Page 45 of His Reckoning

Colton walks out behind her. “Well, look who it is,” he says, spotting Kayla immediately. “Sawyer’s mystery woman.”

Kayla groans. “Oh my God, that article is still a thing?”

“Group chat refuses to let it die.”

Of course it does.

I pour another glass of wine. “Please stop encouraging them.”

The elevator opens again.

This time, Lincoln and Kylie step out.

Lincoln glances between Kayla and me. “Well,” he says calmly, “this is interesting.”

Roman and Eva arrive next.

Roman grins immediately. “The legend returns.”

Kayla laughs. “Please don’t start.”

Walker and Jessie are last.

Walker claps a hand on my shoulder. “Living together already, huh?”

“We are not living together,” Kayla says.

“Temporary housing situation,” I add.

Colton raises his glass. “That’s not what the internet says.”

Melissa laughs. “Oh my God, you people are relentless.”

Lincoln gestures toward Kayla. “To be fair,” he says, “she did warn him he wasn’t hero material.”

Kayla presses her hand over her face. “That was one time.”

Walker nods. “And it was the best thing anyone’s ever said to him.”

I take a slow breath. “This is exactly why I don’t host often.”

Roman takes a drink.

“Oh, no,” he says. “You should host more.”

Jessie smiles at Kayla. “Welcome to the chaos.”

Kayla laughs softly.

Melissa leans toward her. “They’ve been waiting for this.”

“For what?” Kayla asks.

“For someone who doesn’t treat Sawyer like he’s intimidating.”

Kayla glances across the room at me. I’m watching the whole conversation unfold from the bar near the kitchen when her eyes meet mine.

Instead of looking away, like most people do … she smiles. Which is exactly the problem because my friends notice everything.