Capturing Peace (Sharing You 0.5)(16)

“Taken.” I reminded her when she gave Hudson a look I knew Erica would kill her for.

“Right. Well, you both have a good night.”

As soon as she was gone, I pointed at the door and glared at Hudson. “Married.”

“Eh.” He made a face like that fact had just made her lose all appeal.

“Exactly.”

“It’s not my fault they want this.” He said seriously and waved a hand down his body before busting up laughing.

“I don’t know how Erica puts up with you.” I turned and put my camera away before going to turn everything off.

“You know I wouldn’t do anything.”

“Yeah, and you and I both know she wants to chop your dick off every time you look at another girl. I fear for your life the day she sees you hitting on another chick.”

He sighed. “I don’t hit on them. Did you hear me trying to pick up on that girl at all? No. And she was asking for it. They want to look at me, I’m not going to stop them.”

I snorted. “All right. If that’s how you see it. Just ask Erica to give me time to get there to save your sorry ass before she decides to kill you one of these days. Come on, let’s go grab a beer.”

“Uh, actually . . . meeting up with my family at a restaurant tonight, but I stopped by because I wanted you to come. We haven’t talked much since you got out, and I figured after dinner we could chill and catch up.”

“Your family?” I stopped walking.

“Yeah. Knowing you, I bet you don’t leave your studio or condo except to get from one to the other. You’re probably eating nothing but ramen noodles. You probably only talk to the people whose photos you’re taking. And I just know you’re not sleeping. So I want you to come have actual food. Talk to people about other things . . . you know, normal night out.”

“Uh . . .” I still hadn’t moved from my spot. It’d been five days since Reagan came to my apartment. We’d talked every day, but I hadn’t seen her again since. “Is your sister going to be there?”

“Obviously.” Hudson shot me a weird look before understanding crossed over his face. “Swear to God, she won’t freak out on you or me this time. I’ll have you two sit at opposite ends of the table if it’ll be better.”

Which means she hadn’t told Hudson. Or her parents probably. And I wasn’t about to tell Hudson that his little sister had spent most of last Friday night in my apartment. Which made this even more awkward. “Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t go.”

“No, dude, I want you there. Erica hasn’t seen you in a couple weeks either and she’ll be there. Come on.”

With a defeated sigh, I shook my head and started walking out of my studio again. “All right. Let’s go.”

Reagan—August 25, 2010

I PULLED BACK from hugging Erica and looked behind her, my eyebrows pinching together in confusion. “Is Keegan not with you?”

“No, he came in a couple hours ago to hang out at his friend’s studio before dinner. So he’s meeting us here.”

My eyes widened, and I was glad Erica had turned to hug my mom so she wouldn’t notice my expression. I didn’t doubt she’d left Coen’s name out because of the way I’d reacted at lunch a couple weeks ago, and there was no way she could’ve known that I knew about Coen’s studio. Because she didn’t know about us hanging out.

No one did.

Keegan wouldn’t bring Coen with him, would he?

Of all the days for Parker to lose my phone in the apartment while it was on silent . . . why today?

“Mom, you okay?”

I looked down at Parker and plastered a smile on my face. “Of course I am. Why?”

He studied me for a second. I swear . . . six going on twenty. “You look scared.”

“I’m not scared, honey. Are you excited to see—”

“Uncle Keegan!” he shouted, and darted past me.

He won’t be here. He won’t be here.

“Duchess.”

Fuck, he’s here.

I turned and couldn’t figure out if I wanted to step away from him so no one would notice how badly I was craving him, or if I wanted to close the distance between us so I could feel the man whose warm voice had been the last thing to fill my world before I’d fallen asleep the last five nights.

“Have you not been getting my texts?” he asked hesitantly. “I tried warning you that I was coming.”

“Parker lost my phone in the apartment.”

I was losing the fight in staying away from him. My body was slowly inching closer to him, and it physically ached to keep my arms at my side instead of wrapping them around his waist.

How had this happened? Friday had been . . . well, it hadn’t been what I’d expected it to be when I’d gone over there. I hadn’t been expecting our kisses. I hadn’t been expecting to get so lost in him that I wouldn’t want to leave. But what I really hadn’t expected was for this arrogant man to somehow creep his way into my life to the point where I woke up excited for my morning texts from him. Or how I couldn’t wait for Parker to go to sleep at night because I knew I’d get to talk to Coen until I fell asleep.

“I know your brother doesn’t know . . . do your parents?”