I thought about it. “Nah.”
Quinn grinned and shook her head. “Nah.”
We sat and looked at each other, and then Quinn turned to look at the closet. “Are you still jealous?”
“Probably,” I told her. “But I know I have no reason to be.”
Quinn looked back at me. “Why? What changed?”
“Because Ava made me breakfast and gave me painkillers and laughed at my sext messages to your boyfriend’s cousin.” I stood from the couch. “She thinks I was wrong. She didn’t like it, but she had zero judgment. I got a scolding and a hug. If that isn’t a best friend, I don’t know what is.”
Quinn was grinning, and then I realized what I had disclosed. “Show me.” When I didn’t immediately guess what she meant, she clarified. “The messages.”
“No!” I shook my head adamantly. “No, they’re awful.”
“Yup, you were so mean. I mean, you wereawful.” She headed to the closet door. “Show me, and your apology is accepted; don’t show me, and I’ll have to tell the Devils.Allof them.”
“Why? That’shorrible!” I called after her as she went back into the closet. “You’re a mean girl!”
Her head popped back out of the closet. “Takes one to know one,” she told me with a smug grin.
When I handed the phone over with the messages open, I couldn’t hide my embarrassment. When Quinn whistled through her teeth and handed me the phone back with a sly look, I wanted to die on the spot.
“Even?” I asked without making eye contact.
“I think that seals it.”
“I have tofacehim, Quinn,” I suddenly wailed. “I have tolivewith him.”
She surprised me when she hugged me. “Ash is the most laid back of the three. He will know you are freaking out. And I know that,” she hurried on when she saw me about to protest, “because he told you not to regret the texts. He’s a decent guy,” she assured me. She started to laugh as she looked at me. “Not in love with him?” Shaking her head, she pulled open a drawer. “You’re maybe not in love with him yet, but, girl, you are in trouble for sure.”
“Why?” I asked fearfully.
“Because Ash Santo has marked you as his, and, Mia, he’severybit as possessive as his cousins.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah,oh.” Quinn nudged me before she turned serious again. “He’ll be difficult, he’ll be an absolute ass, he’ll drive you insane . . . bear with him, Mia, I promise that he’s worth it.”
“What if I’m not looking for that?” I mean, I was nineteen, almost twenty, and I wasn’t ready to give up my independence just yet.
“You are,” Quinn said as she held up a lovely lingerie set. “Else you wouldn’t have kept the messages.”
Looking back at my phone screen in accusation, I realized she was right. Damn it, I hated when I was predictable.
Now I just had to face the music.
Chapter 14: Mia
The anticipation I had felt all day came to nothing. Jett, Gray, and the team returned to the house, but Ash didn’t. When I finally got the courage to ask where he was, Jett and Gray had exchanged a look, and then Gray had told me that Ash had gone to the sports sciences building to get a slight injury looked at.
I knew there was more to what they were telling me, but I knew I had no room to push it. I couldn’t text him to see if he was okay; that would be weird. I couldn’t ask him when he would be home; that would be weirder.
When would he be home?It had been five days, and one of them he hadn’t even slept in my apartment.
The couples were content to stay home, and I understood that the players were feeling crappy about their loss. Even though it wasn’t the end of the world in my opinion, it meant a lot to them, and I guess that was all that mattered.
The cute backup QB suggested a party. The not-so-cute but still handsome one they called Woods seconded the party. Another one of the team, who I didn’t know, murmured “Mayhem” to Jett, who shook his head, and I looked away quickly when I caught his eye.
