Page 32 of Necessary Time

“He’s your brother, not a priest. I’m sure there’s plenty he doesn’t tell you. Like I know for a fact that he and Miles—”

I shoved Grayson in the chest and he tumbled out of my bedroom with a laugh, shoulder colliding with the hallway wall.

“I don’t want to know!” I shouted, covering my ears.

“Exactly.” He swatted my hands back down to my sides. “And maybe he doesn’t either.”

“He wants to know everything.”

“Then it’ll be a good learning experience for the both of you.”

“When I’m ready.”

The doorbell rang, and I gave Grayson my most pleading eyes and he let out an overly dramatic sigh.

“When you’re ready,” he agreed. “But you better watch yourself if Colin comes tonight. Miles picks up on more than I do, and it was obvious when the two of you showed up here that there was something going on.”

“There’s nothing going on,” I protested.

The doorbell rang a second time.

“I left my wine in your room. You answer it.”

“What if it’s one of your friends?” I asked.

“Then say hello!” Grayson was already halfway to my room when he answered, so I went to the door, hoping it was Colin and being worried that I’d get my way all at the same time. I pulled the door open, disappointed to find Miles and my brother on the mat instead. In that fraction of a second, that’s when I realized I was in over my head. Grayson was right. There was something between Colin and me, my disappointment that it wasn’t him at the door only proved that.

“Hey.” My voice cracked and I cleared my throat, stepping out of the way so Miles and Hendrix could come inside.

“Jesus,” my brother cursed under his breath. “This is posh, Wes.”

“I should have been charging Grayson rent if he was able to save this much money,” Miles grumbled.

“Hey now.” Grayson appeared from the hallway, half-empty wine glass in hand. “I offered to pay.”

“Is that where you live?” Miles stepped around Hendrix and pointed toward my room.

“What? No. That’s Wes’s room.”

“Your shirt’s a little…” Hendrix trailed off, pointing at the collar of my button-up. I pressed my hand against my throat and looked down, realizing the buttons were off by one. “Crap.”

Behind us, Miles made a questionable sound, and I spun around to find his eyes narrowed on Grayson.

“No.” Gray was quick to nip whatever idea Miles was entertaining in the bud. He pursed his lips and shook his head, repeating himself, “No.”

“What?” Hendrix finally looked away from me, gliding toward Miles like he was magnetic.

“No,” Grayson said a third time, rolling his eyes at Miles. “I’m not involved with your boyfriend’s brother.”

“What?” I almost shouted, and Grayson gave me a tight look over Miles’s shoulder.

“Wes is not my type for a myriad of reasons.” Grayson kept his stare focused on me when he said, “I know better than to get involved.”

I let out a long breath. “I’m going to go fix my shirt.”

I snaked past the three of them and locked myself in my bedroom, burying my face in a pillow and letting out a silent scream. When my temples ached from the pressure of remaining silent, I righted myself, fixed my shirt, and went back into the living room. Miles and Grayson were down the hallway that led to the two rooms Grayson had, and Hendrix was against the far wall, looking out the window toward the water.

I came up beside him, bumping his shoulder and giving him a small smile.