Page 24

Crew

I didn’t get to see Kota open her package, but I did hear about it from Lane.

He had no idea what was inside or why she was so pissed until he demanded I told him what I’d done.

So, I told him.

Blaming part of it on Jett, of course, for giving me the idea.

I was a little bummed that I didn’t get to see her reaction. I fantasized about what she probably looked like at that moment. Lane had described her as a pissed off little strawberry, all red in the face.

Good thing I got the bi-weekly subscription so that I had the chance to catch her reaction next time.

I’d been swinging by the mail room every day for the past few days, hoping I could snatch the package and make sure to be there when she opened it this time.

To my delight, the next package had arrived, and I snagged it on my way up as I got back from grabbing some lunch.

Also, to my delight, Kota wasn’t home yet, which meant I could sit on the couch, snuggled up with Rob K and pretending to be an oblivious bystander as I waited for her.

I didn’t know her weekly schedule, because why the hell would I? And after nearly an hour of waiting with no idea still of when she was coming back, I was getting antsy like a kid waiting for his parents to take him to the park.

Lane and I were planning on heading to the gym when he got home, which should’ve been any minute now. I was already dressed and ready to go, prepared to blow off some steam before my debacle of a birthday tomorrow.

I was about to knock on Bridget’s door and ask her when Kota would be home, but I didn’t want to seem sketchy.

Lane and Bridget had been making it evident that they were tired of our shit. Every other day, Lane was trying to talk me into forfeiting.

The truth was, I was getting a little tired of it all too. It was just becoming exhausting to plan and execute while watching my own back.

But I’d never been one to back down. Plus, I sort of attempted to end the war the other day, but that mission went south. It was starting to feel like D-Day was slowly and inevitably approaching.

I held back a groan when Lane was the first one to prance through the door instead of Kota. He nodded at me and went to his room, reappearing a minute later in a t-shirt and gym shorts.

“Ready?” he asked.

That angel and devil that I’d become so familiar with over the last few months danced around on each shoulder, both whispering in my ears.

Tell him the truth. Tell him you’re waiting for Kota.

Lie. Make up an excuse as to why we can’t go yet.

My mouth opened and closed with words that weren’t coming, making Lane eye me warily as if he needed to come over and check my pulse.

Finally, I gulped and stood, ignoring both the angel’s and devil’s requests. Following Lane out, an overwhelming sense of disappointment hit me with the force of a bus.

Guess I wouldn’t get to see her reaction after all.