Page 31 of A Little Jaded
I grimace. “If I say no, does it ruin everything?”
Finley’s head bobs. “One hundred percent, it does, yes.”
“I’ll drive you everywhere,” Everett grunts from the sink. “Drake will recognize her car, anyway. It’s best if she doesn’t have it.”
Silence follows.
And it isn’t only me.
It’s Reeves and Dylan and Finley. It’s Griffin and the way he’s looking at Everett. Like he grew a second head or something.
“You don’t have to drive me anywhere,” I murmur.
“Actually, he kind of does,” Reeves interjects, interrupting our little staredown. “Buckle up, Raine, ‘cause I’m gonna be honest with you. Whether or not you accept Everett’s help, your world’s about to be turned upside down for a while. I’ve done this a time or two, and considering the way Drake responded last night when you were trying to placate him before winding up at Everett’s place instead of your apartment, I doubt he’ll let you go easily. You’re gonna want Everett around. In fact,” he slaps Everett’s shoulder, “consider him your shadow for the foreseeable future.”
My shadow?
My eyes dart to Everett, and I push my hair away from my face, trying to keep my world from spinning out of control.
“What about my job or Everett’s schooling or how much this is going to cost or?—”
“Not gonna charge you for this,” Everett grunts.
Reeves nods. “Yeah, we’re not complete assholes. You need help. He’s here to give it.”
“You still didn’t answer my question about schedules,” I remind Reeves.
“We’ll figure it out,” Everett argues.
“How?”
“You can use my space in the garage to park your car since we won’t be staying here.”
“I haven’t officially agreed yet,” I say.
“What’s there to agree to?” Everett’s nostrils flare, and he pushes himself away from the counter. “Stop being so damn stubborn.”
“Stop being so damn bossy, then,” I snap before I press my lips together and dare to look up at him again for what somehow feels like the first and thousandth time all at once. New, but familiar, and with an intensity I’m already growing accustomed to. Pretty sure it’s the one constant I’ve experienced over the last twenty-four hours. Everett’s intensity. His chiseled jaw is locked. His arms are folded, making his muscles bulge. And his expression? It’s unreadable.
“Aaaand, we’re gonna go,” Finley announces. Chair legs scrape against the hardwood floor as everyone stands, disappearing from the kitchen like a perfectly orchestrated magic act.
But the silence? It grows stronger and stronger with every passing second. I want to know what he’s thinking. If he feels like I’ve been thrown into his lap without any say in the matter. If he feels like this entire situation is a waste ofhis time and he’d rather be anywhere else. If he feels like this is too much effort. LikeI’mtoo much effort.
And maybe it’s my own insecurities screaming at me, but I don’t like it. The silence. The restraint in his gaze. The way he’s looking at me so objectively. Like he’s…detached. And why wouldn’t he be? I came to Reeves for help. Not Everett. And sure, he’s the one I called last night after Drake kicked me out of his car, but all he agreed to was one night. One night of help. Moving forward with Reeves’ three step plan, let alone staying at his family’s cabin for the foreseeable future? It’s…a lot. It would be a lot for anyone, but for someone who’s so unreadable and stoic, it’s clearly more than he signed up for.
“Do you want me to go?” I finally ask, unable to take another second of silence.
“Stay.”
I wipe my sweaty palms against my thighs until I remember all I’m wearing are his boxers and T-shirt. It makes me feel vulnerable. Seen.
“If I’m going to stay, I need you to stop looking at me like this.”
“Like what?” he challenges.
“Like I’m a project or a…problem.”
His footsteps are slow as he walks toward me, grabs the chair beside mine, and sits down. “I think we should have some rules.”