Immy:Right? Why do we put up with them?
Because sometimes theycould be sweet and loving, and gruff, and protective, and really good with their tongues.
Okay, now she was blushing thinking about how good Gray was with his tongue, and an old lady had just taken a seat next to her.
Chill out, Maeve.
Immy:Want to run away with me? We’ll join the circus. I think I’d be pretty good at the trapeze. Or lion taming. Does the circus still have lions?
Maeve:I don’t think so. What would I be? The clown?
Immy:Maeve . . .
She could hearthe disapproval in her friend’s voice, see her kind face frowning at her. Immy had a huge heart. She was probably the most innocent of all of them and they’d tried to keep her that way. Maeve knew all the guys did their best to protect her. Their overprotectiveness sometimes drove her friend a bit insane. And made her want to run away to the circus. Well, last time she’d wanted to get a job on a cruise ship. The time before, she’d thought she might move to Antarctica.
She’d never do it. Never leave the guys. They all knew that. But when she wanted a sympathetic ear, she came to Maeve. When she wanted someone to give it to her straight, she went to Cat.
Immy:No one thinks you’re the clown.
Maeve:It was just a joke.
Immy:Well, it wasn’t a very funny one.
Okay,so she had been feeling a bit down on herself. She shouldn’t be, though. There were lots of great things she could do, right?
Maybe. Sort of. Sometimes.
Immy:I’ve just had an awesome idea. You can come work with me. You can be my assistant. I need help since James left.
Maeve rolled her eyes.Like she’d just come up with that idea, huh? She suggested it every month since James quit on them. Maeve hadn’t liked James. He’d been a bit creepy.
Maeve:Maybe I’ll come visit soon.
Immy:Do it! We miss you, Maevie-baby.
Maeve:I’ll only come if you swear you won’t call me that.
Immy:I don’t make promises I can’t keep.
Maeve:Love you.
Immy:Ditto, kid.
Maeve hadto roll her eyes. Immy was six months younger than her. If anyone was the kid of their group, it was her.
Sighing, she put her phone away. At least that weird feeling of being watched was gone. And she felt a bit less alone.
She had people who loved her. If she needed them, they’d drop everything to come help her. That was what family was.
* * *
What was he doing?
Gray knew he shouldn’t just turn up at her door like this. He hadn’t even texted her to tell her that he was coming. It was Friday night, she could be doing all kinds of things.
But when he’d gone to The Edge and she hadn’t been there . . . yeah, he’d decided to come looking for her. He didn’t know why he’d thought she’d know to go there.
He’d been so busy this past week, he’d fallen into bed each night only to have his mind work overtime.