Sweet (Landry Family 6)

Once he’s gone, it’s as if all the air in the room is momentarily sucked out with it. It takes a few seconds for us to regain our footing. It’s no secret that Lincoln and I butt heads from time to time, but it’s not easy for me to deal with a grown-ass man who plays golf randomly in the middle of the work week. Must be nice.

Ford looks at his watch. “All right, guys, I gotta go. I have a call in fifteen minutes.” He gets to his feet and glances at Troy. “Where are we meeting Holt Mason this afternoon?”

“Hilary’s House.”

“What’s going on with them?” I ask.

“A recommitment ceremony,” Ford says. “Holt’s parents are renewing their vows and are going all out. Coy has some bands coming to town from Nashville, so there’ll be celebrities. It’s going to be nuts.”

Cool.

“See you there,” Ford says to Troy. “Talk to you guys later.”

“Later,” Dominic and I say.

Once the door closes behind Ford, Dominic elbows me in the side.

“What?” I ask.

“What’s the situation?”

I sigh.

It’s not a big deal. I might as well just tell him. But even though having my friend stay with me as a favor to her isn’t a big deal—right now? It feels like it is.

I know exactly what Dominic and Troy will think when I say Paige is at my house. They both know her and have seen us together. They’ve independently made comments about how much she wants my cock and I should give it to her. Naturally, they’ll think there’s a fuck fest happening on Galloway Drive.

Do I care if they think I’m banging her? Not necessarily. But I don’t really want to talk about it.

“Paige got evicted,” I tell them.

Dominic furrows his brow. “The hottie who works for you?”

I nod.

“Dude, make sure she doesn’t go back to Atticus out of desperation.”

“Oh, she isn’t …” I exhale sharply. “She’s staying with me for a little while.”

Troy looks pleased. “Okay. Well, I can’t say I didn’t see that coming.”

I chuckle, wishing I had never brought it up to them. “Yeah, well, it’s not like you think.”

“Why the hell not?” Dominic asks. “She’s a ten outta ten. She wants your cock. Hell, she’d probably spin around whatever way you asked her to, and you’re telling me she’s under your roof and not under your sheets?” He gasps. “What’s wrong with you?”

Troy jabs a thumb Dominic’s way. “What he said.”

I get up and pace around the table.

“Have you ever talked to her?” Troy asks my brother. “She’s funny. Great sense of humor.”

“I haven’t said much to her, but I know her well enough that she seems pretty cool.”

I feel both of their gazes land on me. The weight of them makes me stop moving.

“You guys are right,” I say, surprising myself. “But just because I can doesn’t mean I should.”

“She’s an adult. Consent is a real thing, and I bet she’d be more than happy to give it to you,” Troy says.

“You do know me, right?” I ask, raising a brow. “I don’t bring random women back to my house with Ryder there. I’m not gonna confuse him like that.”

“But you like her, and she’s already at your house …” Dominic says, raising a brow. “I think you’ve already stepped in that puddle, brother.”

“She’s there as a friend. Ryder understands that. I’m not going to let him get attached to her.”

“You’re the parent.” Dominic looks down at the paper in front of him. “You do you.”

I will. Tension spans the back of my neck. Coupled with my lack of sleep, I know my patience is thin—even for these two.

“I gotta go,” I tell them, picking up the envelope Ford gave me. “See you guys later.”

They respond, but I don’t know what they say. I walk out, leaving them and their tempting take on my status with Paige behind.

SIX

PAIGE

“Do you ever sit still?” Kinsley Clayton throws a piece of popcorn at me. “You just roam around like a … I was going to say a mountain goat, but I don’t know if they roam.”

I snort. “I don’t know either, but that’s a bad analogy anyway. They’re so ugly.”

“True.” She pops a handful of the cheesy snacks in her mouth. “So did you ever hear from Marcie about the whole eviction thing? Has she called you or anything?”

I sit down on the couch beside Kinsley.

It’s been over twenty-four hours since I was forced out of the apartment, and I haven’t heard a word from our mutual friend.

“Nope. I’ve literally heard nothing. No call back, no texts—nothing.” I frown. “I called her mom this morning to just … I don’t know. A welfare check, I guess. She said Marcie was in the shower, and she’d tell her that I called.”

Kinsley frowns too. “I guess she’s okay at least, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you pissed? I’d be pissed. I’d be so freaking mad that I couldn’t see straight.”