โI hope you appreciate what a good friend I am.โ Jules
yawned as we tromped across our front yard toward Joshโs house. โFor waking up at the butt crack of dawn to help your brother clean and pack when I donโt even like the dude.โ
I laughed and looped my arm through hers. โIโll buy you a caramel mocha from The Morning Roast after. Promise.โ
โYeah, yeah.โ She paused. โLarge, with extra crunch toppings?โ
โYou know it.โ
โFine.โ Jules yawned again. โThat makes it somewhat worth it.โ
Jules and Josh were not fans of each other. Iโd always found that strange, considering they were so similar. They were both outgoing, charming, smart as hell, and total heartbreakers.
Jules was a human version of Jessica Rabbit, all shiny red hair, creamy skin, and curves that made me look at my body with a sigh. Overall, I was happy with how I looked, but as a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, I did wish for an extra cup size or two without having to resort to plastic surgery. Ironically, Jules sometimes complained about her double-Ds, saying they were hard on her back.
There should be a Venmo for breasts that allows women to send and receive cup sizes with the press of a button.
Like I said, I was happy with how I looked most of the time, but no oneโnot even supermodels or movie starsโ was immune from insecurities.
Besides her grievances with her breasts, Jules was the most confident person Iโd ever metโaside from my brother, whose ego was so large it could house the entire East Coast of the United States with room left over for Texas. I suppose he had reason to be, considering heโd always been the golden boy, and though it pained me to admit it because he was my brother, he wasnโt bad-looking either. Six-foot- two with thick black hair and razor-sharp bone structure, which heย neverย let anyone forget. I was convinced Josh would commission a sculpture of himself and display it on his front lawn if he could.
Jules and Josh never divulged why they disliked each other so much, but I suspected it might be because they saw too much of themselves in each other.
The front door was already open, so we didnโt bother knocking.
To my surprise, the house was pretty clean. Josh had put most of his furniture into storage last week, and the only things left to pack were the couch (which someone would pick up later), a few stray kitchen items, and the weird abstract painting in the living room.
โJosh?โ My voice echoed in the large, empty space while Jules sat on the ground and pulled her knees to her chest with a grumpy expression. If you couldnโt tell, she wasnโt a morning person. โWhere are you?โ
โBedroom!โ I heard a loud thump upstairs, followed by a mu๏ฌed curse. A minute later, Josh came down holding a large cardboard box. โShit Iโm donating,โ he explained, setting it on the kitchen counter.
I wrinkled my nose. โPut a shirt on. Please.โ
โAnd deprive JR of her morning eye candy?โ Josh smirked. โIโm not that cruel.โ
I wasnโt the only one who thought Jules looked like Jessica Rabbit; Josh always called her by the cartoon characterโs initials, which pissed her off to no end. Then again, everything Josh did pissed her off.
Jules lifted her head and scowled. โPlease. Iโve seen better abs at the campus gym. Listen to Ava and put a shirt on before I lose last nightโs dinner.โ
โMethinks the lady doth protest too much,โ Josh drawled, slapping a hand against his six-pack. โThe only thing youโll be losing isโโ
โOkay.โ I slashed my arms through the air, cutting off the conversation before it went down a path thatโd scar me for life. โEnough chitchat. Letโs get you packed up before you miss your flight.โ
Fortunately, Josh and Jules behaved for the next hour and a half while we packed up the remaining items and loaded them into the SUV heโd rented for the move.
Soon, the only thing left to pack was the painting.
โTell me youโre donating this too.โ I eyed the massive canvas. โI donโt even know how itโll fit in the car.โ
โNah, leave it there. He likes it.โ
โWho?โ As far as I knew, no one had taken over Joshโs lease yet. But it was still July, and I expected the place to go fast closer to the start of the semester.
โYouโll see.โ
I didnโt like the smile on his face. At all.
The low purr of a powerful engine filled the air.
Joshโs smile broadened. โAs a matter of fact, youโll see right now.โ
Jules and I exchanged glances before we ran to the front door and pushed it open.
A familiar Aston Martin idled in the driveway. The door opened, and Alex stepped out, looking more gorgeous than
any human had the right to look in jeans, aviators, and a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
He took off his sunglasses and assessed us with cool eyes, unfazed by the mini welcoming party on the front steps.
