Somewhere in the Middle

Guilt

Evie was more aware of Luke's arms around her shoulders than she'd like to be considering where they were seated. Considering the fact that Jamie was only a few feet away from them on the other end of the couch.

"What do you think?" Greg asked, modeling the button down shirt he'd bought in some thrift store he'd found somewhere in Oslo earlier in the day.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, studying the paisley shirt that seemed like an out of character purchase for Greg, who tended to go for quieter, more casual fashion choices.

"But your nipples aren't showing," Luke said, and Jamie barked a laugh as Evie giggled. Greg just looked annoyed.

"That's kind of the point," Greg said.

"But your nipples are always showing," Luke said, sounding worried enough that he had Evie and Jamie in hysterics.

It was true. When Greg wasn't wearing a too-big, torn up tank top that revealed his nipples, which he usually wore on stage—it made him feel more "free" while he was playing—he was wearing a t-shirt that was thin enough that you could see his nipples through it. Just another reason this particular shirt looked rather strange on him.

Greg pinched the material of the button down. "This is a dressy shirt, Lucas. Not seeing my nipples is precisely the point."

Evie looked at Luke at just the right moment. His lower lip was jutting out as his eyes scanned Greg's chest again. "But I miss your nipples."

Jamie's laugh then crawled across Evie's skin like a touch, and she hoped Luke didn't notice how her body had tightened. But he was laughing himself, digging his nose into her neck as he chuckled. His breath warmed her hair as she giggled, too.

Greg grinned. "Aw, bud. Come here," he said, unbuttoning the shirt to reveal his chest, "You get your own private show."

"That's my cue to go," Evie said, scooting her way over on the couch until she was smack in the middle of Jamie and Luke. But she kept her gaze on her boyfriend, smiled and laughed as Greg leaned over him, baring his nipples for Luke to enjoy, even as Luke tried to push him away. And yet, all Evie really seemed to be able to focus on was Jamie laughing along on her other side.

They hadn't spoken since the other night. Not really. Only polite "good mornings" and "thank you's," knowing looks, and shared smiles when someone said something funny. But they were good. There was no anger like there usually was when things went silent between them. And she knew they would hang out again. She already wanted to talk to him again.

But there was a guilt in wanting that now. It had been there before—keeping it from Luke had felt strange from the very start, and she was planning to tell him eventually. But now, after the other night, she wasn't sure she could. And that guilt had become a constant thing lodged in her chest.

Because she was still trying to figure out just what had happened. And more importantly, how it had made her feel.

"Alright," came Pete's voice through the door to the green room before he entered himself. "We're an hour out. Evie, have you called the contest winners?"

Evie looked at her watch. "I'm going out to get them in five."

"Great," Pete said, releasing a deep breath as his eyes scanned the rest of them. They landed on Greg. "What the hell is that?"

Greg looked down at his shirt. "Ah, c'mon, man. You don't like it either?"

Pete was staring at the button-down like he'd never seen anything uglier. "What's with the—" he waggled his fingers in the shirt's direction, "—swirls or whatever you call them?"