That Secret Crush (Getting Lucky #3)(83)

“You know, you could always ask Harper. I bet she knows everything since she’s one of Eve’s best friends.”

“She would never tell me anything. Girl code.” I also asked her a few days ago, but she laughed in my face and then walked away. When I asked Rogan to help me out, he basically said he liked sex and wanted to make sure he always got it. He wasn’t about to cross Harper. So much for bloodlines.

“True, those girls are really close.” He taps around on his phone and then pauses, reads something, and barks out a laugh, the sound echoing off the walls of the open garage. “Oh fuck, I think this is the best thing I’ve ever seen on the Hen Line.”

Dread instantly fills me. I just know it has something to do with me. “What?”

“So I anonymously called, asking for information on Eve’s new fling, and it was posted . . . and all the comments are basically telling you to get a life.”

“What?” I rip the phone from his hand and scan the comments.

Nice try, Reid.

If you’re so concerned with who Eve’s dating, you should never have broken up with her.

I guess the Knightly curse really is true, but I thought it doomed you to broken love, not to becoming a complete and total idiot. #TeamEve

“Team Eve? Seriously?”

“Keep reading.” Brig laughs.

He might have the biggest penis in Port Snow, but he definitely has the smallest brain.

“Hey, that one is fucking rude,” I say.

Brig peers over my shoulder and pats me on the back. “At least they’re saying you have a big penis. Read two down from that one.”

I read it out loud. “‘Who are you kidding, Reid? You totally got Brig to post this and are probably bugging him to find out the answers. Leave Brig alone. He’s one of us, and we protect our own.’” I shake my head and hand the phone back to him. “I stand by my statement: the Hen Line is idiotic.”

“Don’t hate because you were called out. Respect the gossip; respect the game.”

“I’m seriously going to emancipate myself from you.”

“What?” he calls out as I walk away. “That’s not even a thing!”



I glance around the manor, taking in the CONGRATULATIONS banners, the smiling faces, and the pink decorations—all for the one girl I can’t seem to stop looking for.

Eve graduated.

And instead of taking her out to dinner, celebrating just the two of us, I got a secondhand invitation from Harper to attend her graduation party. Talk about a blow to the heart. I know how hard she’s been working to earn this degree, and I can’t even celebrate the way I truly want to. I can’t spoil her; I can’t make her a special meal and spend the night making love to her, letting her know just how proud I am of her.

And I only have myself to blame.

To top it all off, it seems like everyone in town is here, making my pursuit to congratulate Eve that much more difficult.

Graduation presents are stacked off to the side, a buffet of food made by Eric flanks the far wall in the ballroom, and music is lightly playing through the new speaker system Rogan had installed when he was renovating. It’s everything I would have planned for Eve if she were my girlfriend, but Harper planned the entire event instead—without an ounce of help from me.

I don’t think I could possibly feel worse about myself at this point.

“Hey, when did you get here?” Griffin says, sidling up next to me, drink in hand.

“A few minutes ago.” My eyes continue to scan the ballroom. “Have you seen Eve?”

“Yeah, and she looks damn good. Ren helped her get ready earlier.” Griffin pats me on the back. “I love you, bro, but you’re a goddamn idiot for breaking up with her.”

Can always count on my big brother to make me feel so much better about myself.

“Well, you’re a fucking ray of sunshine,” I say, looking him up and down. “If you want, I can whip my dick out and you can stomp on that too—put me out of my misery.”

“You know, there’s just something about stomping on another man’s dick that doesn’t appeal to me, but want me to ask Rogan if he’s interested?” Griffin jabs a thumb behind him.

“Fuck off.” I start to walk away when Griffin chuckles and pulls on my shoulder.

“She’s over in the kitchen, talking with Avery.” Shit, Avery’s here? When did she get into town? I’m sure Eve has filled her in on every idiotic move I’ve made over the last few months. “Don’t say anything stupid,” Griffin adds, probably seeing the way the wheels in my head are turning.

“Pretty sure I’ve said way worse at this point.”

After shucking my brother off me, I head toward the back of the manor and into the beautifully renovated kitchen. Marble counters, white Shaker cabinets, industrial-grade appliances, everything top of the line. I wouldn’t mind cooking in there. When I peek around the corner, I find Eve leaning against the counter and chuckling at something Avery just said. Her hair hangs around her shoulders in sultry waves, and she’s wearing a bright-red, flowy dress and a matching red lipstick that makes me ache for her lips.

I’m not surprised in the least that Avery is here. Even though their friendship has been mostly conducted over the phone now that Avery’s living in New York, they still make a point to talk to each other at least once a week. I know this because one time I’d just given Eve a mind-blowing orgasm, but her phone rang, and she took the call, insisting she couldn’t miss a call from Avery.