“Murph!” I startle, looking up from my bag at the sound of my name being called from downstairs. “Breakfast is ready!”

With a fortifying breath, I collect my things and head out of the bedroom, albeit reluctantly.

Downstairs, the house is a flurry of excitement. Music is playing loudly, voices resonate throughout the open space, and the smell of bacon lingers low in the air causing my stomach to growl. I continue out onto the patio where everyone is sitting, but when I spot Harley sitting at the far end of the table, I come to an abrupt stop, my feet suddenly unable to move as I linger awkwardly in the doorway.

“Murph!” everyone cheers from around the table as they all look up at me. Well, everyone except Harley.

I try to smile and join in on their apparent excitement, but I can’t stop my eyes from flashing in his direction, finding him with his cap pulled down low and a pair of sunglasses shielding his eyes. I swallow the painful lump of humiliation at the back of my throat and step out into the sun, taking a seat next to Kevin, as far away from Harley as I can possibly get.

“How was the strip club?” I ask, looking around at everyone, careful to avoid Harley’s end of the table.

“Seth got us kicked out!” Kevin laughs loudly, his head thrown back in utter delight.

“Wait, what? Why? How?” I shake my head in confusion, laughing as I look across to Seth whose head is bowed sheepishly. He’s normally the quiet, responsible one, especially compared to Kevin, and I can’t help but laugh.

“You know when you’re at a strip club, and a girl’s shakin’ her ass on stage, so you throw a few dollar bills on the stage?”

I nod, piling scrambled eggs I know I won’t be able to eat onto my plate.

“Well, this idiot didn’t have any dollar bills left,” Kevin continues, nodding across the table at Seth. “So, he throws a fist full of damn coins onto the stage. One of the girls slipped on a stray quarter and almost broke her damn neck!”

My mouth falls open as I gape at Seth.

“I was drunk!” He holds his hands up in defense, staring down at his plate of untouched bacon.

I chuckle, shaking my head at the both of them, but then as I look at all the other guys around the table, my traitorous eyes land on Harley again, only this time he’s looking up. I can’t tell if he’s focused on me or not because his sunglasses are so darkly tinted, but I quickly avert my eyes not wanting to give myself away. He doesn’t deserve to know how much he hurt me this morning. I’ll take the pain of that humiliation with me to the grave.

“Hey, where’s Nash?” I ask, looking around, suddenly realizing he isn’t out here.

Everyone falls silent, looking awkwardly at one another, and I know something’s up.