phone from the purse, swiping past the lock screen, then navigating to my email. “I got an email this morning.”
I hand it over to River, who sets her muffin on the counter.
She squeals with delight when she sees the good news. “You get to move in early!”
“What?” Caroline asks, snatching my phone from River’s hands, scanning the email herself. “But what about Nolan?”
“What about him?” River asks. “He’s not going with her.”
“No, I mean what about—” She clamps her lips together, shaking her head, stopping herself from spilling the beans. “Never mind.”
“Oooooh,” River says, bobbing her head. “You mean are they still going to sleep together after Maya moves out?”
“Caroline!” I yell, glowering at her.
“It wasn’t me!” she promises, holding her hands up in innocence.
River cackles loudly, clapping a few times. We stare at her as she slaps her thighs, still carrying on like a maniac.
When she finally calms down, she wipes at her eyes, brushing away the tears that have formed.
Then she pins me with a stare like she didn’t just laugh like a crazed person, her lips falling into a flat line.
“You’re on my shitlist, Maya West.”
I gulp because she means it. “H-How did you find out?”
“You’re kidding, right?” She huffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re my best friend. I’ve known you since we were eight—I know when you’re getting dicked on the regular.” She shrugs. “Plus, I went to knock on your door one day, wanting a girls’ night, and heard you screaming Nolan’s name in a way that told me he was anything but in trouble.”
Heat fills my cheeks because I don’t doubt it for a minute. I’m not exactly quiet in the bedroom when it comes to Nolan unless Sam is home.
“How long have you known?”
“Since…” She taps her chin. “Gosh, probably a couple of days after you guys came down for drinks. I’m assuming it started that night. You two wouldn’t stop staring at each other the whole time.”
“How would you know? You were shit-faced.”
“I wasn’t that drunk.”
I lift my brow at her.
She waves her hand. “Fine, I was pretty drunk. But also, I spent a long time gazing at Dean like that before we finally got our shit together. I know what longing looks like when I see it.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Why didn’t you?” She turns her glare on Caroline. “And why didn’t you?”
“Hey, I just found out yesterday,” she says. “We caught them practically dry-humping on one of the display couches.”
“We were not dry-humping!”
“Uh-huh. Sure you weren’t.”
“We weren’t,” I mumble, then turn back to River. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t want you to be mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because you told me not to get involved with him because he doesn’t do relationships.”
“I armed you with that knowledge, sure, but you’re a grown-ass adult who can make her own decisions. Who you sleep with is none of my business. Besides, it would be hypocritical of me to judge you for acting on your urges with your hot-as-fuck roommate.”
I chuckle. “True. So, you’re not mad?”
She shakes her head. “Not at all. Do I worry about you? Yes, but that’s my job as your best friend. It’s also my job to support you no matter what dumb choice you make.”
“You think what I’m doing is dumb?”
She twists her lips back and forth, then finally shakes her head. “No. But I think you think it’s dumb.”
I slam my brows together. “How?”
“Because you’re hiding it. If you feel good about what you’re doing, you don’t hide it—especially not from the people who love you.”
“I—”
Well, crap. She has me there.
It’s not that I think what I’m doing with Nolan is wrong. It’s not. Giving in to sexual urges is natural.
But do I think it’s reckless? Yeah, a little.
Especially because I’m really starting to get used to him and because I’m more anxious about walking away from him than I am about moving into my new apartment.
I like what we have…and I don’t want to let it go.
I want more.
I know that’s not what we agreed to, and it’s wrong of me to expect anything more.
If I were braver, I’d cut things off now before I get even more attached.
But I’m too selfish to do that.
“For what it’s worth, I agree with River,” Caroline says. “And I just want to say I know what it’s like to fall for someone you’re not supposed to fall for. It’s scary and hard, and I’m here if you need to talk.”