This time, I know that she’s talking abouthimfor sure.
Needless to say, Jupiter knows who he is and my entire history with him.
Although I will say that I’ve left a few details out.
As in, whatexactlyhappened on the night of the breakup.
I never told her how I was partially responsible for it too. I never told her about the kiss.
Not deliberately though.
I didn’t set out to lie or omit things.
Two years ago, when I shared this story with her, everything was so fresh and I was so ashamed at what I’d done. So I glossed over it. And given my history with him, she simply assumed that he might have been responsible for the breakup and I didn’t correct her.
“No, it’s fine,” I tell Jupiter, feeling guilty for hiding things from her. “I’m just —”
“Are we talking about the gorgeous villain who’s so disgustingly gorgeous that all I want to do is look at him and not look at him at the same time?”
That’s Callie.
She’s sitting to my right, followed by Bronwyn Littleton or simply Wyn, Poe’s other friend. Then comes Poe herself and Tempest.
Who says, “Don’t let my brother hear you say that. He’s going to blow his lid.”
Tempest doesn’t go to St. Mary’s but she’s good friends with Callie — has been for years — and now her sister-in-law. Because she’s Reed’s, Callie’s husband, little sister.
Callie glances at Reed, who somehow senses that she’s looking at him and meets her gaze with his own. And God, his eyes are all heated and intense. And I have to turn away because I don’t want to intrude in their private moment.
Callie bites her lip at the way Reed’s staring at her before turning back to us. “Okay, sorry. You guys are right. That name belongs to him.” She sighs happily. “And only him.”
“Which means we need a new name,” says Wyn.
Poe turns to her. “How about Thorn? Because you know, he’s a thorn in her side and all that.”
Wyn bumps her with her shoulder. “Shut up. There can only be one Thorn and you know it.”
“Well technically, there are five Thornes,” Callie teases. “Including me and my four older brothers.”
Wyn shoots her a flat look. “There may be fiveThornesbut still there’s only one original thorn. My Thorn. And no one else can use that name.”
“Ooh,” Poe goes, grinning. “Possessive.”
Wyn narrows her eyes at Poe. “Yes, I am.”
And why wouldn’t she be?
When we’re talking about Conrad Thorne, the love of her life.
In my experience, Wyn is pretty chill and easy-going. But when it comes to Conrad, Callie’s oldest brother and her boyfriend, she can be pretty intense.
Which I totally understand and love.
Poe sticks her tongue out at Wyn. Then, “But we do need to call him something.”
“Yup, so we can bitch about him right in front of him,” Jupiter adds.
“Bandit,” I blurt out.