Greek (Palm South University)

I frown. “But I—”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll work it out with Henry.”

Henry my boss, she means.

“You’ve been working your ass off and you deserve it.”

My head is spinning a little — first from the idea she put in my head about my own company, and now from this. “Um… I guess if you’re sure.”

“I am. And remember what I said about the confidence thing?” She smacks my ass with her towel. It’s playful, along with the grin on her face, but I admit it makes me a little uncomfortable. “Stop acting like you’re surprised when I tell you how great you are. It’s kind of annoying.”

I smirk, but don’t have anything to say in response.

“See you at the office,” she says, and then she grabs her water bottle and struts away toward the locker rooms.

Every guy she walks by has to fight not to watch.

Ninety percent of them lose.

My thoughts are still whirring when I pack up my own gym bag and head out of the gym. I pull my phone out to call Erin back, and that’s when I see the text from Skyler.

I know you have plans on Halloween, but are you free the night after?

I could really use a Bear Hug.

My chest aches. Skyler and I haven’t had the chance to hang out much, what with her in her last semester as president and finishing up school, and me working and focusing on my new relationship with Erin.

I’ve got a big one with your name on it, I type back.

Her only response is a heart emoji, and I make a mental note to pick up burritos from her favorite spot off campus on my way to see her.

Once the text is sent, I call Erin back, and count down the hours until she’s in my arms again.

THIS MIGHT BE MY most boring Halloween costume to date.

Blame it on the fact that it’s my first Halloween out of college, or that I’m exhausted from work and didn’t have time or creative energy to think of something better, or perhaps that I have no idea what I’m walking into tonight — or what I want to walk into — but this year, I’m a classic witch.

My long, blonde hair is curled and flowing over my shoulders, the highlights fresh and bright under the black pointy hat on my head. My makeup is dark and fierce — smokey eyeshadow, long, fake lashes, black glittery lips. The dress I picked for my witchy vibe is an old black sequin one that I wore on New Year’s Eve one year. I shredded the bottom of it, ripping it in triangle strips of different shapes, sizes, and lengths, and I ripped holes in the midriff and chest area for good measure. Wide fishnet leggings and pointy-toed high-heeled boots finish the look — along with a broomstick I paid some kid two condo doors down to spray paint and glitterfy.

And while I didn’t aim for sexy, as I usually do, I think I landed there, anyway.

It’s classic and simple, but the darkness of it matches my mood completely.

I’m fixing my lipstick when my phone lights up with a text from Kade.

Have fun tonight.

My stomach tightens at the words because I know he’s not saying them genuinely. I know there’s a bit of jealousy underlining them, a bit of worry, a bit of unmanageable rage at the fact that he has to share.

I wonder how he doesn’t already hate me — how they both don’t. Ever since Jarrett confessed he still had feelings for me, the two of them haven’t so much as talked, let alone been in the same room.

I’ve driven brothers apart, and what’s worse are the head games I know I’m submitting them to.

I should just let them both go. I should tell them that they’re better off without me, that they’ll both move on and find someone better. Because I don’t see a single way this can end where someone won’t get hurt.

And yet, I can’t let them go.

I groan, typing back a response before I slump down in the barstool at the kitchen island. “I’m the fucking worst,” I mutter to myself.

My phone rings again, and this time, it’s Herb downstairs.

Jarrett’s here.

I tell Herb not to send him up, that I’ll be right down, and then I stand as tall as I can in front of the full-length mirror by the front door.

“Okay, bitch. This is the night. You figure out what the hell you’re doing and either choose Jarrett or cut him loose. No hanky-panky, okay?” I say to myself, making a peace sign and drawing a line between my eyes and the girl’s in the mirror. “It hasn’t even been a month since you fucked Kade. Don’t be a whore.”

I swear, I see the girl in the mirror wink before I turn for the door.