Catching the look, Claudia downed her drink and turned away from the band. Rowena, our Scottish friend who we suspected was sleeping with the bassist, Denver, brushed her bright purple hair out of her eyes to exchange a worried glance with me.

Claudia was erratic around Beck.

I knew she was attracted to him, but I had my suspicion, as did every person in our group with the possible exception of Beck, that Claudia was in love. However, one minute she pretended to be fine about his manwhorish ways, and the next she looked like she wanted to find a corner to cry in.

I nudged her arm and she looked up at me with sad, stunning green eyes. Did I mention she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever met in real life and one of the coolest, funniest, kindest girls to boot? Did I mention Beck was an idiot?

“Do you want to go?”

She glanced back at the stage, glowered (which, in all honesty, I preferred to the sad puppy-dog look), and turned to me. “Yeah, if you’re ready.”

“You’re leaving?” Jake leaned into me again.

“It’s either that or I kill your best friend.”

Jake looked over at Beck and gave a slight shake of his head. “He needs to pull his head out of his ass.”

“Yup. Before then, though, I’m going to head back to the apartment with Claud.”

“Want me to come?”

I heaved a shaky sigh. Time to admit what I was up to tonight. “I actually have a thing tonight. A telling-Mom-and-Dad-about-me-and-you thing…”

Jake’s eyebrows rose. “Did I hear that right over the music?”

I cupped his face in my hands, feeling the slight bristle prickle my skin. Playfully, I rubbed my nose against his, smirking. “You might want to watch what you say next. I’m feeling a little nervous right now. I might back out.”

In answer, I felt the soft press of Jake’s mouth against mine. My lashes fluttered closed and my lips parted for his soft, sweet kiss. My mouth tingled as he drew back.

“I’m also telling them about the academy.”

For that, I got another kiss, but instead of drawing back afterward, Jake pulled me into a hug. I melted against his strong chest, my hands resting on the hard muscles of his back. He smelled great, and the strength in his arms as they held me to him made me feel safe.

In that moment all my worries disappeared. I felt the traitorous compulsion to open my mouth and whisper those three little words.

“You ready to go?” Claudia’s loud question stopped me in the nick of time.

Pulling reluctantly out of Jake’s hold, I said, “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it.” He brushed my cheek with his thumb. “Thanks for doing this for me. It means a lot.”

My throat clogged with emotion so I flashed a cheeky grin to cover it. “I’m doing it for us.” I stood and shoved my laptop and notes into my backpack.

Jake’s hand curled around my thigh and I glanced down to see him staring up at me, unable to hide the uncertainty in his eyes. “You’ll call me afterward?”

“If it’s not too late.” I bent down and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. “See you tomorrow.”

I said goodbye to Rowena as Claudia moved through the busy room toward the barroom. When I turned back to wave goodbye to the guys, I got a chin nod from Lowe but nothing from Beck. He was too busy watching Claudia leave, a little furrow between his brows.

She hadn’t bothered to say goodbye to him and at this point, I didn’t blame her.

Outside the bar, Claudia wrapped her arms around herself, her long dark hair blowing wildly behind her. She had a remote expression on her face I didn’t like. Not one bit. Ignoring my own nerves over the conversation I was about to have with my parents, I strode forward and linked my arm through hers.

She smiled absentmindedly at me as we walked toward the apartment.

“So,” I said, “last weekend you and Beck seemed fine. You seemed to have come to terms with how things are between you, and you were nervously excited about taking him with us to Barcelona to meet your father.”

Claudia’s parents were wealthy, self-indulgent, neglectful socialites from Coronado, California. They had no time for their daughter. Over Christmas break, Claudia found out why her dad was particularly indifferent. Turns out he wasn’t her real father. Her real father was a British artist called Dustin Tweedie. In an effort to make some kind of amends, Claud’s mom had tracked him down. He lived in Barcelona and Claud’s mom was going to pay for Claudia to fly out there this spring to meet him—with Jake, Beck, and me in tow for moral support.

Claudia tightened her grip. “I was. But that was last weekend.”

“What happened between then and now?”

“I wrote an email to Dustin two days ago.” She wouldn’t look at me, and anger burned hotly in my blood at the sight of her throat working against emotion. “I still haven’t heard anything back.”

Having no idea what it felt like to be the recipient of not one, not two, but three indifferent parents, I really didn’t know what to say. “It’s only been two days.”

Two of our neighbors called out to us and we waved back. As soon as they were gone, Claudia shrugged. “Does it matter? I should just face it now. He won’t want me coming out there and interrupting his life.” Her laugh sounded hollow. I hated it. She wasn’t meant for bitter. “Let’s face it, Charley. I’m missing whatever that thing is that makes men care.”

Stunned, I stopped outside our courtyard gate. “That’s not true.”

She pulled away. “I can’t even look at you. You would never let them make you feel like this.”

“Uh, hullo.” I waved my hand in front of her face. “Were you not here these past few months, watching me wallow in self-pity over a certain handsome young man with the surname Caplin?”

She snorted but still wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Claud, we’re allowed to have bad days, okay? Today is a bad day for you. That’s all. This shit with your parents is not going to change you. Please don’t let it.”

“And Beck?”

I cared about Beck, I did. And I know he cared deeply for Claudia, but right now it wasn’t enough for her and I felt like we’d had this conversation one too many times. “I think maybe you had the right idea last week.”

“Cutting him out a little?” She shrugged. “He got all broody about it and I caved.”

“Well, this time, don’t cave.”

She shot me a droll look as we walked toward our building. “Oh really? It’s that easy.”

“Okay, maybe not. Maybe you just need a distraction.”

“A distraction?”

“Yeah.” I thought of the one thing that had distracted me while Jake was dating Melissa. I grinned. “You need Lowe.”

“Um, I like the guy and all, but I am not sleeping with Lowe.”

“I’m not talking about sex.” I gave her my most serious look. “Believe it or not, Lowe is an incredibly insightful, compassionate, patient guy. He’s a really good friend to have on your side.”

“Jesus, does Jake know you’re half in love with his friend?”

“I am not in love with Lowe. He was just there when I needed him. You should hang out with him. Seriously. Oh, and don’t say shit like that in front of Jake.”

She grinned mischievously and the uneasiness I felt dissipated. This was more like Claudia. “Does Mr. Caplin have a jealous streak?”

“Yes. It’s almost as wide as mine,” I grumbled.

“And you’re positive my hanging out with Lowe won’t incite your jealousy?”

I considered it, letting her walk into the apartment ahead of me. It wasn’t too long ago I’d had a crush on Lowe, but that’s all it was or ever would be. What I felt for Jake… it burned in my very depths. No one had ever come close to making me feel what I felt for him.

He was my missing puzzle piece.

“Nope,” I finally concluded. “He’s sexy as sin and I like him, but he doesn’t come close to Jacob.”

“Aww, Jacob,” she teased.

“Please don’t start calling him that.”