Page 22 of Don't Say You're Sorry

Axel has a flat to give up and a job to quit in London, so he probably won’t catch up with me for a week or two. He thinks I’m insane for packing up and moving back here in less than three days, but really, he knows I’ve been wanting to do this for a lot longer than that. Since the day I left Easton, I’ve been wanting to run right back to him. It was only a matter of time.

I take out my phone and check the time again. It’s Wednesday, just after seven p.m. I assumed he’d have classes today, but I didn’t think he’d be home this late. I’ve been here for a few hours now, and again, I haven’t eaten since breakfast, which consisted of a granola bar and a shitty petrol station coffee. Knowing Easton wouldn’t be pleased with that, I’m just about to get back in the car, go to grab some food, and come back later, when a car I recognize from when I was here the other night pulls up on the driveway. It’s Nate. Xavi’s with him, his lips parted in surprise as he looks at me from the passenger seat.

They both get out of the car and walk toward me, hand in hand. Nate’s glaring at me. Xavi looks amused. I can’t tell if he’s the reason for that look on Nate’s face, or if I am.

“Hey,” Xavi says to me. “You’re here.”

Nate turns his glare down to Xavi.

“Hey. Yeah, I…” I glance between them, not really sure what to make of the situation. Are they having a lovers’ spat right now? How awkward.

Just as I open my mouth to ask if they know where Easton is, Nate says, “There’s a bedroom opposite Easton’s. It’s yours.”

I blink at him.

He cocks a brow. “You know where it is, right?”

“Oh. Um… Wait, Easton knows I…?” Confused, I frown. “I haven’t talked to him about staying here yet. He doesn’t even know I’m back.”

Nate just stares at me, ignoring what I said. There’s a warning look in his eyes that tells me he’s very capable of causing me physical harm should I give him a reason to. “You better be serious about this.”

With that, he guides Xavi around me and opens the front door. When I don’t move, staring after them with my mouth parted, Nate turns and hits me with an impatient look. Afraid hemight change his mind if I don’t move my ass, I grab the bags from my car and head inside.

“Do you need help with those?” Xavi asks. “Nate can carry them for y?—”

Behind him, Nate shuts him up by pulling his head back by his hair, looking at him upside down from above. “Keep running your bratty little mouth,” he warns, and Xavi grins.

With his free hand, Nate tosses me a key for the front door. I manage to catch it despite my hands being full. He doesn’t move or take his eyes off his boyfriend.

I head toward the stairs, hearing the two have a whispered conversation as I make my way up. I can’t hear what they’re saying at first, but then Xavi hisses, “It wouldn’t kill you to be nice,” and I hear that just fine.

I keep walking, smiling to myself at their antics, as weird as they are.

Nate sighs. “Adam,” he calls, and I stop, turning my head. “Make yourself at home. Ignore Carter. He’s harmless until provoked. And stay away from Frankie.”

“Okay… Why?”

“She doesn’t like you very much.”

“Thanks.”

He nods. I guess that’s asniceas he gets. Still, I appreciate the sentiment. He doesn’t know me, and doesn’t owe me anything. Especially if he knows what I did to his friend.

He and Xavi disappear into the kitchen, and I head upstairs to my new bedroom. Dropping my bags on the floor, I shut the door behind me and gape at the space. It’s massive—a mirror image of Easton’s room across the hall. The bed sits against the back wall between two windows overlooking the in-ground pool and hot tub in the sprawling garden. A walk-in wardrobe is on my right, and an en-suite bathroom on the left.

How many bathrooms does this place even have? Is there one in every bedroom?

How much is the rent?

My artwork brings in a decent amount of money, but I’d hoped to slow down and try something else for a while. Not that I don’t love drawing—it’s just that getting paid for it sometimes takes the fun out of it. Now, I’ll have to sell twice as much art just to afford living here.

Sitting on the side of the bed, I rest my elbows on my knees and scrub my hands over my face. I don’t believe how…easythis was. I thought Easton would at least pretend to put up a fight. I thought he’d make me beg a little. I thought I’d have to convince him this isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever had, even though we both know that it is.

A soft knock at the door has me lifting my head, my body coiled tight with anticipation.

“Adam?” It’s Xavi, not Easton.

I blow out a breath. “Yeah?”