Code Word (The Atrous Series Book 3) by Walker N.R

Author:Walker, N.R.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BlueHeart Press
Published: 2025-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

Luke and I went for a swim in the ocean, we had some fresh fruit for lunch, and then we spent the afternoon on the patio in the shade, lazing on the lounge chairs while Luke strummed his guitar.

Perfect didn’t begin to cover it.

Pretty sure he thought I was joking when I said I didn’t ever wanna go home.

I wasn’t joking.

The rational part of my brain knew I was just thinking that because I didn’t want this bubble to burst. Because, rationally thinking, going back to LA and to the house we’d lived in for years—together, but not together—would burst the bubble of perfection I’d found here.

I wanted this to last forever.

“Do you think Alma would sell this house to us?” I asked.

Luke stopped strumming. “Ah, probably not. She said it was her parents’ before.”

“I was thinking of selling the house in Malibu,” I admitted. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while. And when I went back there after I left the cabins, it really felt all wrong.”

“You never lived there,” he mused.

“Nope.”

“Maybe there were residual vibes from the eat-pray-love people,” he said, kinda joking, kinda not. “Maybe it just needs an exorcism, some sage burning, or whatever they do.”

“Pretty sure that’s something the eat-pray-love people would say.”

He might have meant that as a joke, but there was something underlying, like resentment?

“You know,” I said, gently. “I can’t change the fact I dated your sister.” His eyes shot to mine and I knew I’d guessed correctly. “There’s gonna be history and memories. I’m sorry. I wish I could shield you from that, but I can’t change it.”

He held his guitar, poised, ready to play. But he didn’t. Instead, he nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

“I don’t want it to come between us. I don’t want you to resent me or her. Or for it to be something we can’t overcome. But I don’t want you to be smacked in the face with it every time you turn around, either.”

“Is that why you don’t want to go home?”

I sighed, put my arms behind my head, and closed my eyes. “Partly. I don’t want to go back to any of it. Our families aside, of course. But the fame, the fans . . . it’s not as bad as it used to be. But here, earlier today, we totally walked around the market and the store, and nobody knew us. Nobody cared. It was awesome.” I didn’t really want to admit this next part out loud, but god, I needed to say it. “I just feel . . .”

“You just feel what?”

I turned my head to look at him. “I feel like I need to leave Atrous behind. It’s not who we are anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it all: the tours, the concerts, the music, and getting to do it all with the guys. What we did, what we accomplished, the shit we saw. It was fucking insane.”

“But?”

“But that’s over. And I don’t know who I am.”

“Blake,” he murmured.

“No, don’t misunderstand.

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