But standing here looking in the mirror, lips glossy and cheeks flushed, my heart pounding harder than it ever has?
The last thing I feel is strength.
I just feel reckless.
Yet, I can’t stop wondering what would happen if I opened my door, and he was right there—shirt rumpled, hair a mess, eyes dark with something unsaid, waiting for me like I’m the only thing on his mind.
Because as much as I hate it—reallyhate it—he’s the only thing on mine.
I emerge from my bedroom and into the hallway, and sure enough, just as Grayson had said—I notice Rylee coming out of the room that I was told belongs to Eric.
“That’s not the guest room,” I smirk.
“Okay, so maybe Eric and I had sex last night,” she admits, rolling her eyes.
Despite my best efforts, my jaw drops. I solidified that something was definitely going on between them after Grayson’s comment at the diner and the way they’d acted at the show thelast two nights. How is there this whole other side to my closest friend’s life that I have no idea about? Why wouldn’t she just tell me?
“Come on,” she says, brushing past me. “Go finish getting dressed and we’ll take Brandon’s car into town to get some breakfast, away from Johanna and all the testosterone.”
She disappears down the hallway to the living room while I go back to my room to throw on a carefully selected pair of distressed boyfriend jeans and a cropped vintage band tee. When I wander back into the living room, I accidentally catch Rylee and Eric deep in conversation.
“Come on, Ry,” Eric whispers. “You know I’m not doing this with anyone else. You know I’m serious about you this time.”
“How do I know, though, Eric? It’s not like I live here. I don’t know what you’re doing when I’m not around. It’s not like I haven’t caught you literally in the throes before.”
“Move here, then! Just, please, stop being ridiculous and move in with me. We’ve been doing this long enough.”
We’ve been doing this long enough?
I guess it did make sense. Rylee never went out with guys back in Dallas, although plenty asked her. I never asked why—I always assumed it was because she simply wasn’t interested. Now, though, I’m starting to understand how complicated her love life is. But how can she stay so loyal to someone who clearly doesn’t offer her the same courtesy?
“Yes, Eric, let me just pick up my whole life for you, because it’s just that easy,” Rylee huffs. “God,where is Mia?”
I walk out from behind the wall, trying my best to not give off the impression that I’ve been listening the whole time.
“I’m right here.”
“Good, let’s go,” Rylee says hastily before whipping around to face Eric. “We’ll finish this later.”
Eric watches us in distress as we walk away towards the garage. The car ride is silent and awkward to start, two things that normally aren’t associated with Rylee. She doesn’t say a word until we’re halfway to the restaurant, only after I’d initiated the conversation.
“So,” I begin warily. “You gonna finally tell me what all that was about?”
“I’m sure you gathered that last night wasn’t a one-time thing,” she replies dryly, clearly unimpressed that I’d been eavesdropping on her conversation.
“I did.” I nod. “I can’t believe you’ve never told me about this!”
“I was going to tell you, but it’s not necessarily something I’m proud of,” she sighs. “Eric and I have been a thing for years. Off and on. Messy. Beyond complicated. He’s cheated. Lied—a lot. When I caught him in bed with Johanna last year, I told him I was done. I haven’t seen him since… until now.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
Part of my heart aches for Rylee, as she clearly cares so much for Eric, more than I’ve ever seen her care about anything or anyone in the year that I’ve known her. Admittedly, in his own way, Eric seems to care for her, too.
But catching him with his bandmate’s sister?
I would’ve walked away, too.
I wished there was something I could do to help her figure it out, but I’m clearly neck-deep in something I can’t understand.
