“Sounds like a plan,” I said, careful not to look at Thayer.
“You good with that, Thayer?” Kason asked.
“Sure. Whatever.”
Whatever? Did he really not want to spend time with us? Was he trying to act as cool as I was in front of Kason? Was I reading way too much into this? It wasn’t like anything happened between us. I needed someone, and Thayer was there. We didn’t kiss. He didn’t even really touch me other than hold me until I fell asleep. That didn’t really count.
But Kason would think it counted.
And so would Gino.
“Morning,” Shay said, rubbing her eyes as she walked into the kitchen in a one-piece footy-pajama set and her hair all disheveled.
We greeted her as she eyed our plates. “Smells good.”
I moved around the island and placed a couple of pancakes onto a plate and handed them to her.
“Thanks.”
Kason cleared his throat. I glanced to him. He held out his empty plate.
“You’ve got two legs,” I said.
“Come on, sis,” he whined.
I pulled the empty plate from his hand and got him more pancakes. “You’re such a big baby.”
“And you all love it.”
“We all tolerate it,” I said, handing him the plate.
“I’m hurt. Seriously hurt,” he said.
Thayer stood up. “Let’s go shred.” He moved to the sink and rinsed his plate.
“I’ve got that,” I said, moving beside him to take the plate. My fingers brushed his as I grabbed it, and a ripple moved up my arm. I didn’t dare make eye contact for fear of my eyes betraying me.
“So, you’ll help him willingly but put up a fight to help me?” Kason asked.
“Wow,” Shay said. “You really are a big baby.”
I smiled, appreciating the back-up. “Thank you, Shay.”
Kason placed his plate on the counter with his half-eaten pancakes. “I’m outta here.”
“Try not to stomp your feet on the way out,” I called to him as he grabbed his coat off a hook.
Thayer laughed, and the warm sound burrowed its way deep inside of me. Getting along with him was so much better than arguing with him.
“I’m up,” Jesse called as he raced down the steps, almost missing one but catching himself on the railing.
“You’re lucky. We almost left your ass behind,” Kason said.
“Thayer wouldn’t have left me,” Jesse said, looking at the remaining pancakes. “Did I miss breakfast?”
“Here,” I said, rummaging through the drawers until I found a freezer bag. I dropped some pancakes in, squirted them with some syrup, closed up the bag, and handed it to him. “For the road.”
“Wow. If you weren’t taken, I’d shoot my shot,” Jesse said.