Page 39

Graham

I unlockedthe door and entered the code for the alarm at the same time the twins barreled past me. They dropped the various shopping bags in the corner and headed toward the part of the house everyone congregated. I convinced myself it was because I savored the delicious scents wafting from the kitchen that I stood rooted inside the front door, and not because of any hesitation on my part to venture further on into the house.

George met his wife as she shut the door and set her own shopping aside. They kissed before heading toward the TV room, dropping onto the couch and closing their eyes.

I craved Neko in the few hours since I’d left, but something about Hensley and Neko being in the same house left me cold and that was the reason for my hesitation. But as Neko exited the kitchen, my body heated as my gaze ran over his peach hoodie, my favorite black leggings, leaving his feet bare, which elevated my heart rate.

“Hey, love bug, there you are? You doing okay?”

The world righted itself when the man in question nuzzled his face into my neck and breathed me in as I enveloped him in my arms, holding him close.

“Yeah, I’m good, although I’m the proud owner of a henley in every color, some of them I can’t even pronounce, three pairs of jeans that according to Ri, ‘molded around my ass perfectly,’ and a new pair of boots and sneakers, both of which I didn’t need, but bought because they picked them out for me. Anything interesting happen?” I asked with hesitance.

Both because I didn’t have a clue what my ex and Neko spoke about and second, nerves struck whenever I thought about the box tucked away in my left side jean’s pocket.

Neko beamed at me before glancing upstairs.

“I can’t wait to see those ass-hugging jeans. But to answer your question, yeah, I think so. Hensley opened up to me and Echo, telling us she’s unhappy with her career. She wants to get into game streaming and mentioned it to her manager. He was less than supportive. But I think she’s personable and also the way she took to the games, she loves it, so both Echo and I offered to help her.”

I froze and Neko blinked up at me; the smile sliding from his face.

“What?”

“You’re going to help her?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t we? Both of us know how scary it is putting yourself out there in the public eye, and I thought I could get some of my friends to support her as well. Echo offered her editing services.”

The smile slid off his face at my next question.

“So, she’s going to be sticking around?”

He blinked at me, stepping back, and said, “She didn’t let us know her plans, so I can’t answer that question. Are you uncomfortable with it? I mean, I felt jealous and inferior when she first arrived, but there doesn’t seem to be any feelings between you and her any longer, so I thought we could be friends. But here you are tense and with a frown I’ve never seen before pulling down your lips, and I can’t help but think it’s because of me.”

Fuck!

“No! I’m—”

Instead of listening, he opened the gap between us and lowered his head. He rubbed his eyebrows before he pinched his nose and nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t my place. I’ll still help her, because I gave her my word, but I’ll try to put distance between us. I’m… I’ll check on dinner.”

My heart squeezed the breath out of me. Before I unlocked my jaw and body or was able to reach for him, he turned, dejection coming off him in waves, and headed toward the kitchen. I took a deep inhale.

Get your shit together, Norris! What the fuck are you doing? Don’t ruin it!

When I walked into the kitchen, my eyes focused on the balloons and the brightly wrapped presents on a side table. Featured in the center of the dining room table was a three-tiered, frosted cake with three candles sticking out of the top, not yet lit.

The twins glanced between me and Neko when they sensed tension in the room and left without a word. I stared at Neko, who split a French loaf in half before he mixed garlic butter with herbs, concentrating on spreading the butter on both loaves. With the bread finished, he removed the lasagna from the oven, the smell fragrant, and my mouth watered.

I walked around the island as Neko slid the bread in the oven and then turned, opened the fridge, and removed the veggies needed for a salad. He kept his hands full until I reached for them, setting the items on the island, and pulling him into my arms.

“I’m trying to find the words—”

“You don’t have to. I was wrong, and I understand now.” He glanced up and although his eyes were bright with unshed tears, he smiled. “Let’s eat and celebrate your birthday.”

“Thus, the reason it’s pointed out that I am, in all actuality, an asshole. But for you, I want to explain my reaction.”

With a short laugh, he wiped his eyes, and I breathed a sigh of relief because he stayed close.