“Hey, Mom. Thanks for driving her here,” he said, bending down into the open passenger door.
“Of course. I hope you guys have the best time,” she said.
“Are you sure you’re okay making that drive back right now? We can make room for you here tonight.”
Chelsea waved him off. “I work night shift. I’m used to functioning on little sleep. I’ll be fine. You two get inside and tell Chad I said hi.”
He shook his head. “I won’t be doing that, but okay. Drive safe. Let me know when you make it back.”
“I will—I love you both.”
I went rigid. That one was new.
That one phrase sparked a couple of raw emotions to the surface. Emotions I didn’t know how to name or address.
“Love you too, Mom,” Trey said before shutting the car door and looping his arm around my waist, leading me to his apartment.
Chelsea loved me. I was loved.
Gosh, I had to stop thinking about it or I was going to cry like an idiot right here and that wasn’t what this weekend was for. This weekend was for fun, making friends, and being with Trey.
Trey gripped my hip tight against him. “You’re quiet. Is something wrong?”
I shook my head, hoping to break free of my scattering thoughts. It didn’t work.
“Yeah, sorry. That was a long drive and I’m a little tired.” I swung my arm around his back and returned his hold. “But I’m happy to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you too. I’m having a hard time believing you’re really here. It all feels a little unreal. Anyway, I should warn you. My roommates are all waiting in the living room. They’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
We went up a few flights of stairs that left me only entirely breathless, but I wasn’t crawling by the end, which I considered a win.
Not too far down the hall, after I took a moment to catch my breath, we reached a door. Trey opened it with a key. Through the opened door was a small lit up kitchen and just past that, three young men sat waiting.
Two were on a small couch, practically sitting on each other’s laps due to the sofa being too tiny compared to their massive builds. The other man was sprawled out across a large, plush beanbag.
The first man to approach me was tall, leaner than the other men with black curly, cropped hair, and deep brown skin. His smile was wide—familiar.
“Hey, little Mason.” He towered over me, pulling me into his rib cage for a bone-crushing embrace.
I tried to peek over at Trey, silently pleading for help, but he was passing us to put my bag on the kitchen counter. When the boy holding me tight, cutting off the circulation, finally pushed back to look at me, silver linedhis big brown eyes.
I could only stare awkwardly. Obviously, he knew me, but I didn’t have a clue to who he was.
“I’m sorry. Remind me your name,” I tried to say gently, but I recognized the flash hurt in his eyes.
“Right, no memories. I guess I deserve that for the last time we saw each other.” He chuckled weakly.
Yeah, I wouldn’t know because I didn’t know when that last time was.
“Sorry.” He cleared his throat, taking a long step back from me. “I’m Noah Williams. I knew your brother—Liam. He was like an older brother to me.” He licked his lips, before smiling. “It’s-uh-good to have you here.”
The silence blanketing the air draped heavy over my shoulders as I smiled back. “Happy to be here,” I managed to say before twisting to the two unnamed men watching us.
“Alright, which one of you is Larson?”
The tall, incredibly pretty, Disney prince looking blonde before me cautiously pointed to himself.
“Chelsea says hi.”
