Jack backed to the door, clapping his hands together, trying to brush off the moment. Really, he just needed to get out of there. “I’m gonna congratulate my brother.”
“Jack,” Brittany murmured, but Jack pretended not to hear and hurried downstairs into the thick of the party.
He wedged through packed hallways, then through those dancing to the DJ’s music. Damn, Pi Kap had really gone all out to celebrate the man of the hour. They’d even bought a keg, and there were far too many half-dressed girls here.
Through the doorway to the second living room, he glimpsed Marcus, a red plastic cup raised as he toasted the success to good friends and his brother. Jack pushed through the room just as Marcus tipped his drink to his lips. Marcus paused when he saw him, grinned, and raised his plastic cup once more before downing the lot.
He made a face afterward, and Jack mustered a small smile. This wasn’t really his scene, but Marcus deserved to let loose a little.
They moved to a corner of the room partially cordoned off by a bookshelf. “Thanks for coming down,” Marcus said.
“Nessa made it abundantly clear I had to or she’d have to grab my boy parts and drag me here.”
Marcus grinned. “You know she would.”
“In her dreams.”
“I don’t want your mug in any of her dreams.”
“Just yours, huh?”
“She’s really amazing,” Marcus said. “It feels so good being with her, you know—” He stopped himself saying more and shrugged.
Now Marcus was afraid to talk about Nessa because he was afraid Jack would feel worse? Not gonna happen.
He grabbed his brother’s shoulders. “You can’t worry about telling me how happy Nessa makes you. Really, this is the one bright spot in my life now. There is no one, myself included, I want to see happy more than you.”
“Thanks, bro.”
The smile and wink were genuine. He really was happy for Marcus. “Want a drink?”
“Sure.”
They had a couple together and hung out at the victory party well into the night. Twice Jack ducked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, using it as cover from Marcus to check his phone. Still nothing.
He shut the fridge door for a third time, jumping when Darren appeared behind it. The guy had both hands in his pockets and barely looked at Jack.
Jack twisted away.
“Wait,” Darren said.
“What?” Jack turned around, fists clenched, ready to shove the guy into the fridge if he had to.
Darren met his eyes and averted them toward their reflection in the kitchen window. “I… um… fuck.”
Jack frowned at the stooge. Alone, without Harper at his side, the guy looked all right. Looked like he might be decent, what with those deep gray eyes and uncertain tremor.
Billy and Seth chose that moment to burst into the kitchen. Their hollering stopped as they took in Jack and Darren there. Within the second, his friends were flanking Jack.
“Fuck off, Darren,” Billy said, crossing his arms and setting his jaw. Touched by the support, Jack patted Billy on the shoulder.
“It’s cool,” Jack said. “I got this.”
“Sure?” Seth asked at his other side.
“Yeah. Back up a bit?”
Billy and Seth moved away but didn’t leave the kitchen. Jack raised a brow at Darren, waiting for the guy to continue.
Darren looked at his friends over Jack’s shoulders. “You’ve got good friends.”
That was about the last thing he expected from the guy’s mouth. “Huh?”
Darren rushed on. “I’m sorry.”
This was so out of left field Jack didn’t know what the hell was going on.
Darren shifted his weight from foot to foot. “For what Harper did. It wasn’t right.”
Okay, that was the last thing Jack expected him to say.
With another hurried “sorry” Darren strode past Billy and Seth, out of the kitchen. The two guys raised equally inquisitive brows, and then a cell phone ding had Jack whipping out his phone again.
Marcus. Not Ed.
He sucked in the disappointment and headed for his brother.
Chapter Twenty
Ed: Parents are gone. Place so empty….
Jack: I have Marcus’s lacrosse game at 2.
Ed: Of course! Sounds like fun.
Jack: I need lunch first, though. See you in twenty?
“That’s a good reason to open the door.” Ed leaned on the doorjamb, one leg casually crossed over the other, gaze sweeping over Jack and the food bucket in his hands.
Jack shook the bucket. “Someone order wings?”
The sun caught the threads of gold in Ed’s light brown hair, and he smiled lazily. “You bet.” Ed moved to take the food, but Jack snatched it back.
“That’ll be twelve dollars and fifty cents plus delivery fee and tip.”
“I’ve got just the tip for the delivery boy.” Ed took the bucket from Jack’s arms and moved down the hall. Jack paused a moment, appreciating the view before following him to the basement den.
Jack dropped his bag behind the couch. “I thought about bringing a couple of beers, but the not being twenty-one presented a problem.”