Only I didnโt feel particularly welcoming. โButโฆbut thatโs Alex,โ I stammered.
โLooking miiiighty fine, might I add.โ Jules nudged me in the ribs, and I scowled in response. Who cared if he was hot? He was a jerk.
โHey, dude.โ Josh slapped hands with Alex. โWhereโs your stuff?โ
โMoving companyโs bringing it later.โ Alex side-eyed Jules, who assessed him the way one would a shiny new toy. Besides Josh, Alex was the only guy whoโd never fallen for her charms, which intrigued her more. She was a sucker for a good challenge, probably because most guys fell at her feet before she even opened her mouth.
โWait.โ I put my hand up, my heart slamming a panicked rhythm against my ribcage. โMoving compโyouโre not movingย here.โ
โActually, he is.โ Josh slung an arm over my shoulder, his eyes twinkling with mischief. โMeet your new neighbor, little sis.โ
My eyes ping-ponged between him and Alex, who couldnโt look more bored by the conversation.
โNo.โ There was only one reason Alex Volkov would leave his cushy D.C. penthouse and move back to Hazelburg, and Iโd bet my new camera it had nothing to do with nostalgia for his college days. โNo, no, no, no, no.โ
โYes, yes, yes, yes, yes.โ
I glared at my brother. โIย donโtย need a babysitter. Iโm twenty-two years old.โ
โWho said anything about babysitting?โ Josh shrugged. โHeโs looking after the house for me. Iโm moving back in when I return next year, so it makes sense.โ
โBullshit. You want him to keep an eye on me.โ
โThatโs a bonus.โ Joshโs face softened. โIt doesnโt hurt to have someone you can rely on when Iโm not here, especially given this whole thing with Liam.โ
I winced at the mention of my ex. Liam had been blowing up my phone since I caught him cheating on me a month and a half ago. Heโd even shown up at the gallery where I worked a few times, begging for another chance. I wasnโt devastated by our breakup. Weโd dated for a few months, and I hadnโt been in love with him or anything, but the situation had brought all my insecurities to the surface. Josh worried about Liam getting out of hand, but letโs be honest, Liam was a Brooks-Brother-wearing, polo-playing trust fund baby. I doubted heโd do anything that would mess up his perfectly gelled hair.
I was more embarrassed Iโd dated him than concerned about my physical safety.
โI can handle myself.โ I pulled Joshโs arm off my shoulder. โCall the moving company and cancel,โ I told Alex, whoโd been ignoring us and scrolling through his phone this whole time. โYou doย notย need to move here. Donโt you haveโฆstuff to do in D.C.?โ
โD.C. is a twenty-minute drive,โ he said without looking up.
โFor the record, I am totally in favor of you moving in next door,โ Jules piped up.ย Traitor.ย โDo you mow the lawn shirtless? If not, I highly recommend it.โ
Alex and Josh frowned at the same time.
โYou.โ Josh pointed at her. โDoย notย pull any of your shenanigans while Iโm gone.โ
โItโs cute how you think you have a say in my life.โ
โI donโt give a shit what you do with your life. Itโs when you drag Ava into your harebrained schemes Iโm concerned.โ
โNewsflash: you donโt have a say in Avaโs life either.
Sheโs her own person.โ
โSheโs my sisterโโ โSheโs my best friendโโ
โRemember when you almost got her arrestedโโ โYouย haveย to let that go. That was three years agoโโ
โPeople!โ I pressed my fingers to my temple. Dealing with Josh and Jules was like dealing with children. โStop arguing. Josh, stop trying to control my life. Jules, stop provoking him.โ
Josh crossed his arms over his chest. โAs your big brother, itโs my job to protect you and to appoint someone to fill in for me when Iโm not here.โ
I grew up with him; I recognized that look on his face.
He wasnโt budging.
โI assume Alex is the fill-in?โ I asked in a resigned tone. โIโm not a โfill-inโ anything,โ Alex said icily. โDonโt do
anything stupid, and weโll be fine.โ
I groaned and covered my face with my hands. This was going to be a long year.
