Page 146 of So I'll Know
Marion and Tris are watching me expectantly, so I ignore them and get out of the car, stretching my legs. It may be June, but the weather here doesn’t really feel like summer until July, so there’s a chill to the salty breeze as I listen to the crash of the ocean waves. At least it’s not raining today, though there’s still time.
I stare at the beach house again, my mouth going dry. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
Tris gets out of the car, and Marion pops the trunk and walks around to pull out our bags. We’re just staying for the weekend before I go back to Portland and decide what I actually want to do next. I’m between jobs, but my work at BB&B and for Flash topped up my savings, so I finally have enough for a down payment for a small business loan. And thanks to the media attention I got from Flash’s over-the-top beach house, my email has been inundated with design requests. It feels a bit surreal, honestly.
Now, the problem is that I don’t know where I want to go. I always thought I’d stay in Seattle, but that doesn’t feel right anymore, and even though my aunt is in Portland, that optiondoesn’t appeal to me either. I used to know what I wanted, and Marcus just went and ruined everything.
Typical asshole guy.
Marion walks up next to me, carrying two bags. “Are we going in or what?”
I sigh. “Yeah.” I trudge up the walk, staring down forlornly at myblackConverse.
I’m in mourning.
I grab my keys from my pocket and stick the key in the lock, giving it a good twist. The door cracks open, and I hear voices filtering from inside.
What the fuck? Is someone here?I glance around but don’t see any other cars.
Tristan gives me a wide-eyed look and holds up his phone. “Should I call the police?”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. Whoever it is isn’t disguising their presence, and it’s the middle of the morning, so it’s not like we interrupted a robbery.
“Hello?” I call tentatively, stepping into the foyer.
The voices quiet.
I walk down the hallway and into the main living space. I relax a little when I see six familiar faces look at me expectantly.
Charlie sits next to Fiona at the dining room table, and they have what looks like a crossword in front of them. Trey sits in the chair next to Charlie. He’s nestled in Lincoln’s lap, his lips tipped up in a smirk, while Link looks bored as fuck with his hand gripping Trey’s thigh possessively. Brantley is on the couch drinking a beer with Sebastian’s feet on his lap.
They all look very . . . comfortable.
And I’m so fucking confused.
My eyes dart around the room for Marcus, and I don’t know if I feel disappointment or relief when I don’t see him anywhere.
“Hey, guys,” I start awkwardly. “What’re you all doing here?”
Marion and Tris come up behind me, and I give them aquestioning look, but Marion raises her hands. “Don’t look at me. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“I invited them.”
I spin around, and Marcus steps out of the bedroom behind me. His dark hair is longer, falling messily over his forehead, but still artfully styled. He’s wearing a green flannel rolled up at the sleeves and dark jeans that hug his sinfully muscled thighs. His stubble is the longest I’ve ever seen it, almost to full-beard status, and I fucking hate that he looks so good.
He should look miserable.
Like me.
I give him a glare, placing one hand on my hip. “What the fuck are you doing here, Marcus?”
His full lips twitch, like he’s fighting a smile, but his eyes darken. “It’s nice to see you too, Jer,” he rumbles, his stupid deep voice going straight to my cock. “Good to know you’re still a sassy brat.”
“Good to know you’re still a moody prick,” I counter, my eyes narrowing. I hear Tris snicker behind me, and Marcus shoots him a scowl. “You didn’t answer my question.”
He purses his lips like he’s thinking something over. “This is my house,” he finally replies.
“Your what?” I squint at him. “Are you high again?”
