“I’m also calling to let you know that a certain Fallen Crest nurse got sacked.”
My stomach clamped right back up. “What?”
“I made some calls, found out what nurse leaked your mom’s info, and yeah, she’s gone. Finito.”
I couldn’t talk at first. God. My mom. My dad’s text… I’d kept that all locked up in the Mom Drawer in my head. I’d been in the process of shutting it all away after reading what my dad asked, but Zeke yanked the entire drawer back out. It was spilling all over the floor.
“You did that?” My voice was raspy.
“I am all the way connected in Fallen Crest. It was the least I could do for a friend.”
I was speechless, my heart pounding hard in my chest.
Then he got quiet. “I looked up what your mom has.”
“Zeke.” I shot to my feet, but I took the phone with me. My chest was so tight.
“Her stuff seems like a lot.”
My throat was closing up. “Zeke, don’t do this. Okay?”
“Just calling to say… I don’t know, Daniels. You never let us know, and I’ve known you since kindergarten. You could’ve shared.”
He had no clue. No idea how she could be. To say she could be dramatic was a gross understatement. He had no idea about any of it, but he found out. Along with so many others because of last week, because one nurse gossiped and let it spread how my mom ended up in the hospital.
“And what then? You know our friends, how they can be. They’re vicious. I would’ve been tortured for having the ‘psycho mom.’”
“You could’ve told some of us, all I’m saying.”
I let out a sigh because dammit, that felt nice hearing and that I was hearing it from Zeke said a lot. “Zeke?”
“What’s up, Little Daniels?”
“You and I are not phone friends.”
“Maybe that needs to change.”
I cocked my head to the side. “You and I don’t share feelings.”
“I know, but I’m a new man. My dad took away the car and bank cards and I had to get my shit together. But I’m here. There’s been some hiccups, but all in all, being Zeke Allen at Cain University is quite fucking amazing.”
Some things never changed. Same old Zeke, boasting how great he is. I relaxed a little more. “That’s good to hear. Your frat is good?”
“They’re…getting better.”
“I’m sure.”
He laughed. “Okay, Little Daniels. I wanted to share the news about the nurse and to let you know that the Zeke Maestro is thinking of you. Give me a call the next time you’re drunk, and we can talk about philosophy.”
I barked out a laugh. “Looking forward to it.”
We hung up after that. I wasn’t going to reflect why that call felt nice, but it did. Half of me was normal because of my dad. Half of me was messed up because of my mom, but Zeke was all the way at Cain, California. He used to be such a douche, but I was tending to believe that he had changed. Or at least he had some humility in him now.
Maybe having a phone friend was okay?
Changing into some jeans and a tank top, I grabbed a textbook, some cash for the pizza, and rum and mixers on the way out. Then I headed down, using the stairs that led right to the kitchen.
Zoe had a whole spread in the kitchen. She looked up, smiling, some flour on her cheek. “Hi! Welcome to the downstairs lair.”
I put my cash on the counter. “For you, for all this.”
“Oh my gosh, you didn’t have to do that.”
I ignored that, giving her an easy smile and moving to grab a cup from the cupboard.
Skylar came in, her hair pulled up into a ponytail since she’d left my place. “You can put your soda in the fridge. There’s some room.”
“Baby.” Zoe said something to her, but I poured myself a drink before putting my soda where Skylar just told me. When I was done, I glanced back to them. Skylar was helping her out, putting the cheese on the pizza.
I asked, “You guys need more help?”
“Nope. I’ve got a whole system put together.” Zoe nodded toward the rest of the house. “Grab a seat at the table if you want to study because fair warning, each of the guys invited a couple friends over. It might turn out to be a party even though we didn’t all agree to a party tonight.”
I noticed her and Skylar were both eyeing me, a little cautious. It took a second before I realized they were waiting to see if I’d get mad about that.
“Oh!” I waved that off. “Going to be honest, I never care when the parties happen.”
Both looked relieved.
They weren’t kidding about the party effect. The living room and dining room was full of people.
“Daniels!”
Gavin was just coming in from the front door and walked toward me, his arms in the air. I braced myself, keeping my drink steady as he got to me, pulling me in for a tight hug. “How you doing? Long time no see.”
He let me go as I said, “We had class together. Today.”
“I know. Too long, too long.” His eyes were a little glazed and his cheeks were red.
“Started partying already, huh?”
He laughed and shrugged. “Never too early.” He eyed my drink. “Whatcha got in there?”
I moved back, bringing my drink to my chest. “Nope. It’s mine. Get your own.”
He laughed again, his arm coming down around my shoulders, and scanned the room. He had come in with a few others. I recognized them from his fraternity. They were doing handshakes and shoulder pounding with a few other guys. I looked around, seeing Miles in the corner. He saw me looking and jerked his chin up in a greeting. He was talking to a few girls.
Darren was on the couch, controller in hand. He was playing the new FIFA game with another guy.
Wade was coming down the stairs. Seeing me looking his way, he gave me a chin-lift too. “What’s up, Daniels?” He came over, saying hello to who was eyeing him back. “What’s up, man?”
“Hey.” Gavin’s greeting was less enthusiastic, but his arm fell from my shoulders. He was looking from Wade to me, a twinge of suspicion in his gaze, but he just smiled. “I need beer.”
Wade laughed, but as soon as Gavin was gone, he moved so his back was to the rest of the room. “How are you?”
Oh, boy. The way he was looking at me, and how he asked that question–he wanted a real answer.
I started to edge back when a girl came over. She linked her elbow with Wade’s, her hip bumping his. “Wade! I didn’t know you’d be here.”
He gave her a slight frown. “I live here, so…”
She laughed, tossing some of her hair behind her shoulder. “That’s right. I forgot. How are you?” She placed a hand on his chest, and the maneuver put her closer to him and with her back to me. It was obvious what she wanted.
I looked over her head to him, and he was half smiling at her, but half looking my way.
I moved back, raising my drink in a greeting.
He gave me a small nod back.
From there, I made my way to the dining room table. They had a long one, enough where sixteen people could sit around it. Miles said that it came with the house, and moving into the dining room, the sound was a little quieter in there. The rooms were all sectioned off in the house. There was no big open layout. The living room had a doorway that went into the long dining room, and if you traveled the length of the room, there was a doorway at the opposite end that went to the kitchen. On the other side of the dining room wall connected to where the living room and kitchen had their own doorway. I went in there, dropped my stuff at a seat, and sat down. A few others were in there too, a few girls, and a couple guys.