Trey drawls sarcastically, hefting the bag.
Today is warmer, a balmy fifty degrees, but the clouds have settled overhead, thick and mottled gray. Rain is definitely on the way. Now that spring temperatures are warming the ground, tulips and daffodils are just starting to sprout, small splashes ofgreen against the rich brown dirt of the flowerbeds we pass on our way to the Wolf Building.
I spot Fi on one of the overstuffed couches in the common area as soon as we enter. Her auburn hair is piled in a messy bun on her head, and she’s sporting yoga pants, a pink Whitmore U hoodie, and fluffy gray slippers. Her AirPods are in and her freckled nose is scrunched in disgust while she stares at her phone. Our eyes meet when she looks up, and she pulls out one of her earbuds and runs over, throwing her arms around me.
“Mmm, you smell delicious—like vanilla and Charlie,” she hums, breathing me in.
“You sound like Trey and Link,” I laugh, wrapping my arms around her small body. Trey chuckles behind me.
“They have good taste,” she says around a sniffle, pulling back with a forced smile.
I frown at her watery eyes. “I’m sorry about your mom.” Fi gathers her belongings and we all walk toward the elevator. “I know you really wanted to get her into rehab.”
Fi sighs heavily as we approach the boys’ suite. “I did, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that she’s never going to change. I really thought she could do it for me, but it turns out I wasn’t enough.”
“Well, take it from me, we’re all about found family, and you’re part of ours now, Flowers,” Lincoln says with a rare smile, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Trust me, it’s better than the real thing.”
Fiona’s mouth falls open as she stares up at him and then glances at me. “Who the heck is this guy and what happened to the irritable asshole we all know and love?”
Trey and I snort a laugh. Link just rolls his eyes and flips us off as he walks down the hallway toward his room.
“There he is,” Fi says with a giggle.
