Crave (The Gibson Boys, #3)

by Adriana Locke

Hadley left town because of me. She moved away from her brother and her friends because I’m a jackass.

The longer she’s gone, the deeper the guilt gets. There’s no way to fix it, though. The things I’ve done, the hurt I’ve caused this sweet girl, are things I can’t pretend she should forgive me for.

You should check them out. Get it with pickles and cheese and then add some salt. But here’s the kicker—you know what you need to eat them with?” Logan doesn’t answer. Peck’s clearly leading him, and he’s waiting on the shoe to drop. “Teeth,” Peck says. “And if you don’t get outta here soon, you won’t be leaving with yours.”

“Where are you going?” Nora asks as I blow by her. “Probably to hell.” My palms hit the door.

It’s like God created me with a chink in my armor, then He created her to fit that weakness, and I can’t get around it to save my fucking life.

As I look at her across the room, I can’t figure out what it is that lures me so hard. She’s beautiful, but I’ve seen women who are technically prettier. She’s smart, but I’ve met smarter. She’s funny but not quite as funny as she thinks she is. She’s good and honest, but even she holds secrets and most of them are with me. That’s why I can’t just write her off. I’m bound to this woman by scars etched on both our hearts; scars we share with only each other.

Her orders, delivered with the firmness of a sergeant but with the smile of a grandmother, make me laugh. I sit at a stool and watch her cook.

Nana is my consistent, the woman who looked after me after my parents died. The one who makes me chicken noodle soup when I get a slight cough—even when she’s knows I’m faking just to get the soup.

“Are you bribing me with food?” “Of course. I’m a grandmother. It’s what we do.” “You do it well.”

I look up and see him standing on the front porch. He’s leaning against a column barefooted in jeans and a plain white shirt. I almost whimper at the sight.