Page 2 of Never Less
He grabs my wrist. “I’ve got it. At least try to relax for the rest of the evening.”
If those words had come from Nate, I’d probably snap at him, but Marcus’s voice is gentle. Kind. Understanding, even.
“Thanks,” I mumble before heading inside. The guys trail behind me, probably talking about plans for the week.
In the house, I head straight upstairs and to Nate’s old room. It’s been converted to a guest room, complete with its own bathroom and a walk-in closet. At some point after Nate graduated from high school, Marcus redid his beach house. It’s nice—all modern with big windows that overlook the Atlantic ocean.
In our room, I set my laptop case on Nate’s old desk. I’m tempted to open it and check on a few things, but Nate’s comments keep me from doing it. Believe it or not, I can go twelve hours without working.
… Maybe.
My fingers itch to take my laptop out of its case, but then the front door slams and two sets of footsteps sound on the stairs. Truly, I’m not that spiteful of a person. I’m still with Nate—that’s proof enough after what happened. But as the guys get closer, I turn and look out the window instead of opening my laptop. I can let spite win for the next day or so to prove Nate wrong.
The guest room is at the front of the house, so we have a view of the street instead of the ocean. I’ve always thought Marcus’s neighborhood was nice. It’s quiet most of the time, with a nice mix of retired folks and families who’re lucky enough to be able to afford property so close to the beach. With the streetlights illuminating the neighborhood, it gives off a soft, welcoming vibe.
It’s the perfect place to spend a week in July. Honestly, it’d be a great place to live, but Nate doesn’t want to move back to his hometown.
“Look at that,” Nate says teasingly. “Maybe she has some self-control after all.”
After setting my bag on one of the two armchairs by the window, Marcus grins at us. “I’ll let you two settle in. Either of you hungry? I can whip up a quick snack if you’d like.”
“That’d be nice,” I say. “I haven’t eaten much today.”
“You got it.” Before he leaves, Marcus claps Nate on the shoulder. “It’s nice to have you here. House has been feeling a little too empty lately. Thanks for suggesting this.”
I stiffen. What? Nate told me his dad invited us for the week, not the other way around.
What’s he got up his sleeve?
I wait until Marcus is out of earshot before crossing my arms and glaring at Nate. “What. the. hell.”
“Babe, please don’t get mad.” Nate shuts the door before stepping across the room to me. “My dad’s been lonely, okay? I’m just trying to help.”
It’s true. Marcus is single, and Nate is an only child. Sure, Marcus has friends, but that doesn’t replace family. He’s all alone down here except for when we visit.
My anger simmers down, but only a touch. “Why didn’t you just tell me that from the start?”
“I thought you’d say no.” Nate shrugs. “You were set on this being a you and me thing, and I figured if I suggested coming here, you’d see it as me trying to get out of spending time with you. Which is not what I’m trying to do, I promise.”
“So your solution was to lie and tell me that your dad invited us when he didn’t,” I say flatly.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Ugh! Nate, you’re supposed to be fixing things, not making them worse. How am I supposed to trust you when you lie over simple things like this?”
“Well, you weren’t supposed to find out. I’m just trying to do right by my dad, Lily. That’s all.”
I wince. What about doing right by me? Why am I always your lowest priority?
“All you had to do was tell me your dad was lonely and needed some company. I’m not heartless. I would’ve said yes.”
“Okay.” Nate gives me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, babe.”
“It’s fine,” I say on a sigh. “Let’s go downstairs. I’m hungry.”
After a quick kiss, he nudges me toward the door. “You go ahead. I’m gonna take a shower first.”
Chapter two
