Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

with Liam, and nervous about the bomb I have to drop on her. I’m starting to psych myself out, but I know letting her in on my long-hidden secret is the best option if I want to keep her in my life. I just hope she doesn’t freak out too much or just think I’ve gone crazy.

As I’m exiting the shower, I hear the front door shut, so I dress fast and rush to meet Kassy in the living room. She and Liam are sitting close together on the couch, looking very cozy and giggling at something. I smile, glad to see them so happy together, but feel just a tiny twinge of jealousy over how easy it is for them.

I clear my throat, announcing myself before I end up witnessing something I’d rather not. Liam turns and flashes me his cute, boyish grin. “Hey there, El. Kass said you have been going up into the mountains a lot lately. You’re not going to become some hippy and stop shaving your armpits, are you?” Kassy elbows him gently.

I give him a faux angry glare. “There’s nothing wrong with liking the outdoors, pretty-boy. By the way, you have more than enough armpit hair to go around, sasquatch,” I tease. He is surprisingly hairy for the cute lanky type, even if it is all blonde.

Kassy stands and rolls her eyes. “You guys are seriously like brother and sister. I don’t want to have to live with all this bickering every day from now on. I really can’t pick sides.”

Liam stands up and wraps his arms around her small waist. “So, you’re planning on seeing me every day, huh?”

She has to look up to see his face. “Is that a problem, babe?” She asks, her eyebrows raised in question.

He sighs. “Not at all. I actually really really like the sound of that.” He leans down and plants a kiss on her smiling lips. The kind of kiss that heats up the whole room and really should be saved for when they’re alone.

I look away and groan. “Is this what I have to look forward to from now on?” I pretend to gag at their show of affection.

Kassy’s giggle is squeaky as she steps back from Liam. “I’m sorry, El. I almost forgot you were here for a moment.” A small blush stains her cheeks.

“Well, thanks,” I say sarcastically.

Liam heads toward the door. “It’s all right, El. I’m leaving, so you don’t have to avert your eyes anymore. Well, maybe once more.” He gives Kassy one more slow sweet kiss and then winks at her. “Feel free to gossip all about me while I’m gone.”

The door shuts behind Liam, and Kassy turns back to me with apologetic eyes. “I really am sorry. I can’t help it, he’s just so freakin’ adorable.”

I hold up my hand to stop her apology. “It’s fine, mostly. And holy heck! Did the temperature get turned up in here or what?” I fan myself with a small notebook.

She turns beet red. “Aella!” She shouts at me, embarrassed. “He really does make me happy, and I feel like we are connected in some way, like it’s just meant to be.”

“That must be pretty great, to feel that way with someone,” I say, although I know exactly what she means. It’s how I felt when I spent time with Gavin, and I miss it, even after just one day without him.

Kassy sighs, lost in thought. “It’s awesome.” She comes out of her fog and heads to the kitchen where her smile vanishes.

“What’s wrong, Kass?”

She holds up a written address on a sticky note that was left on the counter. Above the address and in all caps reads “THE VINYL CLUB”. Kassy throws the paper in the garbage and clears her throat. “Did you hear about what happened to Max?”

I shake my head. “What did he do now?”

“He died yesterday.” She stares down at the countertop. “I saw it on the local news app earlier.”

“Seriously? How did that happen?” I dread to think of Thrane getting his hands on Max.

Kassy pulls up the article for me on her phone. “Here. You can read it.”

I scan the page and see that Max’s body was found with no noticeable wounds about a mile from the college behind an abandoned home. The police say it has been a location for drug dealers in the past and that he likely died from an overdose.

“I’m sorry, Kass. I probably shouldn’t feel sad about this news considering what he did to us, but I kind of am.”

She takes her phone back and nods. “Honestly, I feel the same way. I don’t know what he was going through to make him act the way he did or especially go out and overdose on drugs, but I feel like he wasn’t that person.” She shrugs. “I guess I just didn’t know him well enough.”

I wrap her in a hug. “I am glad that you found someone who truly cares for you.”

She wipes her eyes. “Me too. There’s no need to look back now. Let’s move forward. Speaking of which, how was your day with that, Alexa girl? Is she pretty cool?”

“Yeah, I think you’ll really like her.” I struggle to find the words for the bomb I need to drop on her.

She studies my face, reading me like a book in an instant. “El, what’s wrong now?”

I turn away from her and sit on the couch. Hesitantly, I wave her over. “Come sit with me, okay?”

Her face reflects the epitome of concern as she slowly makes her way over. Without a word, she takes a seat on the couch and places her folded hands in her lap, waiting for me to say something else.

I suck in a deep breath and hold it for a moment before exhaling. “All right, um… So, are you ready to hear something that I have been keeping from you since we met all those years ago?”

Her face shows no emotion and after a moment she speaks