“What am I thinking?”
“That you need to stay away from her. For her sake. To heroically protect her from whatever you think it is she needs protecting from while sacrificing your own needs and desires, blah blah blah.” He rolled his eyes.
“Idohave to protect her.”
“From Frankie fucking Dowd?”
From his father. And mine.
I didn’t answer.
“You haven’t brought her to the shack.”
“I asked. She said no.”
Holden blinked. “Oh.”
I raised a brow. “So itispossible for you to shut the fuck up.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
He started to speak again, but I cut him off. “Stay out of my business, Parish.”
Holden sulked, then nodded his chin at something across the quad. “Oh look. Here comes my other dumbass friend, being miserable instead of being with his one true love.”
I looked to where Miller walked with Amber Blake. They’d hooked up at homecoming. He felt he owed it to her to stick around while trying to get over Violet at the same time.
It wasn’t working.
Amber went to kiss him goodbye and got only a peck on the lips. She snapped at him, tossed her long blond hair behind her, and stormed away. Miller’s shoulders slumped, and he joined us at the wall.
He frowned at our silence. “What?”
“We were just admiring you and Amber,” Holden said. “The very picture of relationship bliss. Blinding, really, how radiant you two are in your happiness.”
I shot Miller a commiserating glance. “He’s in a fucking mood.”
“I can tell,” Miller said with a small smile, then sighed. “Not today, Holden. You either,” he said to me, since I usually gave him just as much shit for staying with Amber.
“Ronan is in no position to talk,” Holden said. “The two of you are the poster boys for pointless self-sacrifice and deprivation.”
Miller frowned. “What’s he talking about?”
“No idea.” I cocked my head at Holden, my stare hard and pointed. “Seen any good football games lately?”
His mouth shut with aclack.“Assholes, the both of you,” he said and walked away, his coat flaring behind him.
Miller’s brow furrowed. “What was that about?”
“It’s Holden,” I said with a shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
I waited to see if Miller would buy it.
Holden had confessed to me that he’d been responsible for River Whitmore ditching Violet at homecoming.“I ran interference,”he’d said. I could only guess what that meant, but it was clear that River was the guy Holden had told me about earlier. The one he had feelings for. Neither one of us kept shit from Miller, but the situation with Violet was messed up enough already. No need to add Holden into the mix.
Miller was nodding heavily, his thoughts full of Violet. As usual. He didn’t believe it, but they’d make their way to each other eventually. I’d heard him sing to her at the party, and I’d seen her reaction. He’d poured himself into that song, and she’d felt every word.
Because he has something to offer.