“So, you and Chase, huh?” She lowered her voice.

“Oh, we’re just friends.”

I wondered how many “friends” he’d kissed. Then I wondered how many “friends” Siobhan had met…Especially lately.

Not that it was technically any of my business.

“Of course.” Siobhan winked at me. “Dallas and I are ‘friends’ too. How long have you and Chase been, um, hanging out?”

Were we hanging out? I guess we were. What did that even mean? My relationship experience consisted of one short-lived high school boyfriend and Luke. I was not well versed in the workings of the dating world.

But this wasn’t that kind of hanging out…Was it?

How did I not know what I was doing?

“About a month?”

“Huh.” She nodded thoughtfully. “Well, I could really use some more estrogen around here to balance things out. He’s a good guy. I hope you can put up with him long-term.”

I wasn’t sure that would be the problem.

18. own it

CHAPTER 18

OWN IT

Chase

Could I have completed that essay a little faster? Probably. Was I motivated to speed up the process when James was in my bedroom, looking adorable as fuck on my bed? Not really.

When I got home from dropping off Bailey, Dallas was sprawled out on the living room couch, a bottle of beer in hand with his other arm draped around Shiv. In the dark, a horror film flashed on the oversized flatscreen, complete with revving chainsaws and splattering blood. Those two were a match made in weirdo horror-loving heaven. I wasn’t squeamish about guts and gore, but I never really got the appeal of scary movies. If I was going to sit through a movie, it either had to be funny or have lots of car chases and explosions. Or, well, be a naked movie.

I paused in the doorway to the living room. “Hey.”

In the background, there was a bloodcurdling scream from the TV.

Dallas picked up the remote and paused the movie. “How’s your ankle?”

“Hurts like a bitch, but it’s slowly getting better,” I said. “What are you two psychos watching this time?”

“Chainsaw Slaughter 6.” Shiv grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl beside her. “It’s the best one of the whole series. Wanna join?”

It sounded better than economic theory, but I had a quiz tomorrow, and Coach Miller had been watching me like a hawk since our little chat. He’d been cornering me on a weekly basis for updates, which was really code for trying to catch me in a lie since he’d already talked to my professors. If I wanted to keep playing, there wasn’t much room for error.

“I still have to finish some schoolwork, but thanks for the offer.”

Dallas tilted his head, studying me. “Schoolwork? Is this Bailey’s influence or what?”