Megan is one of the few people he’s ever loved, and he loves her still. But there’s always been just as much friction as harmony between the two of them.

When they broke up the final time, he knew they’d never get back together, and his predominant feeling was relief. Still, she’s the only person in his heart who hasn’t left him entirely alone, and none of the things about her which kept them from working out as a couple make her less of a good friend. He looks at her familiar, beautiful face, that strong jaw and long, sleek black hair, and bites the inside of his cheek.

“Are you freaking out?” he asks.

She rolls her eyes. “No. In case you forgot, I do know you like men, too.” A sly smile glances over her lips. “Danny wasn’t the first one to find your dirty magazines.”

Robbie laughs, then groans, slouching against the seat. “Don’t remind me.” He rolls his head to the side, unable to control his surprise. “But I don’t mean the…or, that he—”

“You mean, you’re not asking me if I’m freaking out because you had a naked guy over?” Her smile grows wicked, and that’s when Robbie realizes why she’s not freaking out: She didn’t recognize Lance.

He takes a deep breath. “I thought you might freak out because of who the guy is.” When she looks confused, he exhales hard and comes right out with it. “Lance Taylor.”

Her lips purse, her brows draw together, and she gives him a searching look that lasts several moments. She’s surprised, he thinks, but not outraged. Uncertain, but not disgusted.

“Where’s he been?”

It’s a very reasonable question, but he feels himself narrowing his eyes. “That’s what you’re asking?”

She shrugs.

“Why aren’t you yelling at me?”

She lifts a brow. “Did you expect to be yelled at?”

Robbie snorts, shifting restlessly in the seat. “I don’t know where he’s been. Well, he went to school. And now he’s modeling.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know from the internet. I mean, why hasn’t he been back here before now?”

Robbie frowns. “What does the internet have to do with anything?” Megan starts to look exasperated, and he lets go of that point of confusion and sighs. “I don’t know why he hasn’t been back.”

“But, why now? How did he wind up here?”

“I don’t know why he’s in town. But he’s here because I brought him here. He didn’t have anywhere to go.” He hesitates, has a brief but intense internal debate about whether or not to share the next detail, and then cautiously decides he has to. “I went and got him from the jail. He’d called Danny, and Danny called me. And before you ask, I don’t know what he did.”

She doesn’t ask anything else. She’s staring at the steering wheel again, which makes Robbie more nervous than he felt about being peppered with questions.

“Meg?” he asks when he can’t stand it, sounding more plaintive than he means to. “Can you just yell at me and get it over with?”