The only comparison I had was seeing Isabel and Felix again, but it was in secret, so we had to quickly skirt out of the light to hug it out in a back room. If I didn’t love them so much, I might have felt dirty.
It seemed fun, how Knox’s friends did it, if a bit risky with bodily harm.
“Does it?” Duke chuckled, releasing me to lean against a half wall that divided what looked like a cafeteria area from a tiledfloor with arcade gaming machines that lined the wall. There was a basketball hoop, glowing scoreboards, an air hockey table, and a leaderboard showing the current winner rankings for the laser tag games amidst the chaos of endless games.
“Sure. I imagine they’ve missed him after not seeing him for a while.”
Duke seemed like he was being casual, leaning against the wall like that, but there was a seriousness behind his eyes that Knox hadn’t warned me about.
“Has he told you why he was away? What brought him back? How well do you think you know him?”
I swallowed, forcing my hands to stay still by my sides. Don’t show your nerves, Lucy. “As well as you can know someone after a couple of weeks, I guess.”
Duke hummed, and my words suddenly felt like the wrong answer.
“I mean,” I cleared my throat, “not as well as you know him, obviously. He’s great and all, but this is all so new, and–”
“Okay, okay. Chill, would you?” Duke chuckled, raising his hands in what I knew was a pacifying gesture. “Knox will kill me if I get you all riled up.”
I blinked. “He will?”
It made my heart lurch and butterflies erupt in my stomach, thinking about Knox actually caring about what torment his friends put me through.
Duke nodded slowly, though the intensity was back in his gaze. “He cares a lot about people, you know. Once you’re in his circle, you’re in it for life. Do you deserve that, Lucy? Do you deserve his loyalty?”
I swallowed. “I–”
“Are you interrogating him already, Duke? For fuck’s sake.”
I breathed a sigh of relief when Knox reappeared by my side, slipping between Duke and me with ease, even if he didn’t block Duke from view.
The seriousness faded a bit from Duke’s eyes, but I knew it was likely going to linger until Knox left me alone again. I shifted closer to Knox’s side, finding the umbrella of his presence at least safer than being exposed and out in the open.
“Chill out, Knox. We were just talking.”
“I know you, Duke. Don’t think I can’t read your mind.”
I snorted despite the tension that had filled my body a moment ago.
“Hey.”
I turned and found the three newcomers slotting themselves into our group. A woman stepped up to my side, ignoring Knox and Duke entirely. She had long brown hair tied up in a braided knot, bright blue eyes, and a loose blue flannel shirt unbuttoned and draped over snug light-wash jeans. Freckles painted her nose, and a single necklace fell under her tank top.
“I’m Maisie. You must be Lucy.”
I smiled and offered her my hand. “That’s me. It’s nice to meet you, Maisie.”
She laughed and shook my hand in a firm grip. “And these two are my brother, Tucker.” She motioned to the man who looked remarkably like her, down to the flannel, though his was red, and the large belt buckle over his jeans. All he was missing was a cowboy hat, really.
I smiled and shook his hand next. “Hi.”
“And Tucker’s idiot friend, Kaiden.”
Despite the insult, Maisie’s voice was laced with affection as she motioned to the last member of our little group. He was tall, blonde, and he led with his shoulders and chest when he stepped forward to shake my hand. He tossed a fond glance to Maisie that I felt like I probably shouldn’t be seeing.
But I wasn’t about to get involved in some inter-sibling romance drama, so I simply returned his strong grip with my own.
“Lucy.” I nodded. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
