[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
tequila.
What the fuck are you doing here? Maya snipped. I told you this was a girls night. You can t
be here.
Jake just rolled his eyes at Maya s temper then wrapped his arms around her waist before
bringing her in for a kiss on the temple.
Seriously, how could anyone not think the two of them were getting it on?
Jake threw his head back and laughed before pulling away from Maya. Meghan, darling, Maya
is my best friend. Not my fuck buddy. You know that.
Oh, dear God. Had she said that out loud?
Maya narrowed her eyes. Yes. Yes, you did say that out loud. Jesus, Meghan. You re not usually
this much of a lightweight.
Meghan set her drink down and closed her eyes. Don t ask me any more questions until I eat
something. For the love of God, have mercy on my soul.
Miranda gave out a loud snort next to her, and Meghan met Maya s eyes before breaking out into
laughter. Jake joined in, and soon all three had tears running down their cheeks.
Miranda snorted herself away then looked around. What? What happened?
That only caused them to laugh harder. Soon her side ached, and she had to pee.
Stop. Please stop it. I m going to pee my pants.
Go take care of yourself, Jake said, his eyes dancing. I ll get you guys something to eat to
soak up the booze. Seriously, Maya. You know not to liquor everyone up this early without having
food out.
Maya just grinned, the alcohol not seeming to affect her like the rest of them. I needed
information from Meghan, and feeding her wasn t going to get it out.
Jake shook his head. I swear, Maya. One day your curiosity for every ounce of information
about your family is going to lead you into trouble. He met her gaze and frowned.
For a moment, Meghan thought she saw something pass between them some long-ago hurt or
perhaps something quite new and fresh. Either way, it wasn t her business, and she felt like an
intruder. On shaky legs, she made her way to the bathroom, leaving the other three in the living room.
When she came out after taking care of her business and splashing cold water on her face, Jake
had set out chips and dip, veggies, and cold pizza. He bent down and slid a batch of pizza rolls into
the oven.
She shook her head then went over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She didn t know
him as well as she should have. He d become closer to Maya when Meghan was married and locked
away, but she knew he was a good man.
Thank you for taking care of us, she whispered.
Jake hugged her back before kissing the top of her head. Anything you need, sweetness. I know
it s girls night, so I ll be out of here shortly.
No, you can t leave, Miranda said from the counter as she munched on veggies. We need you
to help us deal with Luc and Meghan.
Meghan pulled away from Jake and folded her arms over her chest. There is no Luc and
Meghan.
But, Meghan Miranda began.
No. Stop it. He s my friend. He helped me out when I needed him. He kissed me until I almost
came. We re not in a relationship. We re not going to be. I don t want you putting those thoughts into
anyone s head. Got it? I m not going to fuck things up by thinking I can be with him.
She took a deep breath.
You could, you know, be with him, Maya said.
No. No, I can t. I ll fuck it up, and we all know that. Tears threatened again, and she cursed.
I m done talking about this. We can talk about Decker or movies or whatever the fuck you want, but
I m not talking about Luc anymore. He s not anyone more than a man I work with and a man I used to
be best friends with.
He s more than that, Meghan, and you lying to yourself is only going to hurt those that matter.
Maya frowned, but Meghan didn t want to hear it.
She d made up her mind. She couldn t risk what she had with Luc or at least the friendship she
could have with him by fancying delusions of something more.
Shut up. I m done talking about this.
Jake sighed. When you re ready, I m here if you need me.
Me too, Miranda and Maya said at the same time.
She might not ever be ready to talk to them about anything. In fact, there wouldn t be anything to
talk about. If she pursued a relationship with Luc, if she allowed him to pursue her, he d see her for
what she was.
Nothing.
She d been lacking with Richard, and Luc was so much more of a man than her ex could ever be.
There couldn t be a way she d be enough for Luc. She couldn t allow him to get closer. She
wasn t strong enough to watch him walk away this time because he saw the truth for what it really
was.
She couldn t have Luc.
Wouldn t feel his lips against hers again.
And one day, she d be okay with that.
Today, though, was not that day.
****
Luc ran his hand over Griffin s shelves and let out a low whistle. Decker do these? he asked,
recognizing the craftsmanship. In fact, something Decker made with his own hands stood in each of
the Montgomery homes. Or at least would be soon.
Yep. He made those last year when he and Miranda were dating. Griffin frowned. Though I
didn t know it at the time.
And you handled it so well at the time.
Luc rolled his eyes when Griffin flipped him off, then sat down on the couch in the office. He d
come by his friend s house to talk about a few things Griffin needed if he was ever going to renovate.
He put it that way since Griffin lived on a perpetual deadline. The writer tended to push things that
didn t have to do with work to the side. In reality, Luc had just come by to talk with his friend.
Though now that he thought about it, guilt crept in.
He hadn t mentioned Meghan and wasn t planning on it. He needed to solidify his relationship
with her make sure they even had a relationship to begin with before he talked to any of her
family members.
Now he had a feeling he knew what Decker went through mentally whenever the big man had
been around any of the Montgomerys.
I apologized for hitting Decker, Griffin said calmly, though Luc saw the red flush on the man s
neck.
You fought it out. You drank a few beers. Saw a sports game. It s even in the ways of men.
Griffin laughed, just as Luc wanted him to. Griffin had overreacted for sure when he found out
Decker and Miranda were dating, but they were all past that.
Luc rolled his shoulders, trying to keep his mind off Meghan and what they d left unsaid. He
could still remember the taste of her on his tongue, the feel of her in his arms.
Fuck, he d been dreaming of that since he was fifteen, it seemed. And yet the reality was so much
better, so much more exquisite than anything he could have ever imagined.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]