Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
A part of me thinks maybe he suggested watching me to let me know he’s totally cool with it, but then there’s this other part that wonders if he really is interested.
What’s that about?
Me: No. And I’ll let you know when I do.
He’s probably still in class because my Systems Phys professor always ends class twenty minutes early because he gives zero fucks.
I plan to swing by the student center and grab one of their jumbo chocolate-chip cookies, so I’ll have it for my study time at the library. I would’ve grabbed it earlier this morning, like I normally do, but apparently thinking about my stepbro has distracted me enough to throw me off my routine.
En route, I head into the main courtyard and give Steve a quick call to see what’s up.
“Hey, bud,” Steve answers, asking about my day, telling me about the riveting chapter he just wrote at Starbucks earlier.
“That’s great,” I tell him. “Happy to hear it’s going well. I like these conversations more than the ones where you get stuck.”
“I’m learning that I’m a plotter, not a pantser. Can’t seem to figure my way out of a jam once I get myself into it. So how’s the car been since you got it back from the shop?”
“Running, fortunately,” I say with a laugh. “Troy took good care of me.”
“Glad to hear it. I’ll tell your mom when she gets home later. Speaking of…”
The way he says it, I know where this is going.
“…she said I should talk to you because you wouldn’t reschedule with Sarah.”
I grit my teeth. “I said I was busy. That’s all.”
“She told me what happened last time you had your scheduled chat, and she’s very sorry, but I can tell you she has been killing herself over this case. She’s hoping she can intimidate the defense to a plea, so it’s been all-consuming.”
It’d be more compelling if I hadn’t heard this before. “Yeah, and the last case was all-consuming, and the one before that, and the one before that, and I’m assuming the next one won’t be a cakewalk either.”
He grunts. “Yeah, I wish I could argue with you there.”
“I also can’t help noticing she’s not the one calling me right now. Sending you on her behalf. She’s even delegating her apologies.”
“Bud, I’m sorry. She thought you might prefer to talk to me about it, but I don’t want you to feel like I’m stepping in where I shouldn’t. I can tell Lauren that you would prefer to talk to her.”
Steve and Colin are so much alike—so considerate and thoughtful. After all these years, none of it has rubbed off on Mom? Really?
“Steve, I appreciate that you’re trying to keep Mom and me on good terms. I’m frustrated with her right now, but we’ll be fine. Maybe when she wraps up this case, we can have another therapy session.”
He chuckles. “I’m sure Lauren would appreciate that.”
He moves on to other subjects, and despite calling him on trying to smooth over my beef with Mom, I love that he cares enough to check in, unlike either of my biological parents. By the time we get off the phone, I’m near the library, so I head in. I’m halfway up the stairs when I realize I was supposed to swing by the student center for my cookie.
Fuckin’ A.
Oh well. I’m already on the fourth floor, so it’s a lost cause, but I text Colin.
Me: I forgot my cookie this morning. *sad emoji*
Me: Might have something to do with how you’ve had me thinking about you sitting in on my app time.
I’m sure he’ll get a laugh out of that when he gets out of class.
As I start through the fourth floor of the library, I notice a familiar face at the tables set up by the Literary Criticism shelves.
“Atlas?” I say as I approach.
He’s working out a problem, his textbook open next to him, and he glances up, offering a warm smile.
“Ah, hey, Ash.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in the library before.”
“I’ve been getting my ass kicked in Physics, so I’ve needed extra time to study. And Troy is distracting as fuck.”
“Yes he is,” I blurt out. “I meant, I…I…” I’m rebooting.
From what Colin’s told me, Atlas and Troy were getting together around the time I was making a fool of myself trying to get Troy to go out with me, and Atlas wasn’t exactly the friendliest with me, so in the times we’ve gotten together, I try not to talk about how hard his man used to make me.
But Atlas surprises me with a laugh. “It’s cool, Ash. I know how hot my T is, and I insist everyone knows it too. As long as you know he’s mine.”
His comment emphasizes how confident he is about what he and his stepbrother have. And it’s nice to see him smiling so big; from what I’ve heard about his and Troy’s family situation, it hasn’t always been so easy for him to smile.