The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 386

Jay followed Franco into the locker room, slowing for a second when he caught the instruction.

“Yes,” he replied.

Right then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled it out. There was a new message, but instead of reading it, Jay handed the phone straight to Franco.

Franco paused mid-motion, towel in hand, his gaze growing just a little darker as he took the phone and opened the message.

Petty: Malcom, are you home?

Franco tapped her profile photo, then typed out a quick reply.

Yeah. About to head out and pick up some groceries.

Petty’s response popped up instantly. Don’t go anywhere. Aaron and I are coming over now.

Franco put the phone down and said to Jay, “I have to go out for a bit.”

Jay didn’t even need to ask where. He just nodded and said, “I’ll draft the clarification letter.”

Franco’s eyes were cool, almost distant, as he changed into fresh clothes and left the locker room.

***

Petty pressed the doorbell outside Malcom’s apartment. After a short wait, Malcom opened the door, dressed head to toe in black, the brim of his cap low and a mask covering most of his face.

He leaned on a crutch, his deep brown eyes passing quickly over Petty’s face before flicking to Aaron behind her.

Aaron, already used to Malcom’s distant vibe, stepped inside and slipped off his shoes. “J, you’re finally back. With your leg like that, where have you been these past days?”

Petty rummaged in her shopping bag, then pulled out two fresh pairs of slippers—one men’s, one women’s. Same style, just different colors. The bigger pair was light blue, the smaller pink.

“I figured you probably didn’t own any slippers, so I got these when I picked up groceries,” Petty said as she handed the blue pair to Aaron.

Before Aaron could take them, Malcom reached out, took the blue slippers for himself, and nudged off one of his own gray slippers, kicking it in Aaron’s direction. He slipped into the new slippers without missing a beat.

Aaron didn’t even blink at the switch. He just put on the gray slipper and asked again, “So where did you end up going, J?”

Malcom nodded once.

“What kind of hairstyle do you want?” Petty asked, half trying to brighten the mood.

Nothing too over-the-top, he typed back.

Petty blinked, surprised he even knew that expression.

She gathered up the groceries, ready to head for the kitchen, but Malcom stepped in first, taking the bags from her. He balanced on his crutch, swinging the bags as he led the way.

Aaron jumped forward. “Let me carry those, J.”

But Malcom kept going, not slowing down at all, even with the crutch, like he’d been using one for years.

He set the bags on the kitchen counter, braced the crutch under his arm, and started pulling out vegetables one by one.

Petty took a handful of chili peppers from him and grinned. “I looked up a few spicy recipes before I came. Figured we could try making something new together.”