Page 88 of The Frathole

“Yeah, a lot of red flags,” Ty affirms.

“Didn’t realize how obsessed my friends were with—”

“Yourlovelife,” Jaxon teases, barely glancing up from his phone.

First feels, nowlove?

“Stop it, or I’m gonna go through that app and swipe left on the hottest people I can find.”

Jaxon tugs his phone close to his chest, and Keegan rolls his eyes.

“Okay, dorks,” Ty says. “All this talk about feels and love makes me miss my man, so I’m gonna get over to him before we start.”

“Love?” Jaxon says, simulating vomiting.

Ty runs his hand through Jaxon’s hair, playfully messing it up before heading over to his man. When he reaches Lance, he hooks his arms around him. Lance turns for a kiss, which starts off sweet before Ty takes a little more, and I see the way Lance’s lips curl into a smirk. It’s nice seeing my friend happy with his guy.

Although, I must admit I sense something that surprises me—a tinge of jealousy. Not that what’s going on between Marty and me is anything so serious, but I enjoy how when we’re alone in his room, I can put my hands all over him. Kiss him however many times I want.

However I want.

Wherever I want.

Out here, we’re keeping this distance, when I’d love to go over and steal a quick kiss—hell, even a peck—before we get started. It’s a weird thought that I don’t have much time to sit with before something else catches my attention—or I should say,someoneelse. I doubt I would have even recognized the guy if he hadn’t become infamous after the fire at Sigma Alpha.

“What the fuck is this?” I ask the guys, indicating Miles Tanner, who heads down the drive, in sunglasses and a tank, his hands shoved into his jeans pockets.

I’m not the only one who’s taken notice. There are a lot of looks shifting his way—and whispers, surely about the incident earlier in the year—but he doesn’t seem affected as he beelines to an empty spot near the porta potty, pulling out his phone and giving it his undivided attention.

The guy’s done what he’s supposed to. He turned himself in for the incident, he’s doing his time. But that doesn’t change that his careless prank destroyed our home; injured Lance; and could have killed Lance, Ty, or Jaxon, who were all at Sigma Alpha when the glitter bomb malfunctioned.

Jaxon follows my gaze to Miles. “Oh, hell. You think this is thecommunity service he was sentenced with?”

“Don’t they have to wear something that indicates that?” Keegan asks.

“Don’t ask me. I’ve never had court-ordered community service.”

Before we can get into it, Troy and Atlas show up with the project coordinator, who divides us into groups. We grab our gear, safety glasses, gloves, and hard hats before getting to work. I manage some framing with Ty, Lance, and Jaxon while Marty’s on laying plywood with Keegan and some other volunteers.

Dax and Miles work together to move extra two-by-fours into the kitchen area. I don’t know why I’m keeping an eye on the guy. Maybe because I have a bad feeling about him and Dax is one of our own. As they finish up, Dax stumbles, throwing Miles off-balance, and the boards go crashing to the floor.

“The fuck, man?” Miles says, sounding downright hostile.

“Sorry,” Dax rushes out. “I lost my footing. You okay?”

“You should watch where you’re going.”

Miles is in his face in no time, in a way I can’t understand—did Dax say something else to get him so riled up?

Marty’s only a few yards away, and he steps in. “Hey, I saw it, and it was an accident.”

“Accident, my ass,” Miles says. “You’ve been waiting to get me since we started.”

Dax looks thrown, and somehow now Marty and Miles are getting into it. I’m shocked anyone would suspect Dax of doing something like that; hell, I’m much more likely to exact that kind of vengeance in the name of our house than he is.

Miles balls his fist and takes a step toward Marty.

The fuck? I know you did not just threaten my man.