“Told her what?” the youngest boy with Aspen asked.
“Nothing,” Noel growled as he grasped Aspen’s elbow to steer her toward the exit. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
“But I want to stay,” the older boy said. He had dark hair and looked like a younger Noel. “I’m freaking starving.”
“Me too,” the younger brother whined. He looked more like Caroline, with her fair hair and similarly shaped face. “I want pizza.”
“We’ll get it delivered.” Noel’s tone brooked no room for argument. When his fierce gaze landed on me, I moved back in my seat and held my breath, ready for him to start making threats to ensure my silence. But instead, he asked, “Can you make sure my sister gets a ride home?”
I was so startled to hear that question, I fumbled at first. “Uh...yeah, sure.” I bobbed my head, glad to help in any way. “Of course.”
His shoulders eased fractionally. Then he sent me a respectful nod. “Thanks.”
As he ushered Aspen and the two boys from the pizza parlor, I stared after them, dazed by what had just happened.
I turned toward Ten, who’d slumped into his seat and rested his forehead in his hand.
What now? I asked him the silent question.
He met my gaze, lifted a brow, and then blew out a breath. “Well…fuck.”
Without saying another word to me, he stood up and walked off.
I remained seated, letting everything soak in. I didn’t stay long, just long enough for the waitress to return with a tray full of drinks. When she found just little ol’ me left hovering at the two tables, she paused and glanced around.
“Um…” I sent her a weak smile. “Everyone else had to…go.”
She didn’t seem to know what to do with the drinks. “What do I do with all these, then?”
“Oh!” I popped to my feet and grabbed my purse. “I can pay for them. I’m so sorry for your trouble.”
Still confused, she continued to hesitate. “So…you just want me to take them back?”
I bit my lip. Seeing as everyone had left, yeah, I pretty much wanted her to take them back. But I didn’t know how to say that without sounding condescending. “Well…” I glanced around. No one from my group was in sight anywhere. “I don’t think they’re coming back.”
They definitely were not coming back.
“That’s just lovely.” Huffing out a moody breath, she spun away and stalked off, returning the tray full of cups to the kitchen. When she came back, I was standing at the counter, waiting to pay.
She couldn’t seem to stop glaring and sighing out her disgust, so I apologized again, but she just blew me off.
Once the bill was taken care of, I clutched my purse to my chest and glanced around, wondering how I was going to find anyone. I glanced down a hall that led to the bathrooms and didn’t spot anyone there, so I pushed my way out the back exit. When I saw Ten’s back as he rounded a corner, I hurried after him. No idea why I followed him. But he was the only person here I somewhat knew, and I was kind of stuck here until I found a ride home, plus I needed to find Caroline. So I darted after him, only to realize he’d just found her.
I was going to approach, but after the tender way he touched her back to get her attention…I don’t know…I held back.
“Hey.” His voice was soft. “You okay?”
Caroline spun around and looked up at him a good ten seconds before she nodded. The tears filling her eyes probably told him she really wasn’t okay, though.
“I just...” She wiped at her cheeks and sniffed. “I knew she was a teacher, and I knew she was looking for a job, but I...I had no idea she was his teacher, or that she’d gotten fired because...oh my God. She never let on that anything like that had happened. Neither did he. They just...they’ve been so supportive and strong, helping Colton, Brandt, and me settle in and adjust. I didn’t even...I had no idea. She doesn’t look old enough to be a university professor.” Her wet eyes looked extra blue and pleading as she stared up at him. “Why didn’t they tell me?”
Ten shook his head slowly. “I’m sure they didn’t want to worry you with it. You—”
When he reached for her cheek, she jerked back and gritted her teeth. “But I’m going to be going to that school on Monday. I’ll be attending the same college where they...” She gulped. “What if I heard some rumor, or...I don’t know. Why wouldn’t they want me to be prepared for that? What—”
“Hey. Shh.” Ten caught her arm and hauled her in for a hard hug. “Your brother wasn’t expecting you to hear any rumors. You might hear about an English teacher losing her job, maybe even speculation of why, but very, very few of us know it’s actually because of Noel.”
She sniffed and burrowed deeper into his chest. “You’d think he’d know he didn’t have to protect me like that anymore. I’m eighteen.”
Ten smiled. “Doesn’t matter how old you get. You’ll always be his little sister. He’ll always want to protect you.”