“Shouldn’t you idiots be asleep by now? We have practice in the morning.” I shoot a scathing look at Luke, our captain, who should be the one saying that. Not me.
He grunts.
Well, isn’t that great. Instead of facing Bree, I get to deal with these goons.
Zayne brandishes a toothy grin. “Aww, he called us idiots. Guess he likes us after all.”
Mason elbows him in the side. “Not the time, man.”
Hands in his pockets, Ethan shrugs. “You didn’t answer our texts.”
“I was going to bed.” I shoot back.
Elias points to my clothes. “But you’re still dressed.”
“I would be undressed and in bed by now if I didn’t have a bunch of mother hens clucking at my door.” I don my best glare, telling them to leave me alone, but they’re not moving.
“We didn’t cluck, we knocked,” he tosses back.
With a sigh, I open the door wider. “Whatever.”
Ethan brushes by first, then the rest file in, making chicken noises under their breath.
As Payton would say, ‘cheeky bastards.’
I shut the door and turn around. Again, they all stare at me like I’m Humpty Dumpty about to take a great fall. Maybe I am. And they’re waiting to pick up the pieces as we do for each other.
But not like this. These cracks are deep, and I’m not sure there will be anything left worth reassembling. “I’m fine.”
Elias shakes his head. “No, you’re not.”
I clench my jaw. What’s the point of talking about it? Nothing I say will change the situation, and rehashing it hurts too much.
With another grunt, Luke crosses his arms, making his point without saying a word.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m going for a jog.”
Mason frowns at me. “I thought you were going to bed.”
“Changed my mind.” I disappear into my room to change, hoping they take the hint and leave.
Ten minutes later, I walk out of my bedroom to find a group of men changing clothes in my living room. Several gym bags dot the floor at their feet as they replace shirts and pants with athletic attire. Last spring, Luke, Ethan, Elias, Mathéo, and Istarted keeping duffels in our trunks for evening runs on the beach after we went out.
“What are you doing?” I growl.
Elias gives me an incredulous look. “Going with you, bro. What else?”
Still in his button-down but wearing a pair of gym shorts, Zayne holds his hands out to his sides. “Barbie-man loaned me a pair.”
With obvious distaste on his face, Mathéo tosses him a worn T-shirt. “They’re yours now, man. Ido notwant them back.”
Mason sheds his dress shirt, leaving him in a white undershirt and jeans. He lifts a shoebox holding a pair of new running shoes. “Glad I forgot to take these out of my trunk.”
How can a moment be ridiculous and meaningful all at once? I pause to take in the sight of these guys changing clothes in the middle of my living room, trading a quiet night at home to go for a run with my sorry ass. They said before that they had my back. Guess I need to believe it.
I duck into my bedroom and grab an extra pair of shorts, then toss them at Mason when I return. “Here. And I don’t want them back either.”
They exchange grins, thankfully acknowledging my acceptance of their presence without my having to say it.
