Thea glances at her friend with narrowed eyes. “I don’t miss your implication, Rae. We’re just watching a show, like we always do.”
“Mhm,” Rae hums, sitting down in the leather chair beside the couch. “I’m onto you.” Thea stiffens beside me and I swear she growls like a wolf. Minutes pass and Rae speaks again. “For the record, I’ve been rooting for you two since the beginning so if you are together now, don’t think you can’t tell me.”
With that, she gets up and leaves.
Thea looks at me and sighs and I look down at her with a questioning look.
She shrugs and explains. “Rae picked up on something between us when she first started hanging around us.”
I chuckle. “I think most people have. Your brother is the only one who remains oblivious.”
“Eh, I don’t know if he’s as oblivious as he seems. I think he likes to pretend that there’s nothing there so he can’t feel bad for keeping us apart.”
I smile and run my fingers through her hair. “Have I told you lately that you’re smart?” She shakes her head. “Well, you are.”
She beams up at me. “Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite person?” This time, I shake my head. “Well, you are.”
I think I like being her favorite person. I think I want to be her only person. The one she thinks of first when something good or bad happens. The one who’s always there no matter what.
“Shh,” I hiss. “We’re going to get caught.”
“No, it’s fine,” Xander growls, kissing my neck. “They’re not even up yet.”
My legs are wrapped around his waist and he holds me up, my back pressed into the shelves of the pantry. I came in here to get oatmeal for breakfast and he followed, shutting the door behind us. I’d be lying if I said the forbidden feeling that clings to this moment didn’t turn me on. It’s kind of exciting, the thought of getting caught doing something—or in this case someone—you shouldn’t be.
I lean my head back and his lips descend further toward the open collar of my shirt. My hands delve into his hair and I try not to get too lost in the moment, because getting caught making out in the pantry closet would not be the best way to tell my brother about us. I haven’t told Xander, but I know it’s time for us to tell him. It’s wrong keeping this a secret, and frankly, he shouldn’t give a fuck what we do. And I know, that there’s still a chance that we could get divorced at the end of the summer—and that’s what I think we should do, but continue to date—but tiptoeing around is getting old fast. I mean, we live with Rae and Cade. There’s only so much we can keep a secret for so long.
Xander’s lips move back to mine and his tongue brushes mine. I moan and my arms wrap around his neck. He adjusts his hold on me, his hands on my butt, and something on the pantry shelf falls to the floor.
“I knew it.”
So much for not getting caught.
Xander and I jolt apart and he sets me down quickly, while we look into the laughing eyes of Rae.
“You—” she grabs my arm “—are coming with me. And you—” she points at Xander with her other hand “—it’s about damn time.”
I glance back at Xander over my shoulder, giving him an apologetic smile, and he looks utterly confused as to what just happened.
A quick look around shows me that Cade still hasn’t wandered downstairs.
Hallelujah for small miracles.
Rae drags me into the laundry room and shuts the door behind us.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she looks at me sternly. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were hooking up with Xander.” She frowns and the look of hurt on her face makes my stomach hurt. “I’ve known you guys were perfect for each other for so long. I don’t know why you thought you couldn’t tell me.”
I look away, nibbling on my bottom lip. “You’re my best friend,” I say, “but you’re also dating my brother.”
Her shoulders fall. “This is about Cade?” I nod. “You really don’t think he’d be happy for you guys? Give him some credit. He’s not a douchebag.”
I run my fingers through my hair. “It’s complicated. He’s always warned Xander away from me, and I get it, I’m his little sister, but I’m not that much younger than them. And who knows, maybe he would be okay with us dating now, but we’re not dating, we’re married and that’s complicated and—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rae cuts off my rambling. “Did you just say married?”
I smile weakly and nod. “Yeah—we … um … kind of got drunk in Vegas and ended up married.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal and something that happens to everyone.
She gapes at me and then laughs. “Yeah, you’re right; Cade would so not be okay with that.”
