Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 174544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“Guess what Donnelly said when?” Beckett emerges with bedhead hair and sleepless circles under his eyes. Black pajama pants hang low on his waist, and he runs a hand through his thick, tousled hair. His gaze stops short on the television, and his face twists when he sees his interview frozen on-screen. “What’s the point of this?”
“What’s the point of living?” Eliot refutes. “To be entertained, brother.”
Beckett turns to him. “Find someone else to entertain you.”
“But you’re so bad at it,” Eliot says, picking popcorn kernels off the floor. “I have to relish in this one moment—”
“Showing Luna my interview doesn’t do anything,” Beckett interjects hotly. “She wasn’t friends with him back then.”
Him.
He’s referring to Donnelly.
And if anyone knows anything about Donnelly, it’s Beckett. I’d never really been close to Beckett, but did that ever change?
“How do you know I wasn’t friends with him back then?” I ask Beckett.
“Because he was my friend,” Beckett says plainly but territorially. As if there wasn’t enough room for Donnelly to be friends with him and me at the same time.
Beckett looks away like he can’t meet my eyes.
Hurt lances my throat. Unearthed tension from an unknown origin winds around the room, and then Beckett leaves for the kitchen. Which isn’t out of eyeshot from the living room, so I have a superb view of Beckett’s back as he opens the fridge.
Charlie looks between Tom and Eliot, then shakes his head. He walks to the front door, duffel over his shoulder, without another word.
Every new piece of information feels destructive, and I’m starting to wonder if it’s safer to not go digging at all. Then again, I’m done playing it safe.
I help Eliot clean the floor, and then I say, “Let’s restart the We Are Calloway marathon.”
DONNELLY’S DAILY PLANNER
SATURDAY, DEC 15TH
Today’s Focus: Bass fun. Protecting the Elf comes first tho. Also, protect her. (Are you her Number Three Protector?) Make sure no nerdy types hit on my space babe with their magic swords and whatnot. It’s Fanaticon Convention Day, bitch.
To Do:
Ice-cold shower in the hotel room. Freezing my balls off these days. (Still trying to wait before we do the deed)
Registration. Stay alert. Lots of ppl at these things.
Panels? Vendor halls? Whatever the Hales wanna do.
Look out for Quinnie & Frog if they need a hand.
Late-night convention parties? Up to X & his sister.
Wait up for the boss man’s call. (He said he and Price came up with an agreement, deal, something. Just know it involves me.)
Notes: Flight to San Fran was long but got a good audiobook in (“Neuromancer” by William Gibson—Luna’s rec). Quinn + Frog bickered most of the way there. Learned she’s still hanging out with Scooter. WTF.
Good thing: passed my pysch eval. Knew I would. Didn’t take Farrow’s advice but a guy’s gotta do what he has to do. Heard all of SFO passed it but Thatcher. Happy for Froggy.
Sad thing: Xander was jittery the whole flight. Not flying jitters. My Elf is nervous about being *seen* at a big Con and not having his wingman Easton around. Pumped him up a bit. Xander’s dad & Lily are counting on me to keep their baby birds safe. Won’t let ‘em down.
Also! Luna looked like she wanted me to fuck her on the plane. No cap. Then she suggested we join the mile high club. (Been there. Wish I could be there *with her*.) I’m putting on a masterclass in restraint, if I do say so. Bc no, we did not fuck.
Meals: Hotel food ftw.
Water: H2O is for hoes. And I’m the biggest hoe here.
Question of the Day: Is Luna’s sex drive higher? (not complaining tho) Why does the Cobalts’ private jet smell like potato chips?
44
PAUL DONNELLY
“This was such a fucking bad idea,” Xander says anxiously in his hotel room. He’s half-dressed, sitting on the bed in acid-washed jeans and fighting with a long-sleeved Beneath a Strong Sentiment shirt I bought him. “Moffy couldn’t come because he could have a baby any second now. Easton is grounded for doing nothing. And Kinney is mad I’m here and she’s not.”
I’m leaning on the dresser, letting him vent. “No one has noticed you yet. Got through the hotel unseen.”
“Barely.” He yanks the shirt on, then shows me his phone.
I come closer and see a very blurry pic of Xander waiting for an elevator in the hotel lobby. He has on a hoodie and a baseball cap. Someone posted it to the WAC forum on Fanaticon.
“Doesn’t look like you,” I tell him. “You look like this guy I knew who held up the Quickie-Mart.”
Xander almost smiles. Damn, almost got him. “Whoever’s on Fanaticon will know I’m here, Donnelly—and this is a Fanaticon Convention.”
“You go on Fanaticon forums a lot?”
He shrugs. “More when I decided I’d go to the Con.”
Yeah, about that… “You don’t even like Bass,” I mention.