That did it. I couldn’t move in with him. I’d have to tell him.

  He wasn’t in the living room or in the kitchen when I left the bedroom, so okay. I checked my phone. No text or message. I looked around. No note left behind.

  I brewed coffee. I made toast, ate some fruit, and after that, I waited.

  Zeke would come back, maybe expect me to be packing, but I’d tell him then. That I wasn’t moving in with him. That it was foolish for me to do that.

  I was unpacking the hallway closet when the front door burst open.

  “We’re here, and tadaa!” Something thumped on the table.

  I moved my head, peaking around the pile of blankets. “Zeke?”

  “Hey. Yeah. What are you—hold on.” He took the pile from me, and glancing around, began to put them on one of the stacks of boxes. As he was doing this, a bunch of guys were filing into my apartment behind him.

  One guy walked in, calling out, “Allen—”

  Zeke pushed the pile of blankets into the guy’s arms. “Here.”

  “What?” The guy’s head popped around them.

  “Take those downstairs.”

  “Zeke—”

  But Zeke was already turning and heading my way, some papers in his hands. He held them up for me. “Got you out of your lease.”

  My lease?

  But, I was distracted. Some guys began grabbing boxes and carrying them right back downstairs. One guy stopped and flashed me a smile. “Hey, Ava.”

  Swear, my knees went weak, but it was Blaise DeVroe. Millions of female knees went weak at just the sight of him. He went into the kitchen, and I heard cupboards being opened.

  I was gawking, totally gawking. “What—who are all these people?”

  Zeke was giving me a patient but also indulgent smile. “I saw that.”

  “Saw what?”

  “My best friend.” He pointed to my stomach. “Did he make your little tummy all fluttery?”

  “Oh, my God.” I groaned.

  He laughed, putting his arm around my shoulders, his side touching right next to my side. “Don’t worry. I’m not jealous. I’m very secure in my man-bromances with Blaise and Mason Kade. I’m aware of what a stud my best friend is.”

  “Shut. Up,” came from the kitchen, in a bored deadpan.

  Some of the guys who were still carrying what I’d packed snorted, but they never stopped working. A few guys started to grab boxes, ones that I had unpacked the day before and hadn’t gotten around to repacking, picked them up, realized nothing was in them, and started packing them.

  I was counting twenty guys. At least.

  “Look.” Zeke nudged me, his head indicating the papers in my hands.

  I looked, and then gawked all over again. “What?”

  They were my lease papers and I looked at the last one. CANCEL had been stamped over it.

  “Told you I could get you out of your lease.”

  “You called your lawyer friend?”

  “No. I didn’t need to. Once I looked up who owned this place, it was as good as done.”

  “Who owns it?”

  “My brother-in-law.”

  Another groan from the kitchen, and a shout, “Nate is my brother-in-law, you asswipe.” Blaise added a glare as he walked out from the kitchen, out the front door, carrying a box.

  Zeke shrugged. “I’m basically adopted into that entire family.”

  I needed a moment to fully process everything. Guys were walking all around us, and half my stuff was already outside. A couple others began lifting the heavy items as they came in, and they took the kitchen table out. The chairs were next. A whole group began talking about the best way to handle the couch, and I was almost in culture shock. Having help was not in my world. I was so used to doing everything for myself, on my own, for my mom, my grandmother, and now this? With Zeke? I’d barely done a thing, and most of the packing was already done.

  Everything I’d unpacked the morning was already in boxes and out of the apartment.

  Holy shit. So this was happening?

  I went to look out the patio door, and saw Zeke’s Jeep was being filled up, along with a U-Haul and another truck, that Blaise was shutting its front door. He looked up, saw me, and gave a wave before heading back inside.

  “Zeke.”