I sigh. “I know,” I mutter the words and look away.
“So,” she hesitates. “Were you guys together before the whole Vegas thing?”
I shake my head. “No, that served as the catalyst. I wanted to get it annulled immediately, but Xander wasn’t having it. I promised him the summer to convince me not to get a divorce—and let me tell you, that boy does not fight fair.”
Rae laughs. “Well, tell Xander that I’m happy for you guys but mad you didn’t think you could at least tell me.”
“You’re not going to tell Cade, are you?”
She snorts and waves her hand dismissively. “Nah, you’re on your own for that.”
A puff of air leaves my lungs. “Great.”
“Oh, and we’re having a girls’ day today. I’m calling Nova and we’re going out to get our nails done or something.”
I have to laugh to myself. Rae demanding a girls’ day? I’m pretty sure that’s one for the record books. I remember how I used to have to beg her to go out. She’s grown a lot since we’ve met, and maybe it sounds weird but I’m proud of the person she’s become.
“All right,” I say. “Girls’ day. Woo!” I shake my hands weakly.
Rae laughs at me. “Maybe the guys can do something too.”
I force a smile. “That sounds fantastic. Girls’ day and guys’ day. Fun times.”
Not.
I pace restlessly in Thea’s room, waiting for her to come up. I’m freaking out about Rae catching us. Not because of her finding out, but because of what her finding out might do to Thea. I’m terrified it’s going to send her back to where she was in the very beginning of this when she was apprehensive and scared and kind of standoffish.
Prue lifts her head from the mess of blankets on the bed and watches me pace. She looks at me quizzically wondering what the fuck is going on, but I don’t have it in me to comfort her and tell her I’m okay, because I’m not okay.
When the door opens, I immediately ask, “Are you okay?”
Thea looks up at me with wary eyes as the door clicks shut softly behind her. “Fine. Rae was cool with it.”
“I know, but are you cool with her knowing?”
“Yeah.” She shrugs. “She said she wouldn’t tell Cade.” I nod, waiting for her to say more. “We need to tell him. Soon.”
I wet my lips, shocked that she’s said this. I expected the whole summer to pass with her still not wanting to tell him. This change is shocking, but I’m okay with it.
“Okay, we’ll tell him.”
“Maybe we should take him out to dinner. You know, butter him up with a steak and dessert. If we get him full enough he might not chase us if we have to run away.”
I snort. “Your brother’s in great shape. He could chase us with a gorilla on his back.”
She sighs. “True. As much as I don’t want him to know, we have to tell him. I can’t keep doing this to us. It’s not right for us to be a secret.” She smiles sadly and closes the distance between us, wrapping her arms around my torso. I hug her back, laying my head on top of hers. “Oh—” She pulls away suddenly. “Rae insists on us having a girls’ day and you guys getting together for the day.”
I raise a brow. “Sounds delightful.”
She laughs and s
teps out of my arms, heading for the bathroom. “I’m used to being the one that has to drag Rae out. I think this is the first time she’s insisted on us hanging out. I think hell might have frozen over.” She pauses in the bathroom doorway and I take a moment to look at her. To look at her hair tumbled over her shoulders, and the loose gray t-shirt that falls off her shoulders, to the black shorts that hug the curve of her ass. She’s beautiful, inside and out, and she’s mine. I never thought I’d be able to say that. She smiles at me, knowing I’m looking at her, and braces her hand on the doorway. “Shower?”
I don’t hesitate.
“Fuck yes.”
The shower was fucking pointless, but I guess it wasn’t really about the shower, so win for me.
Cade wants to go to the gym, so Jace is meeting us there. Jace has been our friend since high school, and I’ve been so busy with work, football, and Thea, that I haven’t seen him in a month.
Jace is waiting outside the building when we get there. “Fucking slowpokes,” he says as we approach, and tosses his cigarette on the ground.
