AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My problems aren’t fixable,” I mutter, starting to regret answering my phone.
“C’mon, Harley,” Jordan presses. “We’re your mates. We just want to see for ourselves that you’re in one piece.”
“Who’s there?”
“It’s just me and B. The others are at the game.”
My brow furrows. “The game?”
“The Raiders have their first trial game of the season. Tom and the girls went to shake their pompoms for Conrad…” He lets out a curse. “Ouch. B, what the fuck, man? What did you elbow me for?”
Brady must have grabbed the phone off Jordan because his voice comes down the line. “Just come over for a coupleof beers. Low key.”
I rub my hand over my face, knowing that if I don’t agree to go over there, they’ll just come here, and then I’ll never get rid of them. At least if I go to them, I can leave when I want to. “Fine, whatever. A couple of beers.”
I have a quick shower before walking to Wren and Brady’s apartment. I hover outside the door, still contemplating ditching them. Just as I’m about to turn and leave, I hear the buzzer go off inside. Jordan yelling, “Pizza!” is the only warning I have before the door flings open, and I’m nearly mowed down by Brady.
He jumps back, clutching his chest. “Jesus!”
“Nah, just me,” is my lame attempt at a joke. I slip my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels.
Brady snorts and slips past me, giving me a backslap as he heads toward the elevator. “Grab yourself a beer, and I’ll be back in a sec with the pizza.”
Jordan barely looks up from the television, just waving the PlayStation remote in my direction as he concentrates on pulling off a Sushi Roll in Surf World Series. “Welcome home, loser.”
Leave it to my mates to treat me like everything is normal, which is exactly what I need right now. I flip Jordan the bird as I make my way over to the fridge to grab a beer, popping the top off and sculling half the bottle before flopping down onto the couch next to him.
Brady returns with the pizzas, and we stuff our faces, theconversation remaining surface-level–surfing, uni. I’m grateful that they’re not pushing me to talk about Conrad or my dad before I’m ready. I show them the new tatt that Kai inked on my back–a surfer shredding waves–but I leave out my new adornments. I don’t need them giving me shit.
I’m on my third beer when the door to the apartment opens and Tom, Ronnie, and Wren walk in. Wren’s eyes widen when they fall on me. Her hand goes to her mouth, and I’ve only just gotten to my feet when she races across the room and flings herself into my arms. I grit my teeth as my dick starts to throb painfully from the contact against the new piercings, but I don’t say anything.
“We were so worried about you,” she sobs against my chest. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assure her, even though I’m anything but. She squeezes me hard before pulling away and wiping her hands over her face.
Ronnie steps in, and I hug her, avoiding my brother’s heavy gaze over her head.
“You’re back,” Tom says.
“Looks like it,” I say with a shrug.
The tension in the room has ramped up, and Ronnie’s gaze darts between us before she moves into the kitchen with Wren, calling over her shoulder, “Who wants a drink?”
Tom shakes his head and settles into the single armchair.
“I’ll have another one, pretty girl,” Jordan calls.
I settle back on the couch between him and Brady andpick up the PlayStation remote.
“Is that seriously how you’re going to play it?” Tom asks.
“Yep,” I reply, pretending to be engrossed in the game.
“Real mature,” he mutters. I ignore him.
Brady pulls Wren into his lap. “How was the game?”
She scrunches her face up. “I had no idea what was going on most of the time, but they did win.”
