Page 8 of Rush the Edge
“That’s right. The mystery job.”
“Yeah, about that…” he says.
The door begins to close, but at the last second, I hear a ding, signaling that someone is stepping onto it.
I guess no time is better than now to meet some of my neighbors.
“Speak of the devil…” River chuckles. “Pun intended.”
What?
I try to see past the boxes, but all I can see is River leaning in for a bro-hug type of deal. A few slaps on the back later, and then the person is pulling away.
It isn’t until I hear his voice that I freeze with shock.
The blood drains from my face as fast as the boxes slip from my shaky fingers.
Oh my god.
River and Kane snap their attention to me while I stand with my back against the elevator wall with two boxes full of botany books spilled beneath my feet.
Shit.
“Kane,” I mutter, hardly able to say his name.
Kane Barlow, my brother’s best friend and the boy who took my virginity, stares at me from across the elevator with what I know to be animosity covered up by a cocky grin.
“Hey, neighbor.” His grin deepens. “Welcome to Chicago.”
* * *
I’m in utter shock, and I fear both of them can tell.
Kane has changed over the last several years. His muscles are more defined, his jaw edgier with some scruff along his skin, and unfortunately those changes make him even more attractive than before.
He adjusts his backward hat before bending to help River pick up my botany books.
Say something.
What should I say?
Do I ask how he is?
Do I pretend like I don’t care how he is?
“Move your foot, you klutz.” River flicks my calf, and I jerk my leg backward.
“Oh, right,” I blurt.
I quickly crouch down on the elevator floor and hastily gather my books to plop back into the cardboard boxes. My mind is moving one hundred miles per hour, and the one question that pops into my head zips out into the stuffy space without so much as a warning.
“Why are you here?”
Kane’s hand freezes on one of the books. He slowly raises his chin, and our eyes lock. My lungs squeeze tight, as if he’s reaching inside my chest and crushing the life out of me.
Kane and I were close at one point—maybe even closer than he and my brother—though River was oblivious. What started off as teasing turned into subtle flirting and a close bond I haven’t found since. But that was a longtime ago. Surely he doesn’t stillhate me, right?
“He lives here,” River answers for Kane, and I pray he can’t tell that I just died a thousand deaths. “With another guy from the team.”