Cade shakes his head. “What an oxymoron. Smoking in front of the gym.”
Jace’s lips tip up in what someone might call a smile. “I dare to be different, unlike you fuckers.”
We head into the building and straight to the free weights.
I don’t say much, but none of us really do so no one can comment on my silence.
We stay at the gym for a few hours before showering and heading to a burger joint for lunch. Jace tells us about his music, and some gig he has coming up, so we make a plan to go and support our friend, and, of course, drag the girls along. My chest swells with happiness, because by then Thea and I should be out in the open, and I’ll be able to touch and kiss her without worrying about Cade or anyone else.
I take a swig of my beer while Jace and Cade talk. Eventually, their conversation fades and Cade turns to me.
“What’s up with you? You’re too quiet.”
I shrug. “Tired.” It’s not really a lie. Practice is kicking my ass.
He narrows his eyes. “You’ve been acting so fucking weird lately—leaving the house way early …” He pauses. “Are you dating someone?”
I choke on my beer and Jace laughs. “No,” I say vehemently. “Not dating anyone.”
You know, since technically being married to your sister doesn’t count as dating.
“Then what are you doing?”
“Just going to the gym.” I shrug, picking at the label on my beer bottle. “If you get there early enough there’s no one around. It’s nice.”
He grunts. “You need to wake my lazy ass up to go with you then. This morning was the first time I’ve been all week.”
“Mhm,” I hum. “Sure.” Not happening.
“What’s up with you?” I ask Jace—hoping to turn the conversation away from myself.
He leans back in his chair and crosses his hands behind his head. “Just working at the bar, same old-same old. Glad to be done with school, though. What a waste of fucking time.” He takes a swig of his beer and slams the bottle down on the table. The waitress quickly brings another one over and Jace gives her an appreciative once over. “Hey,” he says, giving her a brooding look that I’m sure is meant to be sexy but it looks like he’s constipated to me. It must work, though, because she smiles shyly back at him and says hey too. Going places with Jace usually results in him going home with at least three new phone numbers.
The waitress gets called over to another table and the eye-fucking stops. “Have you and Nova been hanging out?” I ask him—referring to Rae and Thea’s friend. She and Jace hang out a lot, or at least they did before graduation, but who knows now.
Jace nods and reaches into his pocket for his pack of cigarettes, tapping one out. “Yeah, she’s a cool chick.”
“Have you ever hooked up?” Cade asks.
Jace shakes his head. “Fuck, no. She’s my friend.”
Cade snorts. “I didn’t know you were capable having a friend that’s a girl.”
Jace shrugs. “Nova’s different. Drop it.”
Cade and I exchange surprised glances. Jace isn’t normally so testy.
Our food is brought out and I dig into my cheeseburger.
“I wonder what the girls are up to?” Cade muses.
“I don’t know,” I respond.
But I really fucking hope everything’s okay.
I pick out a shimmery orange color for my toes and hand it to the nail technician.
Morticia One and Two—aka Rae and Nova—each pick out dark colors. Rae opts for a maroon red color and Nova chooses a purple so dark it’s nearly black. She must really love purple because for the longest time her hair was a violet color. Now it’s more of a magenta. It looks cool on her and I give her props for being brave enough to do something different. I’d be too scared to dye my hair a crazy color.
We take our seats side by side and I end up in the middle. This already feels more like an interrogation than a nice day with my friends. Lovely.
“You know,” I say, dipping my toes in the hot water, “those aren’t very summery colors.”
Nova snorts. “Well, I’m not a very summery person,” she counters. “I have to choose a polish that’s as dark as my soul to please the beast.”
I laugh. “Should’ve gone with black then.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “And what about you?” I swing my gaze to Rae.
She shrugs. “I don’t really like light colors.”
I sigh. “You both suck. I am a unicorn amidst trolls.”
I turn on the massage button of the chair and close my eyes. Maybe if I act like I’m asleep they’ll leave me alone.
