Unraveling (44 page)

“Don’t be such a pussy, Sharky,” Karlie said, breezing into the apartment with a bag of plates and utensils Rollo had bought at Target.

Holden muttered something under his breath, low enough that we couldn’t hear.

Louder, Holden said, “I don’t know w
hy you didn’t get the furniture store to deliver this shit. Don’t they do it?”

“Of course they deliver,” Rollo scoffed. “But why would I want to do that
, when I can have you two studs do it for free.”

“Of course. Why didn’t I realize
that,” Holden rolled his eyes again and I thought they might just roll out of his head.

They put the couch down and before Rollo could appraise the new location, they were out the door.

Karlie began to take the packaging off the plates and put them in the dishwasher.

I headed out and down to the parking lot to get more of Rollo’s boxes. He mostly had clothes to move from the dorm, everything else had to be bought.

Holden and Jared were maneuvering a large dresser off the back of Holden’s truck.

“You owe me
, big time,” I heard Holden tell Jared.

“Whatever dude,” Jared snorted.

I picked up a box, and since it was light, grabbed a shopping bag full of stuff too.

I scooted around the guys, so that I didn’t get stuck behind them on the
stairs.

When I got back to the apartment, Rollo was appraising the space.

“Rollo,” I said, exasperated, “you need to help. This
is
your stuff.”

He waved his hand at me like he was swatting away an annoying fly.

I put down the stuff I had carried in and stuck my hands on my hips.

“Rolland Kenneth York. You’re getting on my last nerve and you’re driving Holden nuts. Help us.” I tapped my foot impatiently.

“Fine,” he said, striding out the door. “And don’t call me Rolland!” he called over his shoulder.

Karlie laughed. “You two act like siblings.”

“We practically are,” I shrugged. “We grew up together.”

“It’s sweet,” she tossed the empty shopping bag in the trashcan.
“I wish I had a best friend like that.”             

Through the open door
, we could see Jared and Holden struggling with the heavy dresser.

They got it through the door and
set it down, chests heaving and the muscles in their arms straining.

“That thing is fucking heavy,” Holden said.

“Don’t be such a baby,” Karlie crossed her arms over her chest.

“Why don’t you try to carry it up two flights of s
teps with a demented gay Goldendoodle barking at you?” Holden raised a brow, waiting for her response.

I snorted at the description, finding it too funny to even try to come to Rollo’s defense.

Jared and Karlie were laughing too, as Rollo walked in.

We all immediately ceased our laughter.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing out on something?” Rollo looked between the four of us.

“You’re not missing out on anything,
” Holden said, shaking his head rapidly back and forth.

“Oh, yes I am. You’re lying. What did you say? I’m guessing you’re the culprit of whatever was so hilarious,” Rollo dropped the box he was carrying onto the kitchen counter. “Don’t worry, I put my big boy training pants on today. I can handle it.”

Holden whispered under his breath.

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Speak up,” Rollo leaned an elbow on the counter, resting his cheek on his fist. “I’m waiting,” he looked at his watch.

Holden looked at us to help him out, when he saw that no one was going to bail him out, he said, “I told them that you were barking at us like a demented gay Goldendoodle.”

Rollo threw his head back and laughed. “That’s hilarious!” He wiped a tear from the corner of his eyes. “Oh, Katy. First
, I have a dog name, and now, I look like one. This is funny.”

“You’re not mad?” Holden asked.

“Maybe a little,” Rollo ceased his laughed.

Holden swallowed, his blue eyes panicky.

“I’m just messing with you,” Rollo said. “Or am I?”

Holden’s eyes shifted from Jared, to me, and then to Karlie.

“You’re on your own, Sharky,” Karlie smiled.

“Ugh,” Holden groaned, “let’s just get this dresser into the bedroom.”

Jared and Holden moved the dresser and then left to pick up the last of Rollo’s furniture from the store.

Rollo’s bed had already been brought in, so I helped him get the mattress on and then made the bed.

While the guys were still gone, we unpacked his boxes and finished carrying in the smaller items.

When the guys got back
, it didn’t take them long to get the rest of the furniture inside. We spent the rest of the time, cleaning and organizing.

The sun was setting when we finally finished.

Rollo and I were sitting side by side on the small sectional couch. I leaned my head on his shoulder and said, “Looks nice, Rollo.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” he smiled, looking around the space.

“Can we eat?” Holden asked, lying on the floor. “I’m starving.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I kind of just moved in, so I don’t have any food,” Rollo said.

“I’ll go pick up something then, smart ass,” Holden sat up. “There’s a Mexican restaurant down the block and I’m in the mood for tacos.”

“Why don’t we all go and just eat there,” Jared said, running his fingers through his short brown hair.

Nobody said anything; we all just got up and headed for the door.

Since the restaurant was so close to Rollo’s apartment we opted to walk, instead of everyone going in separate cars.

The restaurant was already full, mostly of college students.

We eventually got a table large enough to accommodate all of us.

We’d already been waiting so long that we went ahead and ordered as soon as we sat down.

Jared and Holden both got a beer. Holden drank his like it was a lifeline, whereas Jared just sipped along at his.

“Dude, slow down,” Jared warned.

Holden’s empty beer bottle smacked against the table. “I’ve been lifting furniture all day. Excuse me, if I want to get drunk.”

“Since when is lifting furniture a reason to get drunk?” Jared raised a dark brow. “That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“I just want a damn drink, leave me alone,” Holden mot
ioned to the waiter for another.

