Page 126 of Don't Think

Gareth? He’s having a whole baby with Nora. Did he even consider staying here for them?

Then there’s Casey.

Two years, and I still barely know the guy. Just that he’s quiet, keeps to himself, and spends most of his time glued toCall of Duty. That’s about it.

I find the nearest parking spot, kill the engine, and rip the keys out of the ignition. I let out a long breath, trying to exhale the nerves, but they’re not going anywhere.

I run my hands down my face, get out, and slam the door behind me harder than I mean to. The second my boots hit thehotel lobby floor, it feels like I’ve got a hundred-pound weight strapped to my ankle, trying to drag me back to the car. Back to Allie.

Everything starts to blur once I hit the lift. Each floor lights up like a countdown, bringing me closer to what feels less like a conversation and more like the lion’s den.

I swipe my keycard along the lock, listening for the softclickwhen it disengages, then slowly push the door open. My heart lodges in my throat, making it hard to swallow when I step inside.

“Hey! How’s Allie?” James calls from the breakfast bar, wearing just a T-shirt and boxers.

“She’s good. Getting discharged this afternoon,” I say, stepping farther into the kitchenette and dropping onto one of the barstools.

James takes a sip of coffee, then pauses mid-drink when his eyes go wide. A huge grin spreads across his face, and he sets the mug down with a quietclink.

“I’m glad she pulled through,” he says, resting a hand on my shoulder. “I can see how much she means to you.”

“That’s actually why I came by,” I say, keeping my voice low. I don’t want the others to hear—not yet.

James’s eyebrows pull together, and after a moment, his expression softens, like he’s already putting two and two together. Then, a slow smile spreads across his lips.

“You know I’ve got your back, no matter what,” he says gently.

I nod. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”

Sliding off the stool, I head into the sitting room where Gareth and Casey are planted on the sofa. I stop in the doorway, leaning one shoulder against the frame, trying to find the right words.

Gareth looks up and sets his phone facedown on the cushion next to him. “Hey, man.”

Casey glances away from the TV and gives a quick nod. “Hey. Glad to hear Allie’s doing okay.”

I press my lips together and take a slow, steadying breath before finally stepping deeper into the room.

“Thanks, Case,” I say, easing down into the armchair next to them.

“So… how was recording yesterday?” I ask, leaning back and folding my arms across my chest like I’m not about to drop a bomb.

Casey takes a sip from his mug, then sets it down on the coffee table. “It was good. We didn’t get much actual recording done. Mostly just ran through the new stuff,” he says, glancing at his phone before slipping it back into his pocket.

“Yeah,” Gareth chimes in. “We didn’t wanna do too much without you. Figured we’d just pick it back up Monday. Gerald’s cool with it.”

It’s now or never.

“There’s something I wanted to run by you guys,” I say just as James walks in and drops onto the sofa beside Gareth.

Now all three of them are looking at me. My heart lurches into my throat. Heat creeps up my neck, and suddenly I feel like I’m about to give a speech I didn’t prepare for.

“When Allie goes back home I was thinking I’d drive them up. She’s still pretty shaken, and I just—” I rub the back of my neck, searching for the right words. “I just want to make sure she gets there okay. I don’t think she’s ready to get behind the wheel yet.”

Gareth nods. “Yeah, man. That makes sense. I was thinking of asking Nora to hang back an extra day or two so we can figure out our game plan.”

Casey nods absently while he pulls out his phone again, already scrolling. “Yeah, sounds good,” he mutters.

I shift in my seat, nerves crawling under my skin. “There’s, uh, one other thing,” I say, eyes dropping to the floor, my face flooding with heat.