Keep
When he wasn’t mauling his wife.
Which was at least ninety percent of the time.
I let my head fall against the countertop. “Clothes are like bondage.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Alec said quietly.
Demetri choked out a curse then started gagging. “Please don’t talk about my sister-in-law like that—I saw Fifty Shades. I know how it ends, Gray.”
“We don’t have time to reenact Fifty, guys,” Jay was dressed and ready to go for the day. “We have to be on set in ten, and you three”—he pointed at me, Alec, and Demetri—“go to the studio. Write gold. Make it award worthy.”
I had the sudden need to shrink into my seat.
“Only if he puts on a shirt.” Demetri pointed at me. “I find his nakedness offensive.”
I snorted. “More like you find my six-pack offensive. Most guys do.”
“Dude.” He lifted his shirt.
“Oh goodie, a pissing match.” Linc looked heavenward.
“There’s too much testosterone.” Dani yelled while Pris came into the room and rolled her eyes.
Pris and Dani linked arms.
“You know what we need?” Dani said to the room.
All talking ceased.
She grinned in my direction. “A girl to even the odds. You’re the last man standing, Zane…”
“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “No. Hell. NO.”
“Blind dates!” Demetri shouted. “We could film it and—”
“No!” I roared. “I’m not going on blind dates, are you guys insane? I’ve been knifed before! By a fan! With a real knife!”
“She wanted to make a blood sacrifice,” Jay whispered and shivered.
“Oh, look at the time.” I stood. “I’ll just grab that shirt.” I tried not to sulk as I went into the room that wasn’t really mine and grabbed the first shirt closest to me.
“Hey…” Dani’s soft voice floated into the room.
I hesitated, then put the shirt over my shoulders and turned, pulling it down. “Hey, yourself.”
“I’m sorry.”
I pressed my lips together and stared out the window, gathering my thoughts. “For?”
“Pressuring you.” I sensed her walking over to me and then felt her hand on my shoulder. “I just…I worry about you, that’s all.”
“You and everyone else in this dysfunctional group of crazy.” I hung my head. “But, Dani, I’m fine.”
“You’re lonely.”
I frowned. “No offense, but you’ve known me two months, Dani.”
“Doesn’t matter though, does it?” She bit down on her lip and then crossed her arms. “Because truth is truth.”
“Yeah.” My voice cracked. “Truth is truth.”
“Just…think about branching out…maybe actually going out to dinner once a week instead of holing up in the house with the lights off and windows locked.”
I smirked. “You make me sound crazy.”
“I found you with a half-eaten bag of marshmallows two nights ago, you were spooning one bag and moaning.”
“To each his own, Dani girl.” I winked.
“I’m terrified for the girl you end up with.”
“What? Why would you say that?”
“You’re a virgin, and you’re the most sexually charged dude I’ve ever met in my entire life.”
I froze. Because ever since that conversation a few months ago where I’d confessed one of my dirty little secrets, we hadn’t discussed it.
“Yeah, well…” Why was I embarrassed? No, wait…that feeling wasn’t embarrassment, it was…confusion. “I’ll be sure to take it easy on her.”
“You walk around naked twenty-four seven. That’s hardly taking it easy on us, and we’re your friends.”
“You’re welcome?” I offered, then pulled her in for a tight hug. “Okay serious Full House talk is over, the music stopped playing, we hugged, and I’ve learned my lesson. Time for work.”
“Wait!” Dani laughed. “Am I DJ?”
“Eh, you’re more annoying.” I shrugged and then patted her head. “Like Michelle.”
“Which makes you?”
“Aw, sweetheart…It should be obvious. I’m Uncle Jesse.”
She burst out laughing.
“Come on, give Uncle Jesse a hug.”
“Go to hell.”
“Love you too, Dani.”
Chapter Four
Fallon
“STOP SCREAMING!” I HUSHED Maggie with my hand. “You’re going to attract attention…people…Seagulls!”
She jerked away from me, her expression one of complete exasperation. “What is with you and birds?”
“Never mind!” I shivered and shoved my hands in my jean pockets. What had possessed me to tell her about meeting Zane? No idea. Maybe it was the fact that I was a horrible liar, and when she saw the scratch on my glasses she started asking questions. Had I run into a tree? Gotten hit by a car? Tripped over my own feet? Okay, fine so all of the above have at least happened to me once, in my life, but that wasn’t the point.
The point was, when I opened my mouth, I wasn’t fast enough with my lie, and Maggie had known me since we were in first grade, meaning she saw right through me.