Jerri huffs. “Fucking men. Always gone when you need them,” she mutters with a scowl. “Tell him to get his useless ass in gear and find me when you see him.” She storms off back towards the house, all of us glaring at her back.
I shake my head. “What a delightful person.” The sarcasm in my voice is thick.
Alex snorts and offers Harlow his leftovers, which she happily takes, her bum wagging as she licks the pot clean. “You have no idea.”
“Still don’t know what Rhys saw in that harpy,” Theo says as he hands Alex his pot to give to Harlow. “He says some bullshit about how she was different back then, but she honestly wasn’t. He was just blinded by love, or at the very least, a need to be wanted.”
“I don’t think you have any room to talk about previous partners and being blind about who they really are.” Alex shoots him a dry look, causing him to wince.
“Okay harsh, but fair.”
I frown as the two of them exchange looks, doing that thing where they have a silent conversation between each other. What’s that all about? I want to ask, but I’m all too aware that they’ve only just patched things up between them. The last thing I want is for this to devolve into another fist fight because I brought up the past.
Rachel hums and nods in agreement. “I was like that with my first boyfriend. I was infatuated with him and only realised what a dick he was after we broke up.”
Oh, that sounds familiar.
Both Theo and Alex pin me with knowing looks, and I grimace. “In my defence, I knew from the beginning that Ethan was a dick. I just didn’t care.”Or was too desperate not to.
“That doesn’t make it any better,” Theo says with a frown.
I just shrug. There’s nothing any of us can do about it now.
My first year of university wasn’t great; I was still in therapy dealing with my survivor’s guilt, overwhelmed with living alone for the first time, and exploring my sexuality. I was naïve and lonely; a dangerous combination, and one Ethan took full advantage of.
Until he got tired of me.
After that, I was more cautious and guarded, although it did little to help my awful taste in men. While most of my previous relationships weren’t complete shit, enough of them were to leave scars. I’m starting to wonder if the guys have hidden red flags they’re holding back. Is one of them a serial killer or something? Is that why I’m so insanely attracted to them?
“Holy shit, why the hell are you lot still out here?” Tobias asks as he stomps into the clearing while pulling his coat tight against his shivering body. “It’s fuckingfreezing.”
“It’s a lot quieter out here,” Alex says with a shrug. “And it’s not that cold.” He’s the only one of us not wearing a coat.
My brother gapes at him. “The fuck? Did your nerve endings freeze off or something?”
Theo snorts. “Nah, he’s always been like that. Probably because he has enough muscle mass to make a polar bear jealous.” He flicks his gaze to me, mischief dancing in his silver eyes. “Don’t worry, Ollie, Alex Junior is perfectly okay. Although I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to show you later,” he says with a cheeky wink.
Alex Junior? What is he… Oh.
My eyes widen, and a flush burns its way up my neck to fill my cheeks. Rachel throws back her head and howls with laughter while Alex glares at Theo, the tips of ears red.
“Bloody hell, Theo.Shut the fuck up,” he growls as he shoves the chest of his best friend, who’s now laughing along with Rachel.
My brother glances between Theo, Alex and me with a furrowed brow, almost like he’s trying to work out which one of them I’m with.Honestly, I’d kind of like to know, too. I expected Alex to react with violence, not… embarrassment. Maybe things really have been worked out between them.
“The fuck is going on here?” Rhys demands, emerging from the forest like a vengeful spirit, rifle in hand and his usual scowl on his face.
Alex shakes his head and sighs. “You don’t want to know.”
Theo snorts. “He will once he pulls his head out of his ass.” He shoots the man in question a meaningful look.
Rhys furrows his brow but doesn’t rise to the bait. “I’m with Alex; I don’t want to know.” He glances around the clearing. “Has everyone had their breakfast this morning?”
“I’m pretty sure, yeah,” I say as I stand and use water from my canteen to wash out my pot. “Oh, your ex-wife is looking for you.”
He wrinkles his nose. “Did she say what for?”
“Nope.” Not that we had a chance since she stormed out of here like she’d contract a disease from us if she lingered in our presence.
