“How was work?” Addison pulls me from my thoughts and I shake myself out of it.
“Usual, idiots and morons everywhere. How’s studying going?” Addy, after crushing a law degree decided to become an overachiever and has thrown herself back into college. Teaching and psych double becausewhy not!?I love her. She is incredible.
“Oh, you know, just one panic attack after another, the usual.” She laughs at herself with an underlying tone of self-deprecation and I notice Noah’s hand find her thigh. “I’m trying to talk about it more. The whole anxiety and panic thing. I feel like the less I hide it, the less harsh it will be. I won’t be so worried about being judged if I’m open about it.” She shrugs but I see the vulnerability in the way she averts eye contact with everyone. Noah’s presence is immovable, and Casey reaches a hand across to her and squeezes. “Proud of you, Ads.”
“Ever need a partner at the Rage Cage, I’m game.” Jessie smiles at her.
“You’ll crush it, I’m sure,” I assure her.
“I’m here!” a loud shout announces, and the entire table startles as we turn toward the entrance to find a flushed and frazzled Riley fast approaching our table. The other Jenkins.Now we had three out of four. I’m sure Ava was busy being wonder mom.
“Guys, GUYS! You won’t believe it. I’m in love,” she pants, I think she might have run here.
Her older brother, Jessie, just grunts, wiping a hand down his exasperated expression while the rest of the table snickers. “What are you on about, chaos?”
“Okay, so…” I feel everyone at the table sink into a groan, Riley’s stories go forever.
I turn back to the table and settle into my drink as Riley forces herself between Lucas and Jessie, her attention ping-ponging between everyone’s faces. I tune out, secretly scrolling my emails, catching snippets ofadmissions officeand something aboutfollowed to the bus…wait…
“You started?” I knew she had finally been offered a position at NYU, I hadn’t realized she accepted and was actually going to college. In all honesty, I fully expected the youngest of the Jenkins clan to float on charm and chaos for the rest of her life.
“Yes, well, no.” She takes a deep breath to slow down her panting, still catching her breath from running here. “I was going into the office to defer, I still haven’t decided if I want to go. Anyway, that is not the point of this story,” she scolds me, looking completely exasperated.
I chuckle gently under my breath, raising my hands in defense. “Apologies, Your Highness. Proceed.”
“Thank you. So, as I was saying, he stopped me before I got on the bus and asked for my number. When I gave it to him, he freakingwinkedat me and kissed my cheek. MY CHEEK! It was my Hallmark movie moment. I can officially die happy.” She sighs and lands her head in her hands as she rests her elbows on the table.
“You just gave your number to a stranger?” Jessie doesn’t sound too pleased.
“Riles, c’mon.” Addison shakes her head.
“He was another student, not a serial killer.”
“Serial killers don’t wear signs announcing themselves, how do youknowhe was a student?” That question comes from Lucas. Usually this wouldn’t be something worth noting, but he and Riley recently became roommates…and he’s been frowning at her,a lot.
“Ugh, you’re all boring.” She grunts, rolling her eyes, and I have to smother a laugh so I don’t encourage her antics.
“But all correct,” Ethan provides, his lips pulling into a tight smile.
“Whatever.” She sighs. The rest of the table goes back to whatever it was they were talking about, and I am about to do the same, but I catch Lucas’s lingering look of disappointment locked on Riley as she peels off her jacket and heads for the bar.
“What’s wrong with Virgin Mary?”
“Who?” Caleb, apparently acknowledging me again, turns to ask.
“Lucas.” I point in his direction.
Casey gasps. “We have a nickname?”
“Finally!” Addison claps her hands together. Lucas’s face snaps to mine with a disgusted snarl on his face and there is a beat of silence before the entire table bursts into laughter.
“How the hell am IVirgin Mary.I couldn’t be less of a virgin,” he says defensively, completely appalled with the name I concocted.
“Well, maybe you can tell me. I come here most weekends?—”
“Probably not something to brag about,” he interrupts me.
“I wasn’t, but I’ve seen you shoot down women who look like porn stars and models who are practically drooling on you. Figured you were, like, saving yourself or something.” I’m very aware Lucas is not a virgin, but watching him squirm and get his balls offerociousmasculinity all wound up is just the typeof entertainment I am after. I mean, If Caleb was no longer interested in playing a game for fun, I had to get my jollies off somehow.
