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His smile when I open the door makes me regret not sending them away.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey.”
Ugh. I see him every single day. Why does my stomach still buzz like a sixth grader at a middle school dance when those green eyes land on me?
Before he can say anything, I tug him into the room and shut the door. His chest moves in a deep sigh as I snuggle against him, and I know exactly how he feels. I can’t wait for the day when this can be our permanent position. No caution. No hiding.
“Thought you were alone,” he says quietly.
He kisses my hair, while I twist my fingers in the back of his shirt.
“I was, until they showed up. I’m sorry. I don’t think they’re staying long.”
At least, I hope not.
Something about Val’s energy has my relief at seeing him fade.
“Hey, you okay?” I say, pulling back to search his face.
He crosses a distracted look toward the open door where we can hear Nash and Paige arguing (about sandwich toppings?) on the couch.
“Fine. Yeah,” he lies. His weak smile confirms it, and I brush the X tattoo at his eye to bring him back to me. I never told him this, but it’s always been my favorite. Now that I know a little more about the story, it’s become yet another part of him to adore.
“You’re fine? Sure. I’m supposed to believe that?”
“It’s nothing. Just some mix-up with the rooms. We’re sorting it out.”
“What kind of mix-up? Did you let Bruce know?”
“He’s the one who made the change. It’s seriously nothing.”
He extricates himself from my arms and adjusts the backpack slung over his shoulder. Looks like he brought more than his laptop this time. Guess he’s planning on staying a while? No arguments from me.
“Hey, man. Nice of you to finally show up,” Nash says as we move into the living room. Their argument must have ended—or at least suspended—since Paige is tucked against him with his arm draped over her shoulders like nothing happened. I swear bickering is their love language.
“Yeah, sorry. I spent most of the day helping Chad buy mints for Jarvis.”
Nash lifts a brow, and Val shrugs. I haven’t spent a ton of time with Chad, but nothing about that sentence surprises me for some reason.
“Oh, by the way, what’s up with you and Mom and Dad?” Paige asks. “I got your text the other day, but we haven’t had a chance to catch up. They messaged me this morning asking about you. It was weird.”
Val’s expression drops, along with my stomach. What’s she talking about? Why hasn’t he mentioned his parents are bothering him?
“Yeah, uh, I’m not sure, really,” he says. “They contacted me a few days ago.”
Paige straightens from the back of the couch, eyes fierce. “Are they going after you again? What else could they possibly want from you?!”
“They’re not. I mean, I don’t know.”
He scrolls through his phone and hands it to his sister. Her expression goes from angry to surprised to perplexed in a matter of seconds.
“What’s it say?” I ask.
Paige glances at her brother before squinting back at the screen.
“I’m not exactly sure, to be honest. Who talks like this?”
