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Hell, he ht as well admit it—because he’d had two beers—they were his best friends

The rooirls had shared throughout college—two beds, two built-in desks, wall cabinets for dressers, a closet and a small private bathroom At least this john they didn’t have to share with suiteit

“It’s one o’clock in theto turn on any irl’s beds, which she’d probably switched on when he’d knocked “What’s up?”

“Let irl of the week passed out on you?” Marie’s sarcas him hesitate in his plan to spill all, as she plopped her perfectly shaped, not quite five-foot-two body cross-legged on her unmade bed

Gabrielle curled her long legs on her desk chair, ar her chin on top of her hands

Guys he hung with ribbed hi for one or both of the girls Everyone said the way they let his further with either one of them anytime But he couldn’t They were likesisters to hiht in the dor at him so hard and had co that they’d heard And then secretly thankful to have them there

He’d never had siblings Never had anyone close enough to have his back where his father’s un to realize in the past few years that the old man was, in his oay, abusive In a weak irls

And then hadn’t been able to quit

Soyeahthey had way too much on him

And were about to have more

“No one passed out on et out, not discounting that there irl of the week

He couldn’t help it that girls sought him out

“I played cards tonight”

“Liiiaammm” That one drawn-out as all Gabrielle said out loud Her expression said the rest Those silver-blue eyes of hers could be like pinpricks when she wanted them to be He’d disappointed her

The soft laray-and-white cos still helped, though

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble” Marie was always the more vocal one And the more fearful “How much did you lose?” the blonde asked

He sed Thinking about beer Wishing, for a brief second, that he was still on the stupid drinking binge he’d ridden freshman year And hadn’t boarded since

“You won, didn’t you?” Gabrielle’s tone was soft He didn’t have to look in her direction to know that those coal-black eyebrows of hers would be drawn And her lips would be pursed, too

“Yeah”

“How much?”

He thought about his answer About what she’d think She waited They both stared at him

Another flash of ht two years before ca hih the thin wall separating theet to ithout a car She’d thought he was buckling Finding justification for doing so A guy had to have a car to get to work