Love Unexpected (Navy Love Series Book 2) (2 page)

“What?
And why haven’t you told me before now? When did this happen? How many times? Do I know him?”

I love that Marsh is able to play it off like he didn’t have a clue it was happening or with who. Everyone in our group knows Jo and J.C. have been spending a lot of time together and we all know when they have what I can only describe to be a monumental fight, which occurs frequently. That’s the main reason for Jo’s sudden withdrawal from our little clique. I sit in silence still, unsure of where Jo’s and my boundaries are; I’m not sure she’d be okay with me questioning and prying.

Jo breaks out in a laugh before answering Marshall’s barrage of questions.

“First off, don’t play dumb, Marsh, it doesn’t suit you.” She and Marshall share a knowing look before she continues. “We started sleeping together awhile back, and it still occasionally happens. It started that night we met Hunter at Eagle’s Nest—what was supposed to be a one-time thing has continuously happened since then.”

Reed mentioned to me multiple times that it was weird how J.C. wasn’t taking home different girls every night like he used to. We’ve talked about the odd behavior between the two of them a couple of times. Reed claims it’s even gotten awkward at work. I can’t help the question before it escapes my mouth. I’m surprised Jo is giving this much info away, although I’m shocked she hasn’t just told us who we’re talking about.

“Does anyone in the group know him? Has he been around all of us before?”

Jo looks at me with a mischievous glint in her eye, and after a second of pause, she arches an eyebrow and starts her own line of questions.

“What about you, Tegan?”

My eyebrows skyrocket on my forehead in surprise.

“Huh?”

“What about
you
?” There’s an evil smile on her face. I feel like she’s fishing for something, but I don’t know what or why.

“Yeah, Bug. What’s going in your love life? There’s gotta be at least one guy you’re interested in here.” Marshall chimes in.

Greeaaaat.

“Uhh...no, not really.”

“Don’t pretend.” Jo says as she scrolls through her phone. “Who’s this Charlie? You two seem to text a lot. As in all the time.”

I turn back to face her and see that she has
my
phone in her hand, not hers. That evil smirk is firmly intact. She knows what she’s doing by putting me on display—she’s turned the attention off of her, effectively disregarding my questions about her
friend’s
identity.

“Uhh. I…uhh…”

“Oh, my
God
. I can’t
believe
it You’re holding out on me too? Both of you have these secretive sex lives that I need to hear about. Some of us are less fortunate in the ‘gettin’ laid’ department,” Marshall cries dramatically.

“I’m not holding out on you. There’s nothing going on with me and Re... Charlie.” For some reason, his first name sounds odd coming out of my mouth.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Jo says nonchalantly as she continues invading my privacy. “There are
a lot
of suggestive texts in here. And a bunch of you two making sleepover arrangements.”

I’m going to murder her.

“I… It’s-it’s just something casual. He’s a guy I met and we hit it off from the beginning.” I hope it’s enough to stop the two Nosey Rosey’s questioning. I stop at a red light, turn toward Jo in the back seat, and snatch my phone from her hands. Turning back around, I place it in-between my thighs to protect it from her prying hands and eyes.

“Wait, Tess said you don’t do casual sex,” Marsh starts.

Of course, leave it to my sister to inform everyone of my sex life dos and don’ts. They probably all know my favorite positions too.

I don’t want to keep this uncomfortable conversation going for fear of possibly saying anything that could out my
friend
, Charlie. With a shrug, I turn up the radio, successfully ending it.

A couple hours later, we drop Marshall off at his house. I breathe a sigh of relief that I made it through tonight without caving—no one knows my secret. At least, not yet anyway.

I anticipate the short ride to Jo’s apartment to be quiet, and it is, until we pull up outside her place.

“Look, Tegan, I know we aren’t that close, but I’m here if you want to talk.”

My face must have an utterly confused expression on it, so she elaborates.

“I know who
Charlie
is.” I go to deny it, but she holds a hand up to stop me. “Don’t even. I have become the queen of denial recently. And I can see it in your face. You, my friend, are becoming just as acquainted with the feeling as I am.”

I don’t respond. Instead, I’m mentally replaying the conversation and scrolling through my texts, trying to remember if anything could pinpoint Reed.

“I’m not going to say anything, but I really think you need to think about this. Reed isn’t someone who’s ever going to make a commitment like what you want.”

“I don’t know that I want any more of a commitment than what we’ve agreed to. We’re just having fun, Jo,” I lie. I know I’m already feeling deeper emotions than what I should for Reed. I already know when he ends this thing we have I will suffer through a heartbreak.

Jo gives me a knowing look then exits my car. She bends down into the open window to deliver her final thoughts on the subject.

