Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Every device in the room buzzed at once.
I turned my iPad over and read Topher’s apologetic message with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Tonight was the night I was going to confess my sin, apologize, and hopefully reach a mature understanding. I loved my friends, and the idea that I’d done anything to jeopardize their trust had been eating at me for days. This was going to be my opportunity to set things right. And now…
“Let’s get started. Topher can read Ash’s notes later,” Tommy said, pulling me from my miserable reverie.
“Right. Okay.” I sat in the midcentury knockoff chair beside the sofa and cleared my throat, then recited our traditional intro, adding, “I, Asher Fitzgibbons, acting secretary of the Script Club, hereby call to order this meeting. Our itinerary is rather short tonight. There are three pressing items. A, we have a plunger crisis in the upstairs bathroom. B, our very good-looking neighbor on the next block asked if one of us might be willing to tutor his eight-year-old son. That’s a no for me. Hot dad or not, that child is a small demon. And C, the roommate ad has been posted. We’ll need to be ready to interview appropriate candidates.”
“As the lone resident of the first floor, the plunger issue is all yours, boys.” George snorted. “I’m not available for tutoring either, and as for the roomie, where did you post the ad?”
“Um…on the campus housing directory. I think.”
My friends treated me to a three-way puzzled stare.
“You think?” George repeated.
“Uh, no…I’m certain, but no one has responded yet,” I replied quickly.
“Okay. Well, Holden, Ash, and I can chip in for a plunger,” Tommy piped in. “I just picked up a third teaching gig at Caltech this summer, so happily…I won’t be tutoring the demon either. And…when exactly is Topher moving?”
Conversation hummed around me. Someone mentioned going to the hardware store tomorrow before the discussion turned to the kid’s latest prank involving silly-stringing random mailboxes shut.
I nodded absently, tuning everyone out as I considered my options. I would not sleep until I got this off my chest. I could wait up for Topher or maybe meet him in the parking lot of the restaurant. I might have an audience, but maybe I deserved one. Maybe I—
My iPad slid off my lap and onto the rug with a thump. Three heads turned my way.
“Asher, are you okay?”
I jumped to my feet and held my hands high in surrender. “I’m guilty! I did it and I’m sorry.”
George raised a brow. “Sorry for what?”
“Everything. I can’t even claim that I wouldn’t do it again because I might. He’s very handsome and I couldn’t help myself. I know that makes me the worst person in the entire world. I hope you can forgive me.”
Tommy winced while George and Holden shared a bewildered sideways glance.
“What did you do?” Holden asked.
“I broke the sacred rule of brother code.”
George squinted. “Bro code?”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to make my eyes water. “Yes.”
Tommy sighed. “Asher, stop beating yourself up. Talk to Topher and—”
“Talk to me about what?”
Topher waltzed into the room with Simon, flashing the radiant grin of a man wildly in love. His curly brown hair was mussed, his glasses were slightly askew, and his swollen “I just made out with my boyfriend” lips matched Simon’s. I cast a quick glance their way, thinking for the umpteenth time that they made a lovely couple. Simon was six foot five with dark hair, brown eyes, and chiseled features. And while he shared a faint family resemblance with his younger brother, George, Simon had the broad shoulders and jock aesthetic of a former pro athlete. He was a good guy, and he adored Topher.
So much for avoiding an audience.
I swallowed hard and met Toph’s gaze before blurting, “I had sexual relations with your former booty call.”
“My—who’s my booty call?” Topher’s brow creased in confusion.
I gnawed my lower lip. “Jake. But his real name is Blake.”
George hooted in amusement. “Oh, my God. That’s kind of priceless. I remember him. He was hot. Very, very hot.”
“Wait. What?” Simon growled, putting his hands on his hips.
“Was he the guy I saw you with at the market?” Holden asked, scratching his temple.
I nodded slowly, then filled them in on my adventures with Blake. No, I didn’t share every detail, but I did assure Topher that the sexy business wouldn’t happen again.
“We’re just friends,” I said in a rush. “That’s all.”
Topher smiled kindly. “Asher, I appreciate your honesty, but there’s no reason for you to feel so guilty. Jake—I mean, Blake and I weren’t boyfriends. We hardly knew each other.”
“I know, but—”
He held up a hand and shook his head. “Seriously. It’s been almost a year and gosh…I didn’t even know his real name or his real sport. He made me nervous.”