AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stuffed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, then took a swift step forward, turning my head to make it seem like I wasn’t paying attention.
“Leave her alone.” Parker hissed through gritted teeth.
I pressed a finger to my lips, indicating for him to shut the fuck up, then took another step closer. The car drove off, clearly a paid ride.
“How could you not tell them?” Chrissy asked.
“It doesn’t matter. So keep your mouth shut.”
“It does matter, Thea.”
Thea cleared her throat, then grabbed Chrissy’s suitcase. “You’re here early,” she said, changing the subject. “I wasn’t expecting you until the end of the week.”
“Family reunions are a bore. I’d rather set myself on fire than hear my uncle brag about my cousins. The second they started comparing my cousin Jeremy’s ramen noodle creation to my homemade perogies, I got on my phone and changed flights.”
Chrissy glanced between me and Parker, then stuck her hand out. Parker shook it first. “Hi. I’m Chrissy.”
“Parker. And this is Hendrix. Thea’s talked a lot about you.”
“Oh, shit!” Thea cried out.
I turned to her, where she was plucking rolls off the griddle.
“I burnt the bread.”
Chrissy snorted. “Move out of the way. I’ll fix us up. Go put my suitcase inside for me.”
Thea nodded, blowing both me and Parker a kiss as she headed inside with her friend’s luggage. And I stood outside in the Georgia heat, trying to figure out what lies we were being told. What was my little kitten keeping from us?
Chapter Twenty
Thea
I spread my legs out, crossing them at the ankles as Chrissy let out a shrill fit of laughs. It was just the two of us now, staring out over the mountain cliff into the night sky. Parker and Hendrix left after dinner, making an excuse of an early morning.
Now I sat with my best friend, drinking wine and laughing about what the hell my life has been these past few weeks. Dating two men, becoming arch nemesis with their roommate, having the hots for the car guy who owned the shop next to my bar. Lying to them about being a single mother.
“You need to tell them, Thee,” Chrissy said, shortening my name by dropping the a. I never understood why she did it. It wasn’t much harder to just say Thea. But she did it, and I didn’t complain.
I shook my head, watching the night sky. It was so clear here in the mountains, almost like a painting. Dark blue with streaks of bright white light and flashes of purple. Every night I stood on the patio in awe at how amazing the view was. Breathtaking. I never wanted to leave here, no matter how much Calder warned me away.
I’d fight for this place, fight to make sure Paisley got to grow up here. Whatever danger Calder was hinting at didn’t involve me. Shadow Cove was perfect. It was the therapy I needed to find myself. I never truly got to experience young adulthood. I was too busy surviving while also caring for a sick child.
“It’s been nice, and I don’t want it to end yet. The second I come clean? The moment I tell them I’ve been lying? It’s all over, Chrissy.”
A mosquito landed on my knee, and I didn’t swat it away. I glared at it, watching as it sucked the blood. I was transfixed. I knew I should smack at it, render it from causing an itchy, swollen bump to appear. The damage was already done, though. The second it landed, it had already bitten me. What difference did it make if I let it stop now, or eat first?
When it was finished, my eyes followed as it flew away. That itchy sting was instant, the little fucker. Though, I couldn’t be mad when I felt like I was a mosquito. Wading between Parker and Hendrix, getting my fill. Disappearing for a few days until my stomach was emptied, and then I was flirting with the idea of Calder, as if my fix of two men wasn’t good enough.
And Shane.
Shane was a tall glass of iced whiskey. Smooth on the way down with a bit of a burn when it hit the back of your throat. I wanted him too. He was hard to read. Polite, friendly even. But I didn’t think he found me attractive. Or if he did, he didn’t let it show.
I wanted his friendship more than I wanted him sexually. Mostly because I knew the mess I’d make. Parker and Hendrix were casual. I didn’t want anything more than that. Eventually whatever was happening would fizzle out, despite how good I felt when I was around them.
“I just had dinner with you, and two men who stared at you like you were the sun, the moon, and the stars. And you’re over here trying to convince me that you’re just doing some summer fling threesome bullshit?” Chrissy let out a bark of laughter.
“Nice to know my situation is funny to you. Meanwhile I feel like I’m fucking drowning.”
