“You okay?” he asks.
I sigh. “I would be if people would stop asking me that.”
Reed’s brows crease in confusion. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.” I wave him off. “So, how are things going with Ainsley? I hear you’re spending lots of time together. You ready to nut up and make things official yet?”
His light green eyes narrow. “Nice change of subject.”
“What?” I shrug. “I genuinely want to know.”
“It’s...complicated.”
“Because of Kingston?”
He tucks his hands in his pockets. “Among other things.”
“Oh, c’mon.” I shake my head. “You know damn well that her happiness is what’s most important to him. If you make Ainsley happy, what’s the big deal?”
Reed scratches the back of his head, looking nervous. Huh. That’s a new one. This boy usually exudes one hundred percent confidence or aloofness. There doesn’t seem to be an in-between with him.
When he doesn’t answer, I keep going. “Whatever your issues are...you’d better figure them out fast, Reed. She likes you. A lot. But Ainsley’s not going to wait around forever.”
His eyes widen in panic. “She said that?”
“Yeah, she di
d, actually. But the real point is that she shouldn’t have to. It's not fair to string her along. Either you're in or you're out. Whichever path you decide to take, don't dick her around. She's good people. She doesn't deserve to be kept hanging on the line just because you don't want her to be with someone else."
Reed scrubs a hand down his face. “Fuck.”
He’s obviously agitated, so I take pity on him. “You want my advice?”
He gives me a curt nod.
I bump my shoulder into his arm. “Talk to her. Whatever your reservations are, talk to her and see if you can work through them together.”
Reed considers that as we make a pit stop at my locker, so I can ditch my bag before heading to the dining room. Right before we step inside, he tugs on my elbow to pull me aside.
“Thanks, Jazz.”
I grin. “Anytime, big guy. Now, let’s eat. I’m fucking starving.”
He laughs and ushers me through the doorway.
We stand in line to grab some food before meeting the others at the same table we sat at before my unplanned hiatus.
“What took you guys so long?” Kingston asks suspiciously. “I was about to send out a search party.”
"Haha, funny guy.” I take the empty seat next to him while Reed pulls out the chair next to Ainsley. “Reed and I were having a little chat, that’s all.”
“About what?” Ainsley and Kingston ask in unison.
I flick my finger in between them. “That was cute. Was that your freaky twin telepathy kicking in?”
Ainsley laughs while Kingston growls. Like, literally growls.
I poke him in the chest. “You don’t get to be pissy with me. I’m still mad at you.”