Page 65 of Written in Scent

Jamie squeezes me gently, one big hand rubbing circles on my back. “We’re better off pushing through it,” he murmurs against my hair, voice a little raspy from sleep. “Trust me, it passes faster that way.”

Chase nods from above us, still training his eyes on the wall rather than on us. “Adrian is looking forward to your study session later,” he says, the words gruff but kind.

I grin despite the fragile way my head feels, the ache easing a fraction at the thought of Adrian studying with me in the library. I climb out of the bed sluggishly, tugging Jamie’s shirt down as far as it will go, and make sure my hip brushes deliberately against Chase on my way past. He goes very still at the contact, but he doesn’t step away.

Alex appears in the doorway just then, tall and solid and already dressed. I walk straight into his arms without thinking. He catches me easily, wrapping me up against his chest.

“You’re all very dramatic,” I tease, voice muffled against his sweater.

Alex kisses the top of my head, then smooths my messy hair with one gentle hand. “Only for you,” he says, the words easy and absolute. “We’ll make you breakfast before I drive you back to campus.”

My stomach chooses that exact moment to growl loudly, the sound echoing in the bedroom. I don’t even try to argue.

Jamie tosses me a pair of thick socks from the edge of the bed. I catch them and slip them on, the fabric fluffy against my cold feet. Then I follow the guys downstairs, the scent of coffee and something sweet already drifting up from the kitchen where Adrian is already moving around.

The house feels different in the daylight, and I let myself sink into the warmth of it as we head toward the smell of breakfast.

Chase and Adrian claim the kitchen completely. They declare it off-limits the second we walk in, Chase pointing a spatula towards the table with Adrian nodding solemnly behind him. The two of them move around each other with the easy rhythm of people who have done this a hundred times before.

I sit at the big table between Alex and Jamie, the wooden chair cool against the backs of my thighs. The air is thick with the smell of waffles crisping on the iron, scrambled eggs fluffing in a pan, and bacon sizzling until the edges curl. My stomach gives another loud, embarrassing growl.

The table is set against a wide window, a beautiful view of the valley below splayed out in the daylight. I had no idea we were so high up here. Fall leaves and fluffy clouds stand sharp in the background.

Alex gets serious without warning. He bends down beside my chair, one hand resting lightly on the back of it, and asks, “Was there something wrong with your nest last night?”

My heart stutters. Panic rises fast and hot in my chest. I stumble over the words, trying to explain before the silence stretches too long.

“I loved it,” I say quickly. “It was perfect. But I just… I felt lonely. Jamie dropped off his shirt and it smelled like him, so I went to his room and…” I trail off, realizing how that sounds, and finish awkwardly, “I was just lonely. That’s all.”

Jamie reaches over and squeezes my hand under the table. “I’m really glad you came to me,” he says tenderly, thumb brushing over my knuckles. “And I’m even more glad you didn’t invite anyone into your nest before you were ready.”

They keep calling it my nest. Not the nest. Mine. The word keeps landing strangely in my chest, and I wonder if they are already getting their hopes up. I’m not sure I’m ready for what that means.

Jamie reaches across the counter for a piece of bacon and Chase slaps his hand away without even looking up from the eggs. “Elodie plates first,” Chase says, voice brusque but fond.

I feel my face heat with embarrassment, but then Adrian looks over his shoulder and says, “You wouldn’t stand a chance if all four of us went at the same time. Trust me.”

I laugh despite myself, the sound surprising even me. I load my plate with a waffle, a generous scoop of scrambled eggs, and three perfect strips of bacon while the guys descend on the rest like they haven’t eaten in days.

The first bite of eggs makes me close my eyes for a second. “These are so good,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

Chase gives Adrian a knowing look. “Careful. Tell him they’re good and he’ll make them for you every single day.”

Every day.

The words settle over me. I wonder if I’m leading them on, letting them talk like this when I still don’t know what I want. But even as the thought crosses my mind, I can’t bring myself to pull away. I take another bite and let the moment wrap around me instead.

After breakfast Alex declares he’ll drive me back to campus so I can shower and change. The words feel considerate, like he’s giving me an easy way out of the house without making it feel like I’m being sent away.

Jamie pulls me into a hug goodbye right there in the kitchen, his hands gripping my hips with possession. He leans in close and murmurs against my ear, “You look really good in my shirt.”

The pleased note in his voice is impossible to miss. He knows I am taking it home with me, and the thought clearly makes him happy.

Adrian confirms our library study time, his voice hopeful as he names the exact hour. I nod, already looking forward to it even through the lingering headache.

I wave tentatively to Chase on my way out. He nods in return, that same pained look crossing his face again, the one I still don’t really know how to read.

I climb into the car with Alex. He turns the radio on low, some gentle indie song filling the space between us, and drives without pressuring me to talk. The silence feels comfortable rather than heavy, and I watch the trees blur past the window, Jamie’s shirt yielding against my skin and carrying his warm amber scent with every small movement.