“I’m going to need to pay better attention. You’re perceptive, Aurora. Yes, that’s the same Elizabeth.”
Dustin tosses JD a bottle of water. He twists off the cap and hands it to me.
“Did they get into a fight or something?” I ask and take a sip from the water bottle.
“I’m going to take a page out of Elizabeth’s book and repeat something she said to me once. It’s not my secret to tell. Some stuff happened earlier this year and Fallon thinks he’s protecting her somehow by staying away.”
“How old are you and Fallon? I never asked.”
Trevor washes his hands and leans back against the granite countertop behind him. “I’m twenty-four and just graduated from Carolina University. Fallon is twenty-two and used to go to CU but dropped out after New Year’s to take over as head of his family’s company. He asked me to stick around and help. I would have anyway even if he didn’t ask.”
Shuffling feet come up from behind, and a sleepy-looking Knox walks in wearing sweatpants and no shirt. I was right about his lean runner’s build. Knox isn’t as big as JD, but he’s solid. Knox does a doubletake when he sees me, then notices everyone else in the kitchen.
“Sorry. I just came down for something to drink. I can go if this is a family thing.” Knox gives me a smile. “Hey, hood rat.”
He makes it a few steps before he spins around and grabs the sides of my face. “What the hell happened?” He scans my bruised cheek then looks accusatorily at JD behind me. JD’s arm tightens around my middle as the two of them size each other up.
“Run in with my sister’s fuck buddy. I’m fine,” I assure him, and he drops his hands from my face.
“Promise?”
“Promise,” I reply, and that seems to appease him.
When I was here the other day, Knox and I had a chance to talk a little bit. He told me how his dad abused his mom and that was how they ended up living in the women’s shelter in New York City. He and I have gone through similar situations in life. We’re like kindred spirits in a horrible kind of way.
Trevor throws Knox a bottle of water that he catches in the air with one hand.
“It’s official. Aurora is a Montgomery and is going to be staying with us,” Trevor informs him.
“Temporarily,” I clarify, which causes Trevor to give me an exasperated look.
“S’up, man,” Prescott says to Knox. “I’m Prez, the fun one. The stupid one with half a sandwich hanging out of his mouth is Dustin.”
“Hey!” Dustin protests.
“And the possessive, big dude that is hanging all over Rory is JD. Apparently, that’s a new development.”
“Kiss my ass,” JD tells Prescott, and extends a fist to Knox. “Nice to meet you. You at Fallen Brook?”
Knox takes a bar stool from in front of the counter island and sits down. “Yeah. Just started.”
“Knox is from New York,” I tell them.
Dustin shakes his hoagie as he talks. “We’re on the Highland football team. JD’s our QB. Prez and I are both receivers.”
“My friend Devon, who moved down here when I did, goes to Fallen Brook. Fallon worked it out so I could go there too. Otherwise, I’d be at Highland with you guys.”
“You should come to the game on Friday. We’re playing Fallen Brook. It’s going to be epic,” Prez says. “But you have to cheer for us or else you can’t come.”
Knox’s moss-green eyes slide my way. “Are you going?”
“I think I can be persuaded to take the night off from work.”
JD spins me around in his arms and lifts me up, meeting my smile. “You’re going to come? What changed your mind?”
“You did.” I spear my hands though the short hairs along the sides of his head and brush my nose against his. I have never been affectionate toward anyone, other than Cam, but JD brings it out in me.
“Get a room,” Prescott says, making gagging noises.
