Never mind the fact that part of that tidying had included making a shopping list. Minimalist and white might soothe his soul, but it would drive Jules nuts. Even if their arrangementwas only temporary, he wanted to create a space Jules would appreciate and be able to relax in.
“Work or procrastination?” Finn teased, handing Keaton a cold beer.
“Definitely work,” Keaton insisted, though he knew they could all see through him. The banter was easy, but he felt like an outcast among his friends, most of whom were happily in relationships with families of their own. He took a sip of his beer, the crispness offering a brief distraction from the unease that lingered.
Noah approached with a plate of food, nudging Keaton playfully. “You know, we were starting to think you’d ditched us for a hot date.”
“Yeah right,” Keaton scoffed, accepting the plate. “No hot dates here.”
Luke’s laughter echoed, lighthearted and infectious. “That’s a shame. If you’re not careful, you’re going to wind up admitting you have a thing for Jules. Awfully convenient that you’ll be living under the same roof.”
Keaton’s stomach twisted. “It’s not like that. They’re just crashing until there’s a place ready for move-in.”
“Uh-huh,” Finn drawled, a grin tugging at his lips. “And I’m sure that’s all it is.”
“Come on, guys,” Keaton protested, though he couldn’t quite meet their eyes. “Jules needed a place, and I had space. It’s nothing. They’re going to stay with me while I get one of the units that’s already in decent shape fixed up. Then, they’ll move on, and I’ll have my spare room back. It was the best solutionsince there aren’t many rentals in town right now, and they don’t want to leave town when their parents sell the farm.”
And you don’t want to think about not having them around, even if you’re too chicken to admit how much you like them.
“I’m not trying to take sides or anything, but you’re smiling more,” Noah pointed out, his tone teasing but not unkind. “That’s suspicious. I hate to encourage my nosy boyfriend, but even I think there’s more to this than just helping an acquaintance. You could definitely do worse. They’re adorable.”
“Hey now!” Luke playfully smacked Noah’s chest. “You’re not supposed to talk about who you think is cute when your partner is right next to you.”
Keaton shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the ground. “It’s not like that. Really. Jules is just a friend, if even that.”
Paige appeared beside him, her expression knowing. She had that look in her eye that said she was about two seconds away from going off on Keaton’s friends.Shewas allowed to give him shit, but she was fiercely protective when anyone else picked on him. Little sister privilege, she called it.
“You okay?” she asked, her voice low enough to avoid drawing attention from the others. If there was one thing he could count on, it was Paige recognizing when he was struggling. Like now, when his safety net was failing him. He really thought Noah would steer the conversation in a different direction.
He should have stayed home. He was way too twisted up about the Jules thing to be around people.
“Just tired,” Keaton replied, though he knew it was a half-truth at best.
“You sure it’s not because they’re moving in?” she pressed gently. She guided him away from everyone. “The guys will quit giving you shit if you stop reacting. You know they’re trying to get a rise out of you.”
Keaton fumbled for a response, the words feeling heavy on his tongue. “I know. This is my shit to sort out. I’ll be fine. I just need to keep reminding myself that this is just me helping Jules out. It can’t be anything more.”
Paige’s gaze was steady, understanding. “You know, it’s okay if it is more. I mean, I wouldn’t suggest you invite them into your bed the night they move in, but I think the two of you would be good for one another.”
“Funny, I seem to remember you saying the exact opposite a few nights ago,” he pointed out.
Paige shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s not the first time I’ve been wrong. Do I worry about the two of you being like oil and water? Absolutely. But I can’t help but think you’d balance one another out. Jules needs someone to keep them grounded, and you need someone to give you a shove so you quit acting like you’re Dad’s age. It’s really the perfect pairing as long as you don’t strangle one another.”
“It’s not,” Keaton insisted, though even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice. “And we’d be a disaster.”
“I think you’re selling yourself short.” Paige gave him a playful shove. “The last thing I’m going to say is you need to quit always looking for the problems before there are any. Go with the flow for a change.”
As the evening wore on, Keaton watched his friends interact—the easy affection between Luke and Noah, Finn’s laughter ashe played with Eli and the rest of the kids, Megan and Drew enjoying a bit of adult time, and Paige leaning against the railing on the deck with a soft smile.
He finished his drink, the emptiness of the bottle mirroring the hollow ache in his chest. “I need to head out,” he said, nodding to the group. “Early start tomorrow.”
He wasn’t about to mention that Jules was supposed to come over to do a walk-through and pick up their keys tomorrow afternoon. Before that, Keaton wanted to make sure everything was ready for them, and that included cleaning out one of the storage rooms so they had somewhere to keep things they’d want when their apartment was ready but wouldn’t fit in the spare room.
“Take care,” Noah called after him, a wave of warmth in his voice.
Keaton nodded, offering a tight smile before slipping through the gate and into the quiet night. The laughter and camaraderie faded behind him, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
The walk back to his apartment was slow, each step echoing with the truth he wasn’t ready to face. Jules had already begun to crack the walls around his heart, and the more he resisted, the more they seemed to slip through.