  I was remembering back to high school. I’d told Zeke that I had watched him back then, but I was sure he didn’t realize how much. Like when I’d waited on him and his friends at Manny’s, at the restaurant, the gas station, the pizzeria, all the places. I’d noticed him, and I’d watched. I’d never really been jealous. I didn’t like to feel that way, but I had been wistful at times. But Zeke had always scared me. He was big and mean and a fuck boy. Then Blaise had come to town, and Zeke started to change. Blaise brought out another side of Zeke. The changes were little at first, then bigger and bigger until they were past high school, into their college years. And when Zeke would come into Manny’s on their holiday breaks, he was almost a different guy. I mean, still Zeke, but…not at the same time.

  My throat was swelling up because I hadn’t fully processed exactly who Zeke was, and him coming into my life. Roommates. Sex. He’d been wonderful after the funeral, before the funeral, and now this? I couldn’t comprehend this.

  My head was down, folding over. I said again, “Zeke…”

  “Hey.” Zeke pulled me to the side, then down and into my bedroom. His voice was soft, but his whistle was short and curt to the two guys inside. “Get lost.”

  They saw me and scrambled.

  Zeke shut the door then stood with his back to it. “What’s going on?”

  I didn’t know what to say, how to say it. “This is a lot, and I really appreciate it.” My voice was squeaking at the end, and the tears had slipped out. Gah. Tears. I hated them.

  “Hey. Hey, hey, hey.” He reached for me as he sat on my bed, pulling me into his arms and onto his lap. Reaching up, he brushed some of the tears away before cupping my face in both of his hands. “I’m not sure what this is about, but it’s all good. I sent out a call, and you’ll be moved into my place by this afternoon. The lease was no problem. Swear.”

  “I can’t move in with you. This is all, just so–this is all–”

  He frowned. “You don’t want to move in with me?”

  I opened my mouth but froze. Nothing was coming out.

  What was I doing? The ride. Plap. That’d be me, but he’d gone and gotten me out of the lease. He had people here. Half my place was already emptied out. He’d done this. All of this. And Jarrod. And being there with the move and my grandmum.

  I shook my head, whispering, “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

  “Oh. Ava.” He pulled me against him, smoothing a hand down my back. “You don’t have to do anything. Let me handle it. For real. I got this. I got people for this. I totally got this.” His head inclined. “And for the moving in, we can take it a day at a time? You’ll take the second floor. It’s all yours. I already called to get that cleared away for you. I mean, you’re kinda half doing this for me.”

  “What?”

  His grin was crooked. “I am a very lonely lonely guy.”

  I started laughing. “You’re right. You are.”

  “I so am. So you moving in is like doing me a favor.”

  The tightness in my chest began loosening up. Just a bit. “Well, when you put it like that…” My head was clearing a bit and I could think more clearly. This was my baggage. Accepting help. I was starting to get that. I lifted my head until I could touch my forehead to his. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  His smile turned soft. “Of course. Like I said, it’s no problem.”

  For him, it was no problem. He didn’t get it, didn’t know how I had grown up, but I didn’t want him to get it. That would bring extra concern for him, worrying about me, and I didn’t want to be anyone’s bother. “We’re really doing this, huh?”

  His hand moved up under my shirt, spreading out over my back. “Fuck yeah, we’re doing this. I called all your workplaces and they said you could have tomorrow off too. I was thinking to celebrate, let’s do a party tonight?”

  “Party?” I stiffened.

  He responded right away. “How about a small one? We gotta celebrate you moving in, and my boy is here. He gets like a month off, and with how his family is, I don’t know how much time we’ll get with him.”

  But a party? With all his friends?

  “What’s this about?” He gestured to my face, my frown.

  “I don’t know who to invite. I don’t have a lot of friends.”

  Zeke started laughing.

  “Hey.” I scowled at him.

  “No. It’s—Ava, if only you would realize that you have a lot of friends. You don’t know they’re your friends, but they consider you a friend.”

  “Oh.”

  “Leave the party planning to me?”

  I nodded. If anything, I could slip away and hide. That was more a me thing to do, but it was his house. Zeke wanted a party. I’d try for him. “That sounds a lot easier.”

