Page 234 of Just for the Plot

“Is that girl you’ve been seeing here?” Gabby pokes her head around me, or attempts to, but I quickly stand in front of her, preventing her from seeing anything.

“Umm, no,” I answer, not wanting her to think anyone is in there. “No one is in here, Gabby,” I say a little louder, hoping that Bower can hear me. “Just, uh, just surprised is all.” I scratch the top of my head, still not letting them in. “I thought you were coming in tomorrow.”

“We were, but Hattie and Hayes said they would take Mac for a long weekend, so we came in early. Isn’t that exciting?”

“Yeah,” I say, realizing that I’m being so fucking awkward. At this point, I should have given her a hug, brought her into my place, and sat her down, but I smell like fucking Bower. I don’t want Gabby anywhere near my apartment, and the last thing I want to do is sit down and chat.

But I have to get her out of here. I need to give Bower a second to remove herself from my apartment.

“Are you okay?” Gabby asks, sensing how fucking awkward I’m being.

“Yeah, sorry, your knock just woke me up, startled me. Now I’m, uh…I’m hungry,” I say, an idea forming in my head. “Can we grab something to eat?”

“I’d love that.”

“Great. Let me grab a shirt and some shoes and then we can get going. Be right back.” I go to shut the door, but Ryland stops it and gives me a look.

“You really going to make your sister stand outside and wait for you?”

“Oh, no.” I chuckle nervously. “Come in.”

I turn around and do a quick scan of the living room, grateful that I don’t see any of Bower’s things, and then I rush to the bedroom, where I shut the door and whisper, “Bower?”

“Closet,” I hear her whisper back.

I move toward my walk-in closet where she’s huddled up, wearing one of my shirts, looking terrified.

“Does she know?” she asks, practically shaking.

I pull her into a hug and shake my head. “No. She doesn’t have a clue. I’m going to take them out to breakfast to get them away so you can slip up to your place.”

“What if she wants to have breakfast with me too?” Bower asks, looking so terrified that it actually hurts me to see her like this.

“I’ll tell Gabby that I want it to be just her, me, and Ryland so we can catch up.” I lift her chin and whisper, “I promise it will be okay. I have your back, beautiful.”

“I know.” A tear falls down her cheek.

“Please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry, I just…I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Me either, but I have it handled, okay?”

She nods and then I lean down and press a kiss to her lips. “I have to go. Wait until we leave and then you can sneak out, okay?”

“Okay.”

I give her one more kiss and then find a shirt, a hat, and some socks. I slip on my slides, throw on some deodorant, and then I head out of the bedroom, where Ryland and Gabby are waiting in the living room.

“Ready?” I ask.

“Do you have a place in mind?” Gabby asks, following me, Ryland trailing behind her.

“Yeah, there’s a place around the block that’s good.” I guide them out of the apartment and shut the door. “Maybe like a two-minute walk. Serves pancakes and French toast, all that shit.”

“Great.” Gabby pulls me into a side hug and then says, “Oh, wait, I need to go to the bathroom.”

Alarm bells ring. “Ah, just go at the restaurant.”