Dallas leveled his icy-blue stare my way, snapping me back to reality. “I can’t believe you have a girlfriend. That’s wild.”

“I don’t know if she’s my girlfriend.”

But somehow, I felt like a gigantic asshole saying that. It wasn’t like that would be a bad thing.

Oh, shit.

I really was in deep.

“Dude,” he said, laughing. “She definitely is.”

“Like you’re one to talk.” I waved a hand in his direction. “You and Shiv have been dancing around that issue for way longer.”

“I don’t know.” Dallas shrugged, leaning back in the black leather passenger seat. He quieted, looking stung by my remark. “That’s on Shiv, man.”

“Really?” Ty and I said in unison.

“Yeah.” He frowned and glanced down at his phone, his jaw tight. “We’ve talked about it, but she didn’t want to slap a label on it. Ball’s in her court on that one.”

Weird. The number of chicks who would love to tie Dallas Ward down—both figuratively and literally—could line a city block. What was the holdup?

Then I wondered whether Bailey felt the same way as Shiv. Did she want to put a label on it? Should we put a label on it?

* * *

BAILEY

With everything that had happened with Chase, I’d barely thought about my roommate situation. Blessedly, between part-time jobs, group projects, and other commitments between the three of us, I hadn’t seen them in days.

I was reminded, rather rudely, when I came downstairs Monday morning and instantly encountered Amelia, who was seated at the round kitchen table, eating a bowl of oatmeal. My stomach sank, my appetite for breakfast vanishing. But my need for caffeine was urgent, so I’d have to deal with it. And at least it wasn’t Jill.

Strolling into the kitchen, I gave her a limp wave.

“Hey.” Amelia’s lips curved into a bland smile. “I feel like I’ve barely seen you lately.” Her honey-brown eyes scanned me methodically, probing. She assessed me like an enemy spy, results to be reported back to Commander Luke.

“Yeah,” I said. “Just been really busy with class and such.”

“Where were you the other night?” she asked casually. “You didn’t come home.” She was trying to sound friendly, but beneath the pleasant veneer, there was an undertone of nosiness.

“Where do you think?” I grinned, turning to the cupboard to retrieve a mug. Thinking about the goodbye kiss yesterday made me feel warm and tingly…Not to mention all the kissing that came before.

Who knew kissing could be like that? I had been seriously ripped off until now.

Amelia’s mask slipped, and she gaped at me, wide-eyed. “Seriously?”

“Sure was,” I said. “It was great. He’s great.”

“So you guys are actually…”

I poured the coffee and blew on it. “Yup.”

“Carter,” she said, dumbstruck. “Chase Carter.”