“You’re ridiculous,” Jared crossed his arms over his chest.

Jared wouldn’t speak to Holden for the rest of the meal. By the time we left, Holden’s eyes were glassy.

“Jare,” I said as we were walking back. “You need to drive him home. He shouldn’t be driving like this. It’s not safe.”

“I will,” Jared groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand, his other firmly grasped mine. “I don’t know what’s up with him. Something’s bothering him and he won’t talk to me about it. We’ve been friends so long that we tell each other everything, but he’s not talking. I’m worried he’s headed for a self-destructive path.”

“I’m sure he’ll get straightened out,” I squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“Yeah… I hope so,” he said as we set foot in the parking lot of the apartment building.

I hugged Rollo goodbye while Jared argued with Holden about driving him home.

“Give me the keys, Holden,” Jared growled, already having said the same thing five times.

“No,” Holden snapped. “I’m fine, I can drive myself.”

Jared’s temper snapped.

He grabbed Holden by the collar of the shirt and shoved him into the side of his truck. “Give me the fucking keys you idiot. You’re not driving.”

Holden looked at Jared, shock written clearly in his eyes. He dropped the keys to the ground. I doubted Jared had ever spoken to Holden that way.

“Get your ass in the truck, Holden,” Jared snarled, getting in the driver’s seat.

I looked at Karlie and her eyes were wide with shock.

“I’ll take you home,” I told her.

She nodded, getting in my car, but her eyes were glued to the retreating truck.

39

Since I met Jared, time seemed to
pass by faster and faster.

Memorial Day weekend was her
e. We had Friday and Monday off and I was thankful for the much-needed break.

We dropped Karlie off at Patsy and Dan’s. They’d even agreed to watch Mable for me.

“Karlie, be on your best behavior,” Jared lectured his younger sister.

“When am I not?” she laughed. “You have nothing to worry about, Jare.”

“Okay. I’m going to miss you,” he pulled her against him. “Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you too,” she said.

Patsy smiled as she watched the siblings.

“Thank you for doing this,” I said as I handed her Mable’s cat crate.

“It’s not a problem, dear, I love cats,” she smiled, taking the crate from me.

“Bye Mable,” I said
, sadly. I would miss my sweet little cat. “Bye Karlie,” I said, reaching up to hug the tall girl. When you were as short as me, everyone seemed overly tall.

“Alright, we’ve got to get on the road,” J
ared clapped his hands together, and then motioned for me to get in the car.

“Thank you, again,” I hugged Patsy.

“Have fun, dear,” she patted my cheek.

J
ared helped me into his massive SUV and I waved to Patsy and Karlie as we drove away.

“Ready to have some fun?” Jared grinned, entwining our fingers together and lifting my hand to his lips.

“You have no idea,” I leaned back into the seat, preparing for the two-hour drive to the beach. There were so many beaches dotting the coast of North Carolina that I didn’t even bother asking which one we were going to. I knew it would be beautiful.

We didn’t
talk much, because we didn’t need to.

I watched the scenery change, completely engrossed in looking out the window.

Jared was playing music through his iPhone. A song came on and I smiled, listening to the lyrics and bobbing my head to the beat.

I pushed the button for the window to go down, and leaned out the window
.

My hair whipped around my face, and
I let out a whoop of joy.

I didn’t care if I looked crazy. I needed this.

“What are you doing, Katy? Get back in the car!” Jared cried. “Are you crazy?”

I knew his question was rhetorical but I answered anyway. “No, I’m free.”

“Please get back in the car, Katy,” he begged, pulling on the belt loop of my shorts.

“Let me have my fun,” I pouted.

I felt him let go of shorts and sigh. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”

Pretty soon, the wind got to me and I slid back into the car, but I kept my window down.

Jared reached up and turned off the AC, putting his window down.

My hair swirled around my shoulders and I pulled it back
, into a messy bun, tying it with a ponytail holder I had on my wrist.

“You’re beautiful,” Jared said
, suddenly.

I blushed at his words. “Thank you,” I mumbled.

He chuckled. “You are, inside and out, kitten. You shine like the brightest star in the sky.”

I laughed at his words. “That’s so cheesy, Jared.”

His eyes remained steady on the road. “Yeah, it did come out pretty cheesy. It sounded more romantic in my head.”

I leaned over and kissed his stubbled cheek. “It may have been cheesy
, but it was sweet, too.”

“Thanks, my wounded ego feels so much better now,” he flicked his brown eyed gaze to me, a grin
spreading across his face.

“Who’s going to be at the beach with us?” I asked.

I knew Holden, Piper, and Rollo were coming. We were all staying at the same hotel together, but I also knew, friends of Jared’s I had never met before would be there too.

Apparently
, there was a big bonfire party on the beach Memorial Day. Jared, Holden, and their friends went every year.

“Jason, a guy I went to high school with, will be there with his fiancé, Eva. Jayden, he goes by Jay, will be there. He used to fight MMA with Holden and me. I don’t
know if anyone else is coming or not.” He scratched his head. “Kane and his girlfriend Lacey might come, but I doubt it. She’s about to have a baby.”

“So, not many?” I asked, nibbling on my lip. I was just starting to come out of my shell, thanks to Jared, but I was in no way ready to be introduced to a big bunch of his friends.
Three or four, I could handle, more than that… and I might just chew my lip off in nervousness.