Chapter 19 #2
They join me at the round table with their plates and coffee, each telling me their personal pre-game superstitions they swear by. But, to my point—didn’t win them every game.
“Well, thank you for this. I’ll be out of here soon. Maybe Kane could give me a ride back to campus.”
I take a bite with the yolk spilled across the toast—and moan involuntarily.
The guys laugh. “Yep. Bet you’ll never look at another toast with just butter again.”
“Don’t underestimate it. My mom used to sprinkle sugar over it for me.” I take another bite, remembering exactly where she kept the jar of sugar.
Hunter gives me a tender look, and I realize I’d told them about my mother last night and the immediate regret in their features.
“Mine used to make me oatmeal and add raisins and walnuts instead of brown sugar. Stuff tasted like porridge.”
I scrunch my nose. “What does porridge taste like?
“Good if it’s made right,” Greyson chimes in, taking a massive bite of his toast.
For the next few minutes, our conversation drifts from one pointless topic to the next and it has to be, by far, the easiest one I’d ever had.
Greyson’s apparently the unofficial cook but has to grant kitchen rights to Hunter at least once a week. Hunter accuses Kane of stealing his protein bars. Greyson makes comments about Kane never needing to steal anything, since his family’s money could buy the grocery store chain.
They’ve got to be exaggerating.
Right?
I can’t remember the last breakfast I’d eaten with people who genuinely seemed happy to be sitting together.
My aunt’s house seemed like no one liked each other.
It was to each their own. Uncle Joe would grab a bagel and coffee to go every morning, barely saying three words.
Alex would get his perfectly prepared bag made by his mother and barely look at me on his way out.
And Aunt Ruby would stare at me until I got what I needed from the kitchen and left for school.
After being forced out of my own home, sitting at a table during a meal came with unspoken rules, limitations, and keeping my guard up.
Here...I’m nothing to these guys. Yet somehow feel more welcome than anything I’ve known in years.
Warmth settles in my chest. How could Kane ever doubt himself when he’s surrounded by this all the time?
As if on cue, the back door swings open.
My stomach does that stupid little flip before I even turn to see Kane step inside.
His eyes find me immediately and for the smallest moment, relief softens his face.
Then it’s gone so fast I feel like I imagined it.
After a brief pause, he sets his keys on the table, jaw tight, something unreadable settling over his features.
“Morning,” I offer first.
“Hey.” His eyes drift to the plate in front of me. “You eat?”
I glance down at what’s left of the avocado toast. “Uh, yeah. Your teammates kind of spoiled me.”
A corner of his mouth almost moves. “Good.”
He crosses to the coffee pot. “There’s still some left,” Hunter says. “Although I’d watch out for this one,” he points his thumb at me, not so discreetly. “She’s on her third.”
“They’re small cups,” I argue.
Kane pours the remaining liquid into a mug. “This’ll do.”
Grey watches him for a second before frowning. “Thought you were going for a run.”
I give him a quick scan. Kane’s in sweats, a black hoodie, and sneakers. Suitable for jogging, but nothing says he’s been out running for an hour.
His hair isn’t damp. Face isn’t flushed. He just looks… tired. Or maybe…wound tight? If the sharp scowl on his face has anything to say about it.
Hunter notices it too. “You uh, swing by your mom’s for some reason?”
Kane’s shoulders tense slightly. “No.” He takes a sip, his eyes lifting to mine again. “You sleep okay?”
A smile slips out despite my weariness. “I did. It was good, thank you.”
Grey snorts. “Good? You said it was amazing.”
I release a breathy laugh. “Yes, it…was amazing. And so was breakfast, you guys. Thank you.” I stand and lift my plate, moving to the sink.
Kane shifts toward me, some of the tension easing from his face. “Glad to hear it.”
Warmth settles low in my stomach but I’m still sensing something off with him.
Kane takes a slow sip of coffee. His eyes practically glued to me as I move about the kitchen, attempting to tidy up. I’m pretty sure the only reason Kane’s letting me is because he knows I need to right now.
I catch an exchange of glances between his roommates. “Sure you’re alright, bro?”
Kane shakes his head. “Yeah. Just a problem I had to take care of this morning.”
The room falls quiet. My eyes dance between the friends. And I feel the urge to break the silence. “Well, don’t look at me. This good luck charm can only go so far.”
The guys laugh. Kane cracks a barely there smile as he looks over at me. I wink back as a way to ease his tension—and maybe my own.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Isla. If things keep going this way, I’m bringing you to poker night,” Hunter says.
“We don’t have poker night,” Grey argues.
“Well, we should now.”
The room feels a fraction lighter and I feel like I had something to do with it. But I should probably take it easy on the coffee, my heart’s racing enough as it is.
I gasp. “Oh no. I was supposed to meet Tisch for coffee this morning.” I glance at the clock on the stove and wipe my wet hands. “I should go.”
Greyson waves me off. “Yeah, leave it. We’ll clean up.” He winks at the dog. “Right, Ellie?”
She looks back at him with the most beautiful set of hopeful eyes.
Kane rubs her ears and mutters a warning to Grey about overfeeding her. Then he sets his mug on the counter and lifts his keys without a look my way. “I’ll drive you.”