Page 67 of Prickly Pair
I wasn’t sure what they meant, but then I spotted a familiar truck.
Austin’s truck.
I craned my head and my eyes widened.
Austinwas sitting on Evie’s doorstep.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Evie
My mind was split in fifty different directions as I got out of the car. Austin stood up, and my chest physically ached at the way his expression twisted with worry when he spotted Nick and Matthew.
“I’ll talk with him,” Nick said behind me.
“Let’s just all go in,” Matthew said. “Nick needs to be sitting, and it seems like the four of us all need to have a conversation.”
I nodded, scrambling for the right words as I walked up to my door. Austin opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“Will you come inside?” I asked him.
Austin’s eyes darted to Matthew and Nick, but they both nodded.
“Just come in, Whynot,” Nick said. “We’re adults.”
“Okay,” Austin exhaled. “Sorry, I should have texted, but I’ve been losing my mind just a little bit. I think Mateo was ready to sedate me.”
I chuckled nervously and unlocked my door, flipping on the lights as the four of us piled in. My heart pounded in my chest and I desperately wanted to text Avery and June to ask for a rescue. They’d show up on my doorstep in a blink, too. But, onthe other hand, Nick was right. We were adults. We could have hard conversations.
I didn’t even know where to start.
Just this morning, I told Austin I only wanted to be friends. It’d been such a lie. Such a complete lie. I didn’t want to be just friends with him, but I also didn’t want to risk the relationship I was starting with Matthew and Nick.
My mind was spiraling a little. I needed a glass of wine or an edible or a damn tranquilizer before I had a heart attack.
“Evie.” Matthew’s palm slid over my shoulder, and he gave me a comforting squeeze. “Take a deep breath. We’re all friends here.”
Austin’s brows pulled together. “I can come back. I don’t want to cause any more problems?—”
“No,” Nick said firmly. “It’s not a problem that you’re here.”
“Well, it sort of is,” Matthew said. “But no. Let’s go sit in the living room or kitchen. Evie?”
“Living room,” I squeaked. “I need water. Does anyone want water?”
Matthew’s hand slid down to my back. “I’ll get water with you. Nick and Austin will survive in the room with each other for a few minutes, right?”
I looked at the two of them, and they both nodded silently.
Matthew pointed at Nick. “Go sit.”
“All right, fine,” he mumbled.
He gave Austin a pointed look, and he huffed, but followed Nick too. Then he looked down at me and tipped my chin up. “What’s wrong?” He whispered. “This is Austin. You’ve known him forever.”
“I was mean to him,” I said. “And I just . . . I don’t know what to think right now.”
“Do you know what you want?”
