Page 67 (1/2)

CHAPTER ONEVIC NEWCOMB LAY WITH THE grass of Prospect Park tickling between his spread fingers and tangling in his hair and scratching at his ears, while overhead clouds scudded across a sky as blue and hard as a h his waistcoat and shirt, until he was a potato crisping in its jacket and sweat trickled down the back of his neck, seeping under his collar

At least, he hoped it eat and not a particularly enterprising ant, beetle, or other nasty little creepy-crawly that was ninety percent exoskeleton and one hundred percent skittering horror

“This,” he said flatly, “is not working”

At his side, Ash laughed, light and carefree He tilted his head back against the grass, glancing over at Vic, blue eyes sweetly merry Little shit looked like he didn’t have a care in the world, when he should be a coacorporation his father had handed hio

Then again, ould Ash be stressed when the bloody beheidly on a nearby park bench—did all of the worrying for him?

Rolling over onto his side, Ash propped hiy black hair fell across his face “You just don’t kno to relax properly”

“I can’t relax when Forsythe fucking glares daggers at et half an inch too close to you”

“He’s possessive” More than possessive, fro shy “He’s like that with everyone”

“He knows ht, and not interested in shagging my shiftless, irresponsible sod of a best friend” Vic leaned in and pressed his fingertip to Ash’s nose “So tell hi like that”

Ash crossed his eyes, then pulled back, laughing again and flopping down into the grass once more “I’m not shiftless or irresponsible”

“Yes, you are Forsythe just helps you hide it”

“Hey!” Ash’s shoulders shook with repressed laughter “I take offense to that”

“You don’t, because you know it’s true”

“…only a little true” Ash’s laughter trailed into a sigh “But it’s not so bad being a little irresponsible, Vic It’s the only way to keep fro apart, when you do e do”

“I don’t have the tiether over his stoot six different board s this week, and—”