Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“What?” he asks, then looks away as if he knows he showed more than he meant to.
“Nothing. Just noticing how fucking old you look,” I tease.
“Oh, fuck you. If I’m old, you’re old too.” Morgan laughs, deep and rumbly, which like always is contagious, and before I know it, I’m doing the same. When we settle down, he nudges my arm with his, then leaves them close so they’re touching. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been good at dealing with shit. You’re the last person I ever wanted to hurt.”
“I know that.” And I do. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you did…just like how I never wanted to hurt you, but I did.” Subconsciously, maybe the reason I’d kissed Rhett was because I knew it would affect Morgan. Being human isn’t black and white. We’re not all good or bad. We’re all made up of shades of gray, all make mistakes and do the wrong thing, and sometimes we hurt those we love. “How’s your dad?”
“Stubborn as shit. Was in his office all day. At first he said he was happy to see me, and then he was done with me. Basically, he hasn’t changed.”
Which I already knew. Maybe one day he would, but that day hasn’t come yet. “You should see Easton. He told me this morning you’re back. Have you called him?”
“No.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Fuck, I need to do that. He’s having a hard time?”
“He’s been having a hard time his whole life. He just doesn’t hide it the way you and Rhett do.”
Morgan tenses beside me. While he and Rhett pretend everything is okay to the outside world, Easton doesn’t give a fuck what most people think.
“Yeah, I know. It doesn’t matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep him out of trouble growing up—fights at school, getting suspended, barely graduating.”
“And only doing that because of the work you did for him.” Morgan did too much of Easton’s homework. Gregory got him out of trouble. Morgan because of guilt, wanting to make Easton’s life as easy as possible, and Gregory to keep their family secrets. Morgan and Rhett tried to take care of him, baby him, but I don’t know if they ever talked to him, listened to him, and they sure as shit never tried to get him help. But then, it should have been Gregory doing those things.
“I just wanted to help. What the fuck did I know about raising a kid?”
But that’s basically what he and Rhett had done.
“Archer has hauled him out of the bar more than once, driving him home before he does something stupid.” For whatever reason, Archer Thorn has been a godsend when it comes to East.
“Yeah, I heard he’s an officer now. God, you used to have the biggest crush on him. The two of you on a first-name basis now?” Something in my face must have changed because Morgan’s dark eyes go wide. “Holy shit. You fucked Archer Thorn? He’s queer?”
I shrug. “It’s nothing serious. We’ve scratched an itch a time or two. He’s a friend.”
“Goddamn.” Morgan whistles. Sobering, he adds, “I’ll talk to East. I really fucked up with him, didn’t I?”
“You were a kid yourself. None of that shit should have been on you. He’s doing good at the shop, though. I think he really loves it, he just doesn’t know how to let himself love anything.”
We’re quiet for a moment, both looking out over the water. He wants to say something, I can feel it, so I wait, giving him the space he needs. “She would have hated what’s happened to us…all of us.”
I nod. She would have. Allison Swift was all heart. You had to be to see something in Gregory. I might have only been eight when she died, but I know she loved her kids more than anything in this whole damn world.
Before I can figure out what to say, if anything, I hear the sound of a car behind us. Morgan turns to see who it is, but I already know. Even if I hadn’t suspected it earlier, I would know from the rush of heat that blasts off Morgan.
Rhett is here, and just like that, the spell is broken.
“I should go.” I stand, unwilling to be here and cause more drama between them. Morgan pushes to his feet too, grabbing his shoes and shoving his feet into them.
We walk side by side back up to the house. Rhett leans against his beamer, arms crossed, watching us.
“Fall right back into your friendship even though he’s ignored you for ten fucking years?” he asks, because of course he does.
“Jesus Christ, Rhett. Stop trying to antagonize him,” I say, just as Morgan curses, “Fuck you. What’s between me and Dusty has nothing to do with you.”
Rhett shrugs. “Just making an observation.”