Never Doubt Me: Judge Me Not #2(50)

“Dude, what the hell?” he yells. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? Or do you just make it a habit to walk into rooms like you own the goddamn place?”

I arch an eyebrow.

“Oh, right,” he says. “Guess you do kind of own the place.”

“No ‘kind of’ about it,” I snort.

Despite our five seconds of banter, Will’s behavior is a tad sketchy. It’s not like him to get all worked up about me coming into his room.

So I ask, “Why are you so concerned with me knocking first? You got something you’re trying to hide?”

I don’t think he’s been using these past several days, but you never know.

“I’m not hiding any drugs, if that’s what you’re asking,” he replies.

I nod once and decide to take him at his word—for now. “Okay,” I quietly say.

A moment of tense silence descends, enveloping the two of us, until Will laughs and says, “All I was trying to say, bro, was what if I’d been jacking off or something?”

I roll my eyes. “Good point. Next time, I’ll knock.”

“So, what’s up?” Will asks, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He starts to tug a pair of low-hanging jeans he finds crumpled at the base of his bed up over his boxers.

“There’s a big fair over in the next county. Kay and I are going to check it out.” I toss what appears to be a clean T-shirt in Will’s direction when I see him scanning the floor for clothes. “What do you say, little bro? You up for spending the day riding some amusement park rides and eating a shitload of greasy fair food?”

Will tries to play it cool, as usual, but the smile he tries to hide lets me know he likes the idea.

“Yeah, sure,” he says. He pulls the T-shirt I threw him over his head. “And maybe I can learn how to milk a cow, something I’m sure might someday be useful.” He rolls his eyes.

“Hey, smart-ass, you never know when shit like that could come in handy,” I deadpan.

Will laughs, and then he pretends to be milking a cow. Like the hormonal kid that he is, he quickly turns it into something sexual.

“Hey, Cass might appreciate a skill like this,” he says as he tilts his head and pretends to be sucking on a make-believe udder.

“You, my friend,”—I point at him, try to keep from laughing—“are one sick pup,”

Wills cracks up, but then his expression grows serious.

He rubs a hand down his face. “If I go with you and Kay, would it be okay if Jared tagged along?”

Will knows I am currently not the biggest Jared fan around. But since Will has kept his promise—he hasn’t done any drugs for days—I decide to cut him some slack. After all, I did promise him I’d think about letting up on the no-Jared rule.

Shrugging, I say, “Sure, give him a call.”

Will’s brows shoot up. “Really?”

“Yeah, really. He can come with us.” I turn and start toward the door. “But we’re leaving in an hour,” I call back over my shoulder, “so make sure Jared’s here by then. Tell him we’ll leave without him.”

“You will not,” Will says.

I swing open the door. “Maybe we’ll leave without you, too,” I retort, completely in jest. And before Will can respond, I continue teasing. “That’d be a shame, too, since then you’d never learn that milking technique. Poor Cassie.”

Will throws some article of clothing my way and yells, “And I’m the sick one, bro?”

I duck out the door, laughing, before his cotton projectile makes contact.



A couple of hours later, the four of us are making our way down the crowded midway at an expansive fairground in the next county. Kay and I are in the lead, walking slowly, with Will and Jared lagging a few feet behind.

“Guess they’re too cool to be seen with us,” Kay whispers, leaning into me.

I drape an arm around her shoulder. “Yeah, probably,” I reply.

But then I reconsider. Kay is wearing really short denim shorts and a red shirt that she informed me earlier is something called a “baby-doll tee.” The whole outfit is hot as f*ck, and I have a feeling that’s why my brother and his friend are hanging back.

So, I amend, “Hate to break it to you, but I think the boys might be checking out your ass.”

“Chase!” Kay elbows me.

I chuckle. But just in case I’m right and those two hormonal teenage motherf*ckers are indeed ogling my woman, I turn my head and shoot a warning glare over my shoulder.

They don’t even notice me. Will is too busy saying to Jared, “Dude, quit staring. That shit’s just wrong. You do realize Kay is probably going to be my sister-in-law someday, right?”

I smile. Will’s got it right, except for one thing. There is no “probably” about it. I will be definitely be making the beautiful woman at my side my wife. Of that, I have no doubt.

I glance over at Kay. She’s blushing, surely because she heard Will’s statement.

I lean down and place my lips near her ear. “He’s right, you know?” I pause. “That is, if you’ll have me.”

Kay, keeping things light since we’re in the middle of a crowded fairground, replies in an exaggerated Scarlett O’Hara voice. “Why, I do declare, Chase Gartner. Is that a proposal I hear?”