Page 28 of Rescue

“I think it’s great,” she’s saying. “She seems really nice, and you deserve someone nice, Len.”

“Paige, please don’t make a big deal of this,” I say. “There is nothing going on, okay?”

“But if you like her—”

“I didn’t say that I liked her.”

She waves away my words. “Please. I totally have an eye for this. I can tell.”

Levi tries to cover a laugh, and I turn to him, glaring. “This is your fault, ass.”

“Oh, come on, Len.” He pushes my shoulder lightly. “It’s not a big deal. So you like a girl. We’re not in kindergarten anymore.”

“No, we’re not,” I say, voice strained. “We’re at work.”

“Oh, don’t be so uptight,” Paige says. “I hooked up with Reed on tour, and look at how well that’s turned out!”

“I’m not feeling like it turned out so well for me at this particular moment, Paige.”

“What we need,” she says, reaching for Levi’s notebook, “is a plan.”

“No,” I say firmly. “Please. No plans.” I look to Daisy for help, but she’s clearly trying not to laugh.

“I’m sorry,” she says, straightening. “Paige, I don’t think Len is really ready—”

“You know what I think?” Paige interrupts, crossing her arms and looking at me. “I think you’ve spent enough time feeling bad about things. You deserve to have a little fun, Lennon.”

I sigh, wondering how it’s possible both to want to strangle her and to feel touched at the same time. That was Paige for you.

“If something was going to happen, Paige—” I hold up my hand at the look of joy on her face—“and I’m not saying that it will,” I add quickly. “But if it was, I would want it to happen naturally, okay? No plans.”

She pouts. “But plans are so fun.”

“Oh, God,” Reed says, appearing at the side of our table. “What’s she trying to drag us all into now?” But he’s smiling at her as he takes the empty seat next to his girlfriend.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t feel less like smiling. It was bad enough that Paige overheard us talking about Haylee. I have no desire for my brothers to get in on the topic. I try to get her attention, scowling, but she ignores me.

“I’m trying to convince your brother that he should make a move on Haylee.”

Great. Just great.

Reed’s gaze flickers across the room to Haylee, his eyes narrowing before he turns back to me. “Haylee?”

“It’s nothing,” I say. But even as I hope he’ll drop it, some emotion in my chest is pricked by the look on his face. The narrowed eyes, the worry lines in his forehead. It couldn’t be clearer that Reed, at least, thinks Haylee and I would be a very bad idea.

“I don’t think it’s nothing,” Paige says primly.

“I think you should butt out,” I snap, my voice much harsher than I intend. Her eyes widen a little bit, and I immediately feel bad. “I’m sorry.” I sigh. “Just drop it, okay?”

“Okay,” she says, her voice small. “I just wanted… you know I just want you to be happy, right?”

“I’m fine, Paige.”

“Sweetie,” Reed says, his voice tight. “Why don’t you take Daisy and Levi upstairs so Lennon and I can talk.”

Paige’s eyes flash between me and her boyfriend, and I’m not sure which one of us has hurt her feelings more. “Okay,” she says again, standing. “I’ll… see you later then.”

Levi stands to follow her, but Daisy remains in her seat, arms crossed. “Daisy,” Reed says, a little louder. A little sharper. “I need to talk to Lennon.”