“What is going on with you? Do I need to get him in here? Hey, Finn!” he yells.
I roll my eyes as Finn’s head pops around the doorway. “Yeah?”
“Please tell our dramatic friend that Beckett and Lucas are just friends,” Jaxon says.
Finn chuckles. “As far as I know, Lucas and Beckettarefriends and have onlyeverbeen friends.”
I scoff. “Do you really even know the guy?”
Finn’s easygoing expression shifts. He steps in, shoulders squaring. “Yeah, Dom, I do. Lucas once drove three hours to pick Beckett up after he locked his keys in his car and couldn’t afford a tow. Didn’t ask for anything. Just showed up.”
That hits like a punch to the gut. Fuck! I’m an asshole.
Jaxon snorts. “Between Beckett and Olly, we could start a locksmith hotline.”
“Did someone say locksmith?” Jasper’s voice pipes up behind Finn, making me jump.
“When the fuck did you get here?” I ask.
He looks up from his phone. “What? After the last time Olly locked his keys in his car, I saved the tow company’s number.”
We all give him the same look.
He shrugs. “He feeds me cupcakes and toffee bars. It’s the least I can do.” Then he clears his throat. “Hey, boss, I’ve got another doctor’s appointment tomorrow, so I’ll be a little late.”
Jaxon gives Jasper the once-over. Ever since he passed out at work, hitting his head, we’ve all been worried. I can only hope Olly will be there for him, giving him a shoulder to lean on… or a dick to bounce on. But that last part is just pure speculation at this point. I’ve seen the way they are with each other. They were pretty cozy at the carnival.
“Yeah, of course. Take all the time you need. I can have Mira push your appointments…”
“She already did,” Jasper says. “First one’s at two.”
“Perfect. Thanks for staying on top of it.”
Jasper nods and slips away.
My best friend works his ass off. He built Ink Me from the ground up, completely on his own. Ink Me exists because he made it exist. Which makes the knot in my chest twist tighter.
Because in the middle of all that loyalty and history, I went and kissed Beckett.
Worst part? It wasn’t the kiss that fucked it up. It was me running.
I scrub a hand over my face. “I screwed up.”
“You think?” Jaxon asks mildly.
“I—” The words stick. “He’s already been through so much shit. I was supposed to watch out for him, not…” I gesture vaguely, encompassing kissing, wanting, bolting. “Not confuse him more.”
“You’re being unfair,” Jaxon says, cutting through the noise in my head. “To him, and to yourself. Have you even tried to get to know Lucas?”
Jaxon was close with Beckett’s dad before he died, and he feels a great sense of honor toward him. Which, for Jaxon, means watching over his son as if he were his own.
So what do I go and do? Ugh, I fucked up.
“You’re the one who told me not to trust him,” I shoot back. “You asked me to keep an eye out.”
“I did,” Jaxon says. “And I stand by it. Keep your friends close, enemies closer. You don’t figure out which is which by glowering from a corner. I talked to him at the carnival, and Finn vouched for him. He sounds like a good friend to Beckett.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re right. I’m being an ass.”