  He started eyeing my shirt, his free hand moving from my leg to pulling it down an inch. “Hmmm. What are your thoughts on quickies?”

  My heart sped up. “I’ve actually never had one.”

  His eyes lit, and he picked me up. “Never?”

  He carried me over, locking the door.

  I shook my head. “Nope.” I had a feeling that was about to change as he hit the fan. He moved me so I was sitting on top of my desk, and he stepped between my legs. His eyes were all dark, and his mouth lowered to mine.

  That was when I also learned that Zeke really enjoyed making me scream when I was in a situation where I couldn’t scream. He was half laughing with his hand covering my mouth as he kept moving inside of me.

  I’d say by the end, I was going to enjoy more quickies.

  14

  ZEKE

  It was party time, and the small gathering was…more than small. I stopped counting when it hit in the fifties. Ava looked ready to faint. Which was cute to watch because her eyes had these little crinkle lines around them, and her mouth somewhat turned into fish-lips, which was fucking adorable. Her cheeks got a little pink at the top and pale in the middle. And then there was the whole thing where she didn’t know what to say or do, and she stood there, like she was frozen in the middle of oncoming traffic.

  I could watch her all day long, like right now as she was on the other side of the living room. She got backed into a corner when Blaise’s woman and Blaise’s brother’s woman arrived. They made a beeline for Ava and hadn’t left her side.

  There was another in that group, but I hadn’t seen Blaise’s sister show up.

  Ava was drinking and kept wetting her lips, which meant she was nervous.

  “She’s not a big socializer, huh?” Blaise asked, coming behind the bar and leaning against the counter with me. I’d decided to tend bar outside on the patio, with the doors pulled all the way open so the living room and kitchen was free flowing onto the backyard and pool area.

  I’d not done much bartending, to be honest. I’d been more fascinated watching Ava. She was like a reality show just for me. I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, but I also knew a better hunch was not to tell anyone. No one could judge me, and I couldn’t stop watching her.

  “She thinks she has no friends.” We’d gone over this already.

  I could feel my bro watch me. I gave him a sideways grin, still not taking my gaze off Ava.

  He asked, “And your idea to convince her otherwise was to throw a party?”

  “It’s a roommate-warming party.”

  “You stupid.”

  Now I looked at him, and half-glared, but also half-smirked because that was funny. “You dumb.”

  “You guys are fucking, right?”

  “Tact, buddy. Learn it,” I threw back, but I wasn’t going to get riled. That was Blaise’s specialty. In his heyday, he’d be up and in anyone’s face if he felt like it. He was an asshole, but in the best way. I dug it.

  “And you’re not smart. It’s her first night. What are you doing, throwing a party? Ava’s always been a loner. This is not her scene.”

  Well.

  Shit.

  He had a point.

  I tore my gaze away and tracked all the people. They were everywhere. I was pretty sure they were in the garage too, which I couldn’t blame them. I had some magnificent vehicles, ready for an obsessing audience. Which was why I had them, so people could worship them, because that was the whole point in creating and buying those beautiful pieces of machinery. There was another bar and more games in there as well.

  “You think I should invite the Kades? Are they in town?”

  Blaise was shaking his head. I could tell from the corner of my eye because I’d gone back to watching Ava. She was so cute.

  “Zeke.” A guy came up to the counter. “Are you serving drinks?”

  I ignored him.

  Blaise did too, saying to me, “For your mental health, I’m being a best friend here. Mason Kade does not like you.”

  I just grinned. “I’m wearing him down. We’ll be doing holidays with them.”

  “Allen. Hello.” The guy made a motion.

  Blaise rolled his eyes. I couldn’t see it, but I knew he did as he said, “You might want to start considering something’s wrong in your head.”

  “It’s all love, Brother.”

  “Guys! I want a drink.”

  We were three feet away from him.

  “Maybe we should go over there?”

  “To the Kades’ house? That would not be a good idea either.”

  “To Ava.” I gave him a look, my eyes flicking upwards. “Who’s the Kade-obsessed one now?”

