NovelEnglishHOUSES
LUKE
| gripped the steering wheel like it might try to get away from me. Jess sat quietly beside me, her arms crossed
as she leaned back against the seat.
"| still don't see why | couldn't drive," she muttered, glancing atfrom the corner of her eye.
"Because the last thing | drove was a boat," | replied, my voice dry. "And | just need to drive a car... that works on
a smooth road..."
Her lips twitched like she was fighting a smile, but she didn't argue further. We hadn't spoken about the island,
but our eyes lingered on Jess, her belly holding my child. Without thinking, | reached out and placed a hand over
the one resting on her belly button.
In the back seat, Josh stretched his injured leg out over Laura's lap, his face contorted in discomfort. Laura sat
stiffly, adjusting the blanket around his leg for the tenth time. She whispered something to him that made his
expression soft-en, but he still looked miserable. | pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, letting out a
deep breath as the house cinto view. Home.
Jess shifted in her seat but didn't move to get out. Instead, she turned to look at me, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"When were you planning on telling us?"
Her tone was sharp, but Laura chimed in next, her voice eerily in sync with Jess's. "Yeah, when exactly were you
going to tell us?"
Josh and | exchanged a glance, completely lost. "Tell you what?" | asked, my brow furrowing.
Jess didn't answer. She simply pointed out the window, her finger trembling slightly as she gestured toward our
house-the one | bought and put in her name.
It is conveniently located right next to her old house, which Josh bought and sold in Laura's nthe sday.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt| felt Jess's gaze boring intoas her lips trembled. Her eyes shone with tears she hadn't yet let fall.
"When were you planning on telling us this?" Jess demand-ed, her voice cracking.
Josh scratched the back of his neck, looking everywhere but at the girls. "Uh... | thought | mentioned it?" he
mumbled weakly.
"No, you didn't," Laura snapped, her hands planted firmly on her hips even though she was still sitting.
Jess's tears started to fall, and | finally turned to look at her.
She wiped them away angrily, sniffling as her voice wa-vered.
Josh looked atlike he was hoping I'd take the lead.
Traitor. | cleared my throat, raising my hands in mock sur-render.
"Okay, first of all... Surprise." | said carefully, trying to keep my voice calm.
Josh and | were at an event a few months ago, having whiskey, and he said something about missing living next
to me. And, well... | felt the same. That's it.
"The houses we bought were purely selfish decisions." | shrugged, giving Jess my best innocent look.
"Selfish?" Jess repeated, her voice rising an octave.
| nodded, shrugging as | forced a smile. "Absolutely nothing to do with starting families next to each other or
any-thing. Just two guys who didn't want to stop being neigh-bors. Purely selfish."
Jess stared atlike I'd just grown a second head, and her bottom lip quivered.
My chest tightened as her gaze flicked to the house again.
And then she laughed. A short, sharp sound that caughtcompletely off guard.
"If you told me," she said, her voice
breaking between laughter and tears,
"that my brother's best friend and my
high Si Bully wolukDor day be
the Ow Phy life and buy a house
so | could live next to my brother and
my best friend..." She wiped at her
face again, shaking her head. "|
would've said it was never going to
happen." The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Josh snorted behind us. “I mean,
technically, it's just a cgincidenagrand
Luke WREST thatrheat-Was he?
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Othétwise | ow you a ass-woopin
man!" The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
"Shut up, Josh," Jess and Laura said in unison.
| glanced at Jess, watching her shoulders shake as she tried to pull herself together.
"It's not a coincidence," | said softly, surprising even my-self.
Her head snapped toward me, her tear-filled eyes wide.
"It's not a coincidence," | repeated, my voice steady this time. "It's... just us. This is how it was always supposed
to be."
Her face crumpled as more tears
spilled over, but this time, | dignity
hesitats, reached Rrther pulling her
into'hy arms as she clung to me, her
face buried in my chest. The content
is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Laura sniffled loudly in the back seat, and even Josh looked like he was trying not to cry.
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