“So, Thea married Xander.”
My eyes shoot open and I glare at Rae.
Nova gasps and leans forward in her chair so she can see Rae around me. “Wait, what did you say?”
“Exactly what you think I said.” Rae nods and presses her lips together.
“When?” Nova looks at me and even though she’s glaring at me I can still see the hurt in her eyes.
“Vegas,” I reply. “And this one—” I nod at Rae “—only found out this morning by accident, so don’t be butt hurt that I didn’t tell you.”
Nova whistles. “Whoa, this is … This is crazy.”
“I know,” I agree. “How do you think I feel? I’m living it.”
“I just … Whoa.” She shakes her head back and forth, like she can’t seem to wrap her mind around it. It is pretty insane, though. I’d be acting the same way if this situation was reversed.
“Cade doesn’t know,” I tell her. “So you can’t tell Jace.”
“I won’t,” she promises. “The last thing I want to do is get in the middle of that.” She raises her hands innocently.
I sigh. “He’s going to be so pissed.”
“It’ll be fine,” Rae assures me. “Don’t worry too much or you’ll chicken out.”
“So now I understand the need for this emergency girls’ day.” Nova laughs, wiggling her toes above the bubbles in the water.
Rae nods. “It was of the utmost importance.”
“Xander and you are together now, then?” Nova asks.
I fill her in on the details that Rae already knows from when she dragged me into the laundry room. “I really like him, guys,” I tell them, biting my lip nervously. “I’ve loved him forever, and being with him like this … It’s everything I always thought it would be, but I’m scared. We’re so young and there are a million obstacles in our way.”
Rae shakes her head roughly. “No, don’t think like that or you’ll psyche yourself out. I know being married right now isn’t ideal, but maybe that’s just the path you guys are meant to take. Let things play out the way they need to and don’t overthink it or push it one way or another.”
I inhale a lungful of air. I know she’s right, but it’s scary.
But I guess life would be awfully dull if we weren’t afraid.
I don’t get the chance to speak to Thea when she gets home, and it’s nearing one in the morning now. I slip into her bedroom through the connecting bathroom, careful that the doors don’t make noise.
She lies in bed and Prue pads in behind me, going to the corner where there’s a bed for her. Thea smiles when she sees me and pats the space beside her. It’s become our routine—me showing up, and her welcoming me.
I slip into bed beside her and an infomercial plays on the TV across from her bed. Without me saying anything, she switches it to Netflix and puts Charmed on; we’re up to season three now.
“How’d your day go?” I ask her.
She shrugs and the blankets ruffle. “We got our nails done, grabbed some lunch, and shopped. The usual. They asked me about us and I told them that we’re together.” She looks at me with uncertain eyes like she’s worried I’ll be mad they know.
“Good,” I say, and relief floods her eyes.
“What’d you guys do?” she asks.
“We met Jace at the gym and had lunch. Cade and I came back here and I mowed the grass. Exciting stuff.”
She laughs and snuggles closer to me, entwining our legs together.
“We have to tell Cade tomorrow,” I whisper.
There’s a long pause before she whispers back, “I know.”
I settle my chin on top of her head and we focus on the show. Eventually, we both fall asleep, wrapped around each other like we’re terrified we’re about to be pulled apart.
Light shines through the blinds when I open my eyes. I glance at Thea’s clock beside her bed and see that it says it’s a little after eight. She blinks her eyes and yawns, slowly coming awake.
“Hey.” I smile down at her.
She smiles back, her eyes still closed as she stretches her arms above her head and nearly punches me in the process. After a moment she says, “Morning,” and her voice is thick with sleep.
Prue lifts her head and looks at me with wide begging eyes. I overslept and she’s probably desperate to go out.
Before I can move, though, I hear my bedroom door close, and footsteps walking down the hall and stopping in front of Thea’s door.
When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) Page 12