“Again?” Farrow repeats, coming up beside me to check the door. His barbell piercing ratchets up with his brows.
Thank God he’s dressed. Drawstring pants hang low on his waist, inked sparrows in view on his hips.
I’m so discombobulated about this entire situation that I don’t even realize what I said or what he’s questioning. Not until he asks, “Isn’t this the only time you’ve walked in on us?” He combs back his sweaty platinum hair.
Oh.
Oh.
“Yes,” I emphasize. “Yes. I’ve prided myself on never seeing you two…like that. And now that streak has ended.” My entire face radiates heat.
I glance over at Moffy.
He’s in gray sweatpants, and he pulls a Harvard shirt over his head. He looks as mortified as me, but neither of us shies away—and I try to make light of the awkward run-in.
“You looked very comfortable,” I note. “And very pleased by what Farrow was doing, which is to say that you must really trust him…” I’m on fire.
Maximoff smiles a little bit.
Possibly I haven’t made this worse.
I nod repeatedly. “I’m so, so sorry.” It wells up inside of me.
“It’s okay, Janie.” He licks his lips, then gestures to his head. “I’m just processing…it’s a lot.”
“I know.” I wince. “And Thatcher and I will absolutely let you two walk in on us to even the playing field.”
“Jane,” Thatcher says strongly on the other side of the door.
He’s not thrilled at that idea.
I waft my sweater.
“I’ll pass on that,” Farrow says easily. He tries to figure out the door situation, communicating with Thatcher for a minute. They work together, but the door isn’t unsticking.
Thatcher finally says, “It’s not coming down without removing the hinges. I’ll need tools or I can kick it in.”
As much as I’d rather flee quickly, I don’t want to destroy the owner’s house. “Don’t break it. I think there’s a toolkit in the laundry room.”
“I’ll be right back.” He pauses. “Jane?”
“Yes?”
“You’ll be okay?” He must know the ditch I’ve dug, and I’d want him to stay but I want to be in his arms more.
“Oui.”
I can feel his towering presence leave, and I look over my shoulder.
Maximoff stands off the bed, confusion in his green eyes. “I still don’t get why you said this has happened again.”
I turn, facing him fully, my clipboard pressed to my lips. I can’t lie to Moffy. Our friendship is one of complete transparency. We tell each other everything.
We often share secrets quickly. Almost immediately. Guilt overturns my stomach because I’ve kept one from him for weeks on end.
For Luna’s sake.
I think he’ll understand why I did, but his reaction to this news is what Luna feared. He will go 3/4ths Uncle Loren, and Luna doesn’t want to know how their overprotective dad might respond to her hookup.
But I’m about to see.
I lower the clipboard to my belly. “You should take a seat.”
He goes rigid. “What happened?”
Farrow leaves the door and joins Maximoff. He clasps his hand.
Moffy lets out a breath, but his shoulders never loosen. His attention is on me, waiting.
“It’s not so terrible,” I tell him. “Really, it’s not.”
He blinks. “Is it about your brothers?”
“No.”
“My brother?” He points to his chest.
I pause. “Not quite.”
He stiffens. “My sisters?”
“Sister,” I correct.
“Luna?”
I nod.
Farrow runs his thumb over his lip piercing. “You said this happened again, so that means you walked in on Luna having sex?”
Maximoff cringes. “Christ.”
“Yes.” I hug my clipboard. “It was as unlucky and unfortunate as walking in on you two.”
“But you didn’t tell me when it happened,” Maximoff realizes. “Why?”
“Luna asked me not to, and I promised her.”
Farrow processes fast and tells Moffy, “Your sister thought you’d be pissed.”
“Oui.”
Maximoff fixates on the wall in deep contemplation. “I already know she’s having sex, and I’d never shame her for that. I just want her to be safe, so I really don’t get why she thinks I’d overreact.” His eyes hit mine with pure brotherly protectiveness. “Did the guy hurt her? Is she okay?” He’s already storming towards the door.
I’m suddenly very thankful we’re locked in this room.
Farrow sprints in front and blocks him, a hand to his chest. “Wolf scout, let’s hear Jane out before we go on a fictional manhunt.”
He glares. “If someone hurt my little sister, it’s not going to be a fucking fictional manhunt. I’m going to kill him with a switchblade laced in arsenic.”
I try not to smile. My best friend has murderous hyperboles that my mom would applaud in a heartbeat.
“You don’t even know why you’d be committing murder,” Farrow says matter-of-factly. “Or who you’re supposed to be killing.”
“She’s fine. Really, really fine,” I emphasize. “She enjoyed the moment greatly. It was completely consensual.”
Maximoff tries to relax, his hand sliding back in Farrow’s hand. “Who was it? What’d they do?” His tone is sharp, so it sounds like he’s asking for a culprit and a motive.
I take one breath.
And I say just it. “I walked in on Paul Donnelly giving Luna great head—the great was her assessment, though from my vantage it did look very pleasing…” I trail off, so sweltering hot that I can barely think straight.
Farrow’s jaw has dropped. Shock slowly washes over his face, and he swings his head to me. “Donnelly?”
“Yes.”
Maximoff lets go of his hand, just to set his palms on his head. Like he’s winded and attempting to catch his breath. He spins to Farrow. “You told me not to worry about him.”
“It was consensual,” I remind them. “Luna asked Donnelly to go down on her.”
They’re both staring at me like I’m speaking an entirely different language.
“It was for science,” I add, unhelpfully. “She enjoyed it.” Yes, stick to this point.
Maximoff’s glower intensifies.
I give him a disapproving look. “Not that it matters. At all apparently.”
He groans, frustrated. “That matters. That’s not why I’m glaring.” He rakes his hands through his thick dark-brown hair, then lowers his arms to his side. “Are you sure it was Donnelly?”
“Positive.”
“You’re sure it was consensual?”
“Yes. No doubt.”
Farrow leans casually on the antique dresser. “Shit, how much did you see?”
“Far too much.”
“When?” Maximoff asks.
I explain the entire ordeal. Every little detail of how I went to find a condom and instead walked in on Luna and Donnelly, and somehow this explanation is the easiest and breeziest compared to everything else tonight.