“Just know that I’m here for you whenever you need someone to talk with about this. I’ve been where you are, Tegan. I know the emotional turmoil that being someone’s dirty little secret can cause. You’re young and beautiful, and an overall amazing person. You don’t deserve to be someone’s side piece. You should be with a man who wants to show you off to any and everyone. If you want to keep sneaking around with Reed, I’ll keep your secret safe, but I just want you to know I’m here in the end, regardless how things go with you two or how everyone else reacts to it.”

I nod. “Thanks, Jo.” She taps the window seal and starts to walk away. “Jo!” She stops walking and turns her attention back to me.

“You should know, you deserve a guy like what you described too. You’re not the type of girl that should be kept hidden away. I hope you get that.”

“Bug,” she says with a sad look in her eyes, “I know that isn’t going to happen, not with this guy, anyway. But I’ll enjoy the ride with him until it ends.” She waves and makes her way into her apartment.

I pick up my phone and see that in the past two hours I have multiple missed calls and texts from Reed. As much as I want to go to him tonight, after the warning from Jo, I can’t help but think I need a night to myself.

Reed

Finally, two hours after I’ve blown up her phone with texts, I get a response from Tegan.

Tegan: Hey, sorry I’ve been out with Marsh and Jo.

Me: It’s fine, u on ur way over?

Tegan: I think I’m just gonna go to my place tonight.

Me: OK, be there in 20.

Tegan: No Reed, I’m going home alone tonight.

Me: y?

Tegan: It’s just been a long night, I actually need to get some sleep.

Me: Whatever. Text when ur over this girl shit.

I know I’m being a dick to her, but I’m pissed. I was worried about her earlier. Tegan always answers my texts, so for her not to made me think something had happened to her.

I ended up calling Hunter, unsure of what the hell I was going to say, and he invited me over for a couple beers after Sawyer went to bed. In passing, he mentioned Tegan, Jo, and Marshall doing some weird singing shit.

To be dead honest, my mind had started wondering and worrying; I’d hoped she wasn’t at a bar. Hunter had no idea the amount of stress he alleviated by telling me where they were. If it hadn’t been for my curiosity eating at me, I probably wouldn’t have accepted his invitation. Things between Hunter and I have been awkward since he caught me sneaking out of Tegan’s apartment awhile back.

I can’t help the jealous feeling that overcomes me when I think of other men hitting on her. I should take these feelings into consideration. I should realize that I’m getting too attached, that this is becoming more than what I anticipated.

I don’t, though. Instead, I roll out of bed and quickly dress. I’m out the door, in my truck, and headed to her house before I have time to think of how deep I’m letting myself get.

Fifteen minutes later, I park next to her little Honda Accord. I can see the blue hue from the television through the window of her second-story apartment. I stand outside the door but can’t bring myself to knock.

I take the chicken shit route and send her a text.

Me: Open the door.

I hear the chime of her phone, and within seconds the latch moving as she opens up for me. Her eyes are red and puffy, an obvious sign that she’s been crying. I pull her into my arms as soon as I step through the threshold of her door, and she instantly begins crying again. I kick it closed behind me, and guide her to the bedroom, leaving the TV on and her small mess sitting in the living room. I’ll come back later and clean everything up.

We lie down in her bed where she immediately finds her spot in the crook of my arm. I run my fingers through her hair and place small kisses on her forehead. After a few minutes of her quiet sobs, I finally speak.

“What’s going on, babe?”

“I... I just miss my sister.”

“Hey, it’ll be okay. Tessa is a smart girl, and a damn good sailor; she’s fine out there. And she’ll be home before you know it.”

She doesn’t say anything else but tucks herself into my body even more. There aren’t any other words said between us; I simply hold her until her breathing evens out and she falls asleep.

I gently scoot her over to the middle of the bed and untangle myself from her. I stand at the foot of the bed and watch her for a few moments, silently saying goodbye, before going into the living room and cleaning up the mess left behind. After everything is back to normal, I grab the spare key she leaves sitting by the front door and lock up as I leave.

The entire way home I convince myself that I was just being a friend in that moment—my intention when I went to her house tonight was to check on her, not because I was jealous or worried she could have met someone.

I cannot give her any more than friendship and that is the root of all of these crazy emotions running through my mind. She deserves more than me, and on top of that well-known factor, I am incapable of giving her what she deserves.

I was being a good friend tonight, nothing else.
Nothing else
.

With that in mind, I make my peace with the idea that I need to end this fling Tegan and I have going. Too many emotions are getting involved. Whatever this is, it’s officially over the next time I see her.

Tegan