Bad Intentions (Bad Love #2)(16)

“What about you? You doing all right?”

Ash’s head is down, eyes on the floor, and he nods his answer. We don’t usually do this whole girl-talk thing, but I feel it’s my duty to check in on him every now and then. Especially since his dad passed a couple of years ago. They, like most families, had a dysfunctional relationship, and I know he feels guilty for how things went down at the end. I never met my parents—have no idea if they’re alive or dead—but regardless, we’re in the no parent club together.

Logan laughs at something Briar says, catching my attention. She tosses her head back, laughing loud and unfiltered, just like her. She sits surrounded by all my friends, completely at ease, and if you were on the outside looking in, you’d probably guess that they were lifelong friends and I was the outsider.

“What’s up with you and that one?” Ash says, flicking his chin in Logan’s direction.

“That…was the distraction.”

“It’s like that?” Ash asks, his eyebrows rising.

“It’s not like anything. She came in looking for a job, then she gave me a ride home when my truck was at the shop. She’s Henry’s kid,” I add.

“No shit? I didn’t know Henry had a kid.”

“That’s what I said. He’s got two, apparently. I don’t think they’re close, though.”

“Do we know anyone with normal parents anymore?”

“A few, maybe.” I shrug. “I think it’s more normal to be fucked up these days.”

“We’re normal as fuck then.”

“Agreed.”

Dash walks over with three bottles of beer in hand, sitting on the couch on the other side of me, then sets a bottle in front of each of us.

“So, who’s the new girl?” he asks in a hushed tone.

“Dare’s distraction,” Asher answers.

“Would you shut the fuck up? I liked you better when you were miserable.”

Adrian approaches, nudging Dash, making us all move down, and then we’re all four crammed onto one couch.

“Sutton looks pretty fucking hot tonight,” Adrian says, not bothering to lower his voice.

“I can hear you,” Sutton deadpans, and Logan tries and fails to smother her smile, shaking her head at Adrian.

“All right,” I say, slapping both palms against the tops of my knees before standing. “This is a little too close for me.”

“We’re out,” Cam announces, lifting River into his arms before wrapping a blanket around her. “Congrats, again, Bry.” He gives Briar a hug, and she kisses River’s cheek. Mollie hugs her, too, and Briar thanks them for coming. Cordell decides to catch a ride with them, too.

Mrs. Vale stands and makes her way to the hook that holds her coat and purse. “It’s getting late. I should be getting back to the hotel. Dashiell, will you be sleeping here?”

“You’re both welcome to stay, Mom,” Briar says. “You don’t have to go.” Briar shoots a helpless look toward Asher, and the rest of us take that as our cue to give Briar and her mom some privacy.

I go to take a piss while everyone else heads toward the kitchen. When I come out, Mrs. Vale is gone. Sutton is standing in between Dash and Adrian, Ash and Briar are still in the living room, huddled closely on the couch, speaking in hushed tones. And Logan? She’s sitting back at the kitchen table fucking with her phone, staring at it like it’s a Rubik’s Cube that she can’t solve.

“Having trouble there?” I ask, taking a seat next to her. She tosses her phone into the bag at her feet with an annoyed expression.

“I was trying to figure out this music app my brother downloaded, but technology is not my friend.”

“That’s refreshing. Most girls’ phones are an extension of them.”

“Not this girl. I don’t even know where it is half the time.” She laughs before something across the room catches her attention. “Which one do you think is interested? I can’t tell.” I follow her gaze to see that she’s focused on the Sutton sandwich.

“My bet is on both. It’s kind of their thing.” I watch her carefully to see her reaction.

“You mean, like…” Lo pauses and looks between them, putting the pieces together.

“Yep. They’ve been known to share from time to time.”

“Well, all right,” she says before lifting her beer to her lips.

“Does that make you uncomfortable?”

“Not even a little. If they’re all on the same page, why not? Everyone’s always so worried about what other people will think,” she says, throwing me off. I never know what this girl is going to say, and it intrigues me. She intrigues me.

“Is that something you’re into?”

“Nah,” she says, lifting a shoulder, her finger circling the rim of her bottle. “Not my thing.”

“What is your thing?” I ask. I shouldn’t ask. Not because it’s too forward, but because I’m almost afraid of her answer. If she gets specific, I know I won’t be able to get the image out of my head. She licks her lips, her finger pausing its movement.

“I don’t know. I have lots of things.”

Her eyes fall to my hand that’s wrapped around my beer bottle, practically white-knuckling it from the sudden sexual tension.