  The guy said, “You guys are dicks.”

  Blaise turned on him. “There are like five fucking bars in this entire house, his house. Read the silence and go help yourself somewhere else.”

  The guy flicked him off before marching back into the house.

  I laughed. “Man, in college, you’d have that guy eating pavement after the first smart comment he made.”

  Blaise sighed. “You have to be extremely professional in my job. That would be unbecoming of me, especially if someone caught it on video. Also, how old are we?”

  I snorted. “Never too old for a fun beatdown.”

  He sighed. “I kinda miss those days. I’m only able to channel that into my playing. The coaches love it.”

  “And the fans.”

  “Them too.”

  We both shared a grin before I went back to my evening’s entertainment. Ava. And got a jolt. She was staring at me. I knew I wasn’t imagining the fear in her eyes. “I gotta go. My girl’s looking ready to panic. Again.”

  I took my beer, finished it in one gulp, and handed him my empty cup.

  Blaise made no move to take it, but I let it go as I started across to her.

  Behind me, Blaise cursed then laughed.

  15

  AVA

  I was learning that all those years in high school, there’d been a reason I worked. Other than needing money, and that was because I sucked at socializing. Literally. I’d felt Zeke watching me all night, so that was distraction number one. The other distractions: everything and everyone.

  I mean, it was all good things.

  I knew this wasn’t high school and a “mean girl” wasn’t going to come in and make fun of me. That wouldn’t happen with Aspen and Bren by my side, who I’d always liked in high school even though I didn’t get to know them that well. Well, Aspen. Bren, I knew her a little bit more. Bren was a protector. That’s how I thought of her, and when she and Aspen arrived at the party, they’d been trying to be casual, but also mixing in the questions between the normal conversation.

  How did this happen?

  How was I?

  Bren had made a point of being around after my grandmum’s funeral. Her sister-in-law owned Manny’s so it wasn’t a hardship for her to come in there, but I knew she came in a lot more when I was working. She cared. I knew she did. She did the usual, asking how I was, etcetera, but she watched me too. I knew she cared. I knew my bosses cared. What Zeke said, I knew people cared, but I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Extreme low self-esteem? Was that it? Or no. It was family stuff. It was because when my dad left, when my mom lost her legs, we were in crisis mode.

  Crisis mode. I didn’t think I was in it anymore.

  Or was I? Did I need to plan accordingly once Zeke got bored with me? Probably, but… I couldn’t bring myself to go there. I gave him a look now because he’d not stopped watching me all night, and it was having an effect on me. I was flustered, nervous, awkward, and feeling oddly shy all at the same time. And tongue-tied. Or was that the same thing? Probably the same thing. I’m sure it was.

  Bren and Aspen were talking about someone I didn’t know when Zeke glided over.

  “Ladies.” He gave everyone a smooth smile. “You called, my new roommate?”

  I frowned. “I did?”

  “Your look. It said, ‘help me.’” His smile grew. “I’m helping. Whatcha need?” He looked at my drink, and an eyebrow rose. “Another drink maybe?”

  “What?” I was mortified, thinking Aspen and Bren would think I needed his help to get away from them. I didn’t. I didn’t know what I was doing, but his other question threw me, and I looked down. I didn’t even know what I was drinking. I hadn’t had a sip of it.

  “Come on. Let’s go.” He reached for me, taking the cup first and handing it to Bren.

  She gave him a look. “Excuse me?”

  He only smiled. “You don’t have a drink. Take it. You can loosen up a little.”

  Oh, boy. Bren beat people up for a living. I did not want to mess with her, and when her mouth dropped before she started to get all scarily calm-looking, I darted forward, grabbing Zeke’s hand. “Uh. Yeah. Maybe… yeah. Another drink?” I shoved him forward, smiling uneasily over my shoulder at Bren and Aspen behind me. Though, Aspen had her head in her hand and her shoulders were shaking so I didn’t think it was as bad of a situation as I thought.