Page 35 of All of You

“Whatever, Langdon.” She spins on her heel while snapping—her command for Hannah to follow.

“Whoops. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine in a day or so,” Hannah says with a shrug before trotting off after Hailie.

“You’re on fire this morning. When’d you leave last night?” Niko asks.

“Long before you.”

Niko perks up looking self-satisfied. “I didn’t leave.”

I snap my face to his. “You and Hailie?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Nah, held her hair back while she upchucked all over her fancy ass bathroom and put her to bed afterward.” Campbell pops over to join us. “Slept on thecouch.”

I slap Niko on the shoulder. “Good man.”

“Unconscious sex sucks. If they can’t remember it, does it even count?” Campbell says. He starts laughing at his own joke, but I just can’t with him this morning.

“Campbell, are you aware that nothing will happen to your fucking dick if you stop being a misogynist? It will still be a dick.” Niko snorts and covers his mouth with his hand. “Quit being so rapey.”

“What’s got your panties in a wad? It was a joke.” Campbell’s tone comes out as self-conscious. He’s reallynota dick. If he’d just stop trying so hard I think he’d find out that girls would actually like him without all the alpha shit-talking he thinks he needs. I have a suspicion that he will have to learn the hard way though.

I drag my fingers through my hair. “Nothing. Just don’t feel great this morning. Not enough sleep. I don’t know.”

“You working today?” Niko asks.

I shake my head. “Nope. Nothing to do till dinner tonight.”

“It’s gonna be hot today, let’s go to the bridge,” Campbell suggests. Niko pummels him with a withering glare.I don’t go to the bridge.“Shit, sorry man. I mean. Ughhh… I’m bad at this.”

I put Campbell in a headlock and pull him toward the parking lot. “It’s fine. I’ll go swimming with you guys at the rope swing spot. Just stop being an ass.”

Campbell playfully protests me dragging him toward the cars until my mother turns around and gives methe lookand I release him.

“What time?” I ask.

“Uh, gotta run home first. Does Noon work?”

Campbell grins. “Yeah.”

“Sure,” I say.

An afternoon with the guys might be exactly what I need to stop thinking about Delia’s body.

***

“Be home no later than five. Do you understand? We have dinner tonight with Heath and Jennifer and Delia,” Mom said.

“Yes ma’am.” My chest tightens at the mention of Delia. How am I going to get through dinner with her at her Grandfather’s house tonight? I have no idea what to say to her. And even if I did, I can’t say it in front of our families.

“Do not give me attitude, Langdon. I don’t have the patience today. Oh and take your brother.”

“Mom! Come on. It’s the last day of summer. Please can I just hang out with my friends alone?”

Mom shoots me a look that is meant to wound but my dad steps in and rubs her back. He hooks her chin with his index finger, drawing her hard gaze to his, and waits until it softens on him.

“Let him go, Anna. I’ll take Anderson out today. He’s seventeen. Let him go have some fun.”

She makes a throaty sound. “Seventeen. Exactly why…”