“Bromance. Boy romance. Like a bro thing. Uh…”
He’s still frowning. “I’m his neighbor, and someone has to keep an eye on the guy. He’s a walking disaster. Can’t boil an egg to save his life, can’t even bother to take out his trash or shower. Thing is…” Those hazel eyes narrow on me. “He wasn’t always this bad. Only in the past couple of months.”
“Since I left.” Gee I am a genius.
“Since you left,” he agrees and smiles, as if congratulating me on my being such a genius. “He says he misses you.”
“But…” I glance at the bedroom door behind which Kaden is probably lying in bed, and now I’m trying hard not to think about the fact he’s naked under the sheets, and how I could climb into bed with him and play with him… Maybe wake him up with a blowjob? He’d love that.
“But what?”
I shake my head. “It’s complicated.”
Proof is that I’m talking about it with a guy I’ve never met before in my life. A guy who has been taking care of Kaden, who knows about me and seems to be saying that Kaden was – is – all broken up about me leaving.
One more person Kaden has told about me, but what does it change?
Nothing.
“Talk to him,” Jared says, that shrewd gaze never leaving me. It’s like a snake’s gaze, mesmerizing and dangerous. “Whatever happened between you, talk to him, Hailey Who Left. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Maybe you can save what you have, and trust me, finding true love isn’t something you want to throw away.”
“None of your business,” I whisper, a bit choked up, because that’s exactly the doubt that has been eating at me all this time.
What if there’s an explanation for the pictures and text messages on his phone?
An explanation for everything?
“You know.” Jared leans back a little, folding his hands together on top of his thigh, and stares at me from under his dark lashes. “Women have been throwing themselves at Kaden, every single day since you left. Probably every single day of his life.”
“Screw you.” I sputter, getting up and then grabbing at my towel when it starts slipping.
“No, thanks. What I was trying to say is that he’s had every opportunity to bang other women. Before you, while he was with you, and especially after you were gone. But he didn’t.”
“How would you know?”
Another shrug. “He talks to me. And I’m his neighbor. I’d have noticed. Hell, my sister has been crushing on him for a year now. Stalks him. She says he hasn’t even looked at another woman since you.”
“This is stupid. You can’t know this.” But I swallow thickly, my throat closing. “As for your stalker of a sister…”
Am I jealous? Is that possible?
“I know. She wheedled Kaden’s phone number out of me one night and has been plaguing him with pics and texts since then. I told him to block her number. I think he just doesn’t care. He’s cared even less since you left.”
This takes a moment to sink in. A long, hard moment. “So she sends him pics? And texts?”
He nods, his expression tight.
“Kissy pics, by any chance?” I ask, still processing what he said. “And she calls him hon?”
“I wouldn’t know.” He gets up, suddenly all business, the teasing light gone from his eyes. “She’s a brat, and one day she’ll learn the hard way that not everyone likes playing games. I’ll leave you two lovebirds, then. Give Kaden my regards, and tell him I’m here if he needs anything.”
“Wait. Wait!” I trail after him, holding on to my towel so it won’t fall off, and snag his sleeve before he steps outside. “Jared.”
He looks at my hand on his sleeve, then quirks a brow at me.
“Look, thank you for looking after Kaden. And for everything you told me. I may… have rushed into conclusions. About him.”
“Trust issues? You two really are a match for each other. I mean, did you ask him what his tattoos mean? All those keys?”