Clayton paced the length of his living room, whiskey glass in hand, ice clinking softly against the sides. The fire in the stone hearth flickered low, casting shadows along the walls. Across the room Nolan lounged on the couch, boots crossed at the ankle on Clayton’s coffee table. He hadn’t said much since arriving, just gave that knowing look—the one that had driven him insane since they were kids.
Clayton hated that look.
“I can feel you staring,” he muttered, taking a slow sip of his drink.
Nolan smirked. “I’m just waiting for you to admit it.”
“Admit what?”
“That you’re losing your mind over Jamie Keaton.”
Clayton clenched his jaw. “I’m not losing my mind.”
“Right. That’s why you’re pacing like a caged animal.” Nolan stretched his arms over the back of the couch. “So are you going to tell me what happened, or am I supposed to guess?”
Clayton exhaled sharply and set his glass down on the mantle. “I told her.”
That wiped the smirk clean off Nolan’s face. “Told her what?”
He dragged a hand through his hair. “About Tammy cheating. About how I was the last person to know.”
Silence stretched between them. Nolan leaned forward, forearms braced on his knees, studying Clayton like he was seeing him for the first time. “Well, damn,” he finally said.
Clayton scoffed. “That’s all you got?”
“I mean, what else is there to say? You never talk about that, not even to me. And now, what? You decide to open up to Jamie?”
“It wasn’t planned.” He shook his head. “She asked, I told her.”
Nolan chuckled. “How much?”
He sighed. “Everything.”
Nolan let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Wow.”
Clayton’s shoulders sagged as he dropped into the leather armchair across from Nolan. “Yeah.”
Nolan studied him for a beat. “And?”
“And what?”
“What did she say?”
Clayton’s fingers tightened around his glass. “Nothing, really.”
Nolan frowned. “She had to saysomething.”
He shook his head. “She just listened and let me talk.”
Nolan leaned back. “That’s a first.”
“Yeah.”
A slow grin tugged at Nolan’s mouth. “You’re falling for her.”
Clayton groaned, tipping his head back against the chair. “For the love of God.”
“I’m serious.” Nolan’s grin widened. “You wouldn’t have told her if you didn’t.”
