Nothing Less

een mourning the end of my relationship with Dakota. I understand why Nora felt embarrassed and angry. I would feel the same way if I was ignored, but it’s not like I was upsetting her on purpose. I still can’t believe someone like Nora would even give me the time of day, and yet she did; and somehow I managed to mess that up, too.

“Maybe I should just stay away from both of them. Being single isn’t so bad.”

I close my eyes and consider this. Maybe I should be alone. Someone like me is good alone. I already have too many people to worry about. Tessa, my mom, my baby sister (who will be here in just a few weeks), Hardin, Dakota . . . Can I add another name to the list?

“Being single fucking sucks, dude,” Hardin chimes in. “Trust me, it fucking sucks.”

I open my eyes and look at him. “You could have lied to make me feel better.”

“Nope. I cannot tell a lie.” He raises his hand into the air as if he were swearing into the military.

This makes me laugh. “Liar.”

He shrugs and wears a wicked smile. “I’ve turned over a new leaf.”

•  •  •

A few hours later, Hardin returns from a meeting that he won’t tell me anything about. He says he’ll fill me in next week, when they call him with a follow-up. I’m curious, but part of me doesn’t want to know anything that I’ll just have to hide from Tessa anyway.

Thinking that I have to work in the morning, I start to wonder what Hardin’s dinner plans are, and just as the thought crosses my mind, he walks into my room, without knocking.

“I’m going to eat; want to come?” He smacks his hand against my foot.

Before I sit up, I ask him where he’s going.

“The Lookout,” he says matter-of-factly.

“Tessa works there,” I remind him.

He shrugs his broad shoulders. “I know.”

Okay . . . ?

“She’s keeping her distance from you for a reason. I don’t think—”

He holds up a hand to interrupt me. “Look, I’m going whether you come or not. I just wanted to be nice and invite you. I know she works there, and I want to go. I’m going. Are you coming or not?”

I groan and roll off my bed. “Fine. But that Robert guy works there, the one who—”

“I know who he is. Even more reason for me to go.”

The thing about Hardin is that when he makes up his mind, his mind is made up.

Wow. The thing about me is that I’m great at explaining things.

Seeing no other solution, I nod. “Let me put my shoes on.”

He looks at my clothes, his eyes moving up and down. “You’re wearing that? Doesn’t Nadia work there?”

“Yes, Nora works there. And, yes, I’m wearing this.”

If Nora is working, I highly doubt she’s going to speak to me anyway, and my clothes are comfortable. Not as slick as Hardin’s all-black ensemble, but at least my pants let my dick breathe, unlike his tight jeans.

•  •  •

Ten minutes later, I’ve changed into dark jeans and a plaid button-up shirt. My sleeves are short and my pants are a little too tight, but Hardin sat on the couch refusing to let me leave wearing “pajamas,” and I’m too hungry to argue anymore.