Marty
Ireally thoughtMiles was about to make ahugemistake.
With how angry Ryan looked, I figured he might wind up with his own court-ordered community service or jail time, but it did feel nice that he gave that many shits about me to stick up for me like that.
“You know you’re more than that to me, right?”
I do because he means more to me than any of the stuff we’ve done. If anything, I feel like I’ve been the frathole for all the assumptions I made about him over the years. Yeah, he can be rude, inconsiderate, and stubborn, but he can also be kind, caring, and if you’re on his good side, apparently, protective as fuck. I only wish I’d seen it before the end of our senior year.
Fortunately, the anxiety Miles worked up eases as we get back to work, and a few hours into the job, we take a break and enjoy the sandwiches and drinks supplied for volunteers. Ryan and I sit with our crew, and I notice Miles off near the woods at the end of the yard with two other Omega Psis. Seems like he’s calmed down since our confrontation.
Troy talks to a group of volunteers, then approaches us. “Thanks again for coming out today. Something I’m mentioning every weekend, we’re always short during the summer. I know most of you will be heading home to your families, but if anyone’s interested in sticking around and helping out, we could really usethe help.”
My gaze shifts to Ryan so fast, I don’t even think my brain has caught up with why until we just sit there staring at each other.
Maybe this doesn’t have to be over in a couple of weeks, after all.
What am I saying? He probably has plans for the summer. I can’t expect him to make time to stay here and fuck around with me.
“I’m down,” Dax says—it doesn’t seem like he’s even thought twice about it. “And I’m getting my own place, if any of you want to stay with me.”
Most of the people I know who aren’t seniors will be staying with their families over the summer, but knowing Dax and the fun he likes to get up to, I imagine that’s a lot easier to manage when you’re not trying to screw around in your childhood bedroom.
And if he’s staying, I guess I could…
“I can see if I could be free,” Ryan suddenly tells Troy.
Is this really happening?
I try to play it cool as I add, “Yeah, I think I might be able to help out for at least part of the summer.”
What am I doing?
Troy’s brows pop up, obviously pleasantly surprised by his luck in finding volunteers. “Thanks, guys. Dax and Marty, we’d really appreciate it. And, Ryan, if you want, I can get you extra hours at the shop.”
“That’d be great, actually. Perfect.”
When Troy heads off, I glance around, waiting to see if anyone might suspect why I jumped in after Ryan agreed to help, but everyone gets back to their conversations. And why the hell would they suspect anything, given how we were at each other’s throats when the Sigma Alphas first came to stay at Alpha Theta Mu.
After we wrap up for the day, I drive Ryan, Keeg, and Daxback to the frat in my car. “You sure you don’t want to join in?” Dax asks Keegan.
“Can’t. My family takes a vacation together every summer.”
“Ah, too bad,” Dax says. “I’m actually glad the opportunity came up. I was thinking I’d be the whole summer without all my guys, but guess Ryan, Marty, and me will have to create our own little frat in my house.”
“I figured you’d want to keep the place all to yourself to enjoy all the action you’ll be getting,” Ryan says from the passenger seat.
“Eh, I don’t think it’ll be too different than it is now. It works that it’s you two since you already know how to coordinate messing around with people. And don’t worry, Marty, if he gets greedy again, we can kick him to the curb.”
“I’ll do my best not to be too greedy,” Ryan says.
Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me.
With everything in me, I know he’s about to shoot a look my way, and I can’t help feeling we’re gonna give ourselves away if we’re not more careful.
As he sneaks me a glance, my cheeks warm.
Dax chats some more about the apartment he’s getting over where Atlas and Troy and Brenner and Taylor live, talking up the pool and the fitness center. Meanwhile, Ryan and I are unusually quiet.
