I cut him a look.“Like you fucking saw it.”
“I saw it.Lark saw it…” He trailed off like he’d just realized he’d said too much.
I turned my head.“Lark?”
Oliver shrugged.“We’ve talked.”
Kingston looked between us.“Am I the only one who just wants to drink?”
“Probably,” Oliver said.He clapped Kingston on the shoulder again, and the two of them started moving toward the beer pong setup, leaving me where I stood.
Fine by me.
I wasn’t in the mood to explain anything, especially when I couldn’t fully explain it to myself.
I watched Ever and Jesse make their way toward the clubhouse.Alice spotted them immediately, because, of course, she did, and swooped in like she had been waiting specifically for them to arrive.
Ever smiled.
Jesse smiled too.
He played the part well.
There was something about him that scratched at the back of my neck.The way he looked around.Not wide-eyed like someone seeing the clubhouse for the first time and not impressed.
It was measured.Like he was taking inventory.
Maybe I was seeing shit because he had his hand wrapped around Ever’s and I didn’t fucking like that.
Maybe I wanted a reason to hate the guy.
Maybe it was simple jealousy dressed up as instinct.
He leaned down, said something near Ever’s ear, and she laughed.
It wasn’t the kind of laugh that took over her face.Not the kind I’d heard at the Social Club when she played giant beer pong with the girls.
That one had been real.
This one was… polite.
I took another drink, but it was empty.
I looked down at the bottle, annoyed, then set it on the table beside me without looking away from them.
Ever’s gaze swept across the yard.
For a second, I thought she might not see me, but then she did.Her eyes caught mine across the space between us.Everything around us kept moving, but for that one second, none of it touched me.Ever’s hand was still in Jesse’s, but she was looking at me.
Jesse said something, and her attention snapped back to him.The moment broke, but it had been there.
I knew it.
She knew it.
Jesse turned his head and glanced in my direction.He gave me a nod that was casual, and friendly enough so I returned it.
I pushed away from the table and folded my arms, watching as Ever and Jesse disappeared inside.
