39. Wet (Clay POV)

Walking into the kitchen, my eyes landed on my mom and Lexi sitting at the island, wine glasses in hand. They both looked deep in conversation, sharing the intimacy only women can conjure with a glance or a laugh.

"Look, Luke, there isn't a Beta house on the property. Just figured you could shack up here in the main house for a while," I said, turning back to my friend, making an effort to sound casual.

Luke glanced at Lexi, a mixture of contemplation and, was it longing, crossing his face? "Well, one wing of this place is already bigger than our apartments combined," he mused.

His gaze met mine, and a mutual understanding passed between us. "Alright, that's okay with me," he finally said, breaking into a small, accepting smile.

As I moved to the fridge, I couldn't help but catch snippets of their conversation, of mom's hearty laughter, and Lexi's soft-spoken questions. My eyes shifted toward Lexi, then back to Luke. They shared a bond, something palpable and real. It was like a strin