“I get it. I’m ready for Eric, my roommate, to move out, too.”
“Eric? Is he here too?” I furrowed my eyebrows. “Who invited you?”
“My friend Tommy wants to get in a waitress from the diner’s pants. We got kicked out of this club on the other side of town so we all came here. Well, everyone but Desiderio. Lucky bastard got to stay.”
A lump caught in my throat.
“You know Desi?”
“Who? Desiderio Amato? Yeah, he’s been my friend since we were kids. He’s—” Just then, the sound of an engine roaring came from down the road. My heart soared as Desi’s car pulled up next to the others. I started to get up, but I forced myself not to be too eager, and instead, raised my glass to him.
But he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were little slits, and his face was stone cold as he glared at the person sitting too close to me. I was suddenly hyperaware of the fact that Mick had been moving his hand over to mine, and our fingers were touching. I pulled my hand away quickly, but Desi had seen it.
He stepped out of his car and slammed the door, causing me to jump at the sharp sound. He stormed across the yard, and I fell backward as he ripped Mick from beside me and threw him over his shoulder, tossing him onto the grass.
“Care to explain what the hell is going on here?” he demanded of his friend. I caught myself on my hands and struggled to right myself back up. Desi circled Mick, his fists clenched and ready to hit.
“What are you talking about?” Mick yelled, rolling over. “What are you even doing here?” Mick sat up and tried to stand on his own but Desi grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up. He lifted him off the ground.
“I could kill you right now,” Desi said through clenched teeth.
“What the hell, man?” Mick was as confused as me. “Let me go.” He kicked his feet in Desi’s direction, but it didn’t land.
“What are you doing?” I stepped forward. “We were just talking.”
“Just talking isn’t something Mick does,” Desi snarled at his friend and let go of his shirt, dropping him hard to the ground.
“Well, that’s something I do. And I was doing it because you weren’t here. I didn’t think you were coming,” I snapped and crossed my arms.
“I said I would.” Desi turned to me and threw his arms up. “I didn’t think my best friend would try to—” He looked at his friend, who was gawking at us. “Mick, go inside.”
Mick brushed off his acid-washed jeans and shook his head. He pointed to Desi. “This isn’t over.”
“Fine. We’ll talk later.” Desi twitched his head to my front door. “Go.”
Mick gave him one last glare and shoved past him, heading back into the party.
“We were just talking.” I said once we were alone.
“It didn’t look like just talking.”
“I thought you stood me up.”
“Why would I do that?” His eyes looked almost pained at the thought. “I would never.”
“Then why were you so late?” I cocked my hip and doubled down. He couldn’t be mad at me for his mistake.
His Adam’s apple bobbed and his blue eyes flickered behind me for just a second before returning to mine. It felt like time had stopped as I waited for his response. Was he going to drop a bomb on me? Had I been too hopeful? Was it all too good to be true? Was he here simply to tell me he couldn’t see me ever again and that this was all a mistake?
“I was at work.”
