Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Layla POV

Fuck. My. Life.

All four guys step towards me, not having noticed the other’s reaction to seeing me. But that changes the second they notice movement from the corner of their eye.

They all grind to a halt, swivel their heads toward each other and stare.

Xavier is the first to speak, his booming voice drifting over to me where I’m still rooted to the spot on the back porch. He doesn’t direct his voice at them though.

“You must be shitting me! You’ve fucked them, haven’t you! All of them? Or are you planning on sealing the deal tonight with whoever hasn’t had a turn?”

My heart sinks and I have trouble breathing. I must be hallucinating. I’m probably still at home, under my covers, locked in a bad nightmare.

The three guys snap their heads toward Xavier and glare at him. I might hear someone growl at him, but I

can’t say with certainty.

I push my solo cup into William’s hands and turn on my heel, heading for the front door. I can’t be here right now. I can’t fathom how three of the sweetest guys can be friends with that brute.

As my foot hits the walkway in the front yard, a hand clasps around my bicep and swings me around. I gasp and am immediately pressed up against a hard body. My hands automatically go to the person’s chest for stability. I look up, ready to cuss out whoever dared to put their hands on me (presumably Xavier) but am rendered speechless when Hunter looks down at me with perplexity.

“Hi Beautiful, what are you doing here?” he asks softly, probably anxious he might scare me off if he speaks too loudly.

“Cade invited me. I didn’t know the rest of you guys would be here. I didn’t even know you guys knew each other. If you let me go, I’ll get lost and you can enjoy your party further.” I’m rambling but I can’t seem to stop myself. I’m flustered. I’m bewildered. And I’m hurt by Xavier’s poisonous words.

I go to pull away from Hunter, but he locks his hands around my waist, “Hey there, breathe. We’re not here to hurt or force you to do anything. But I think it might be a good idea if we all sat down for a little chat?” he words it as a question, showing me, I still have a choice in the matter. He won’t make me do something I’m not comfortable with.

I peer over his shoulder, noticing Cade and AJ standing on the porch. Xavier is nowhere to be seen – thank goodness for small miracles.

Cade and AJ nod subtly at me but stay standing where they are, probably afraid I might run again if they

come closer.

1/3

Chapter 20: Layla POV

I hesitate for a second, but Hunter squeezes my waist, grounding me in the moment.

Deciding that a talk would be best, even just to clear the air, I pull away from Hunter.

“Sure, a talk might be good. Where do you want to go?” I look around at them, hoping they don’t say

inside.

Hunter lets me go but keeps his fingers laced with mine. I feel awkward about holding hands with one guy I like, in front of the other guy I like, who is standing next to the other guy I liked years ago. I know, I know it’s convoluted, but it sounded better in my head.

Hunter, the ass that he is, notices my discomfort and smirks at me.

“I know of a 24–hour diner around the corner, they have the best milkshakes and skinny fries. Are those still your favorite midnight snack Layla?” AJ asks as he walks down the steps towards us.

I smile up at him, touched that he remembered our late–night junk food fests after we would beg my parents to stop at the local takeaway joint.

“I can do fries and shakes. But shouldn’t you get back to your party?” I look towards Cade, suddenly remembering he is playing host and can’t just up and leave.

“Nah, let Xavier be bogged down with that, he deserves nothing less after the crappy comments he made about you in the backyard.” He says as he comes sauntering over, giving me a heart–stopping smile.

Everybody agrees and so Hunter pulls me away from the house.

He abruptly stops and looks around; he gives me a sheepish look and scratches the back of his head.

“You don’t by any chance have your car here, do you? All our cars are boxed in in the garage and it’ll take an army to move those in front of the garage door right now.”

“What do you mean, all of your cars? Do you all live together? Here?” My brain is struggling to compute this information, instinctively knowing the answer but refusing to speak it into existence.

Cade answers, “Yeah, I thought you knew.” He looks sheepish and I can’t be mad at them, it is not as if I explicitly asked who their roommates are.

I’ll

process this tidbit and all its ramifications later, while I’m alone in my room, with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

“No worries, I’m parked just across the street.” Hunter visibly relaxes and we start towards my car.

Just as I go to unlock the car, AJ hollers “shotgun” and jogs to the passenger side door. I shake my head at him, but I smirk behind my hand. I’m glad he hasn’t lost his playful side over the years.

2/3

Chapter 20: Layla POV

Once everyone is buckled in, I turn towards Cade in the backseat. “Whereto, my dear sir?”

“Dork.” He smirks at me before directing me towards the diner.

AJ fiddles with my radio, Cade is my GPS and Hunter’s left hand (who is sitting right behind me) is on my shoulder from behind, his thumb massaging the back of my neck.

“So, how do you guys know each other?” I ask because my curiosity is getting the better of me.

Hunter is the one to answer, “Cade, Xavier, and I grew up together. AJ is the newbie to our group, but we’ve become fast friends in a matter of days.”

“Is he the guy that transferred and only moved in the day that classes started?” My question is directed at Hunter, referring to our conversation in the student center a few days before classes started.

“That is correct, Beautiful.” He smirks at me in the rearview mirror before speaking again, “And you? How do you know AJ and Cade?”

“AJ and I were best friends when we were younger before he moved away at age 11. I met Cade at the coffee shop I work at part–time.”

Hunter swivels his head towards Cade. With a devilish grin he asks, “Is she the girl you told us about? The

one that…”

Before Hunter can finish his sentence, Cade thwacks him in the chest. I spot the scowl he gives Hunter in the rearview mirror, and I make a mental note to try and find out exactly what Cade said about me.

Pulling into the diner’s parking lot, I haven’t even shut the car off properly, before AJ is at my door, opening it and bowing slightly as if we are in an 18th–century romance novel. “My lady.”

Giggling at him, I take his offered hand, and he tucks it into the crook of his arm. Cade and Hunter flank us as we step into the restaurant.

This is going to be one hell of an interesting conversation.

Chapter Comments