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“When I picked your girl up, her mom’s boyfriend was there.” Crap. I wish I could silence Dunc.
“Yeah, he has a key. Boyfriends go to their girlfriend’s house.” I try to downplay it.
“Spit it out, Dunc.” They all ignore me.
“Fleur answered the door, and I could tell she was freaked out. Then I saw the man and the way he was watching her. Plus—” Dunc shrugs. “She didn’t put up a fight about coming to the game. I only got her to the party because I said I’d take her or hand her over to you.”
It appears Dunc had accomplished both. The outcome was always going to be the same. Van’s quiet for a few seconds, which is a lot for him. At least when he’s around me.
“I got it. Thanks, man.” He gives Dunc a chin nod. Oh, now they’re bonding. More like ganging up on me. I know I shouldn’t be mad at Dunc or Sadie because they are trying to do the right thing. And what Dunc said is the truth: I was uncomfortable. I’m just not ready to admit it out loud.
“Sorry.” Sadie gives me a small wave goodbye.
Van pulls me toward him then closes the car door.
“It’s really no big?—”
“Don’t.” He traps me between the door and him. Now I see why he closed it. “You’re being flighty about it, so that means there’s a problem. I thought maybe I saw something when I asked you who he was, but I was driving.” I chew on my bottom lip. A wave of unexpected emotion rolls over me. I am pissed about everyone being in my business or caring. “Shit. Don’t cry.”
“I’m not!” I blink quickly, trying to stop my eyes from watering. He pulls me into his chest, dropping his chin to rest on the top of my head.
“Stay with me this weekend.”
“What? I can’t stay with you.” Why is that offer so damn tempting?
“Yeah, you can. You’re eighteen.”
“You live with your parents.” I shake my head.
“Like they have room to talk. Mom got knocked up at sixteen.”
“Oh, no. I’m on birth control so—” I trail off. “Why do you make words come out of my mouth that I don’t want to?” I huff into his chest. Why does he also have to smell so good?
“Good information to know.”
“That is not information you need to know.” I put my hands on his chest to push him away, but instead my fingers grip it.
“Stay with me. You think Dunc isn’t always sneaking into Sadie’s room?”
“We wouldn’t be sneaking. I'd stay on the couch or something, but that’s beside the point.”
“What’s the point? You keep giving them, and I keep knocking them out.”
“I don’t know! It’s just against the rules or something. Girlfriends and boyfriends can’t spend the night together at their parents' home.”
Van lets out a sigh. “Well, this is all fake. Remember?”
There he goes knocking down another point. Thank God my face is still in his chest because that burned, and I’m sure my face shows it. “I was rude to your mom, I think.”
“Trust me. She’ll love you.”
“Can I trust you?”
“Every damn time.”
I hope that’s not fake too.
Chapter
