Life in Hiding

23 ~ Stagnant

**MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ CHAP 22**

Thirty minutes later, we find ourselves parked in front of a house in the Atlanta suburbs.

"Get out." Gabe orders, pulling his keys from the ignition.

Unfolding myself from the car and stretching out, I raise a brow. "Where are we?"

Because it's almost midnight and we've decided to take a stroll through the Atlanta suburbs.

"It's a party now!"

Turning, I find Gentry Rawlings standing on the front porch. Letting out a hoot, I run and hug him. "My dude." Garner Rawlings steps out and I hug him. "My younger dude."

"This is weird." Garner slaps my back and I let go.

"My favorite cousins, where's Jovie and do I need to pull out the shotgun I don't own?" Gabe greets them.

That's right, she met the parents tonight and I'm gonna guess it went horrible.

"In her room." Gentry offers. "Aspen's with her."

"Then we should go say hello." Gabe grins before walking inside.

Taking this opportunity to take in their home, a place my family was never allowed to visit before, I run right into Gabe's back. Ouch.

"Who the hell are you two?"

Grunting, Gabe stands back up. "Two of the most important men is Jovie's life."

"That's our job." A guy says, buffing his very lean chest up.

"Nice to meet you." Another offers, shoving his curly afro out of his eyes.

"Likewise." I wave. Taking a bag of chips from a younger teenager I've never seen before. I decide to have some fun. "I've always wanted to meet Jo and Gen's friends. This is so cute."

"Shut up, Sage." Gentry slaps the back of my head.

"Do you guys braid hair? Tell ghost stories?" I plop down on the couch next to an Asian girl. "I've always imagined Gentry as the type to enjoy a good face mask."

"He does." The guy who tried to intimidate us offers.

"Shut up, AJ."

"Let's not be strangers. I'm Sage." Turning to the girl, I wink. "What's your name, pretty lady."

"Who the hell is this guy?" AJ demands. Someone's a little back and forth in their attitude.

"Peyton." She blushes. "Jo's told me a lot about you."

"At least someone here loves me. Aspen secretly loves me the most, though." I inform her even though that's a straight lie. "What have you heard?"

"That you got hot. You're single. And loaded." Peyton offers. "Jovie said she would try to hook us up."

"That might be the nicest thing she's ever done for me." I admit, ready to roast the shit out of my favorite redhead.

"My bad, if that's the case, then the name's AJ." He slides up next to me.

The entire room rolls their eyes and the other guy hits him. "I'm Jay."

Hold up. "You're the Jay who dated Jovie."

He winces. "Yeah, that's suddenly become a sore subject though."

Ah, the infamous current boyfriend. What I wouldn't give to go next door and punch him– I mean, meet him.