He flips another page and runs a finger down it like he’s scanning the information. “I’m seeing if you schedule every single minute of your life.” He closes the planner and tosses it gently to me, then turns to Evan. “Ten bucks says he’s the sort of anal-retentive who reads instruction manuals cover to cover.”
“Um, I can hear you,” I snap at him. I do read instruction manuals—I like to be informed and prepared—but there’s no way in hell I’m going to admit that out loud to anyone.
“Probably schedules when to take a piss, too.”
“Still sitting here.”
Roman props his elbows on the table, then leans forward and rests his chin in his hands. “Question. Have you scheduled time in there,” he nods toward the planner, “for you and my boy to fuck? Because I’m pretty sure he’d like that.”
His eyes sparkle devilishly and my mouth freezes partially open. Ryne rips a chunk from his sandwich and pings Roman in the face with it. The wad of food bounces off his forehead and scatters around him. Evan reaches over and picks a piece up, brushes it off, and takes a bite. Noah snorts and Evie mutters under her breath.
I definitely spoke too soon when I said things are less awkward today.
30
Ryne
There’s a knock on my bedroom door. I set aside the magazine I’ve been flipping through and call out, “yeah?”
Nathan cracks the door open and sticks his head through. “Jonah’s on the phone. Can you talk now?”
Saliva pools in my mouth and I swallow hard to force the bile back down my throat. I’d gotten another email from Jonah recently, about coming to visit and specifically taking some time to talk to the management team at the soccer club he works for. It’s a fantastic networking opportunity so many guys would drool over and jump on right away. It does nothing but fills me with dread. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
“No, actually it’s not a good time.” Nathan quirks an eyebrow and I swallow hard again. I glance around and grab my phone, holding it up. “I was just about to shower and see if Dacen wanted to come over or something.”
It’s not a lie. I do need to shower, and Dacen’s been on my mind all morning. I can’t get him off my mind, especially the way he looked the other day at lunch. The thought of what he asked me, even though he didn’t finish the sentence, made a cold sweat break out all over my body, and yet the disappointment on his face at my reaction… that was hard to watch. Then his stubborn ass wouldn’t let me pay for his lunch, and I was about five seconds away from shoving him up against the nearest wall and kissing the attitude right out of him.
And then there’s the whole Evan winking at him thing, and the him and Tyler texting back and forth thing. Evan obviously isn’t into Dacen, but I don’t understand the wink at all. I’m missing something there, and I don’t like that. And the texting? I’m not about to be the jerk that dictates who someone can or cannot text, especially because we’re not even together, but it just felt like a thorn poking my side. Tyler made Dacen laugh when just prior to that all I’d managed to do was piss him off. Things calmed down a bit after lunch, but it all still bothers me.
Nathan opens the door the rest of the way and props himself against the doorframe. He tilts his head at my heavy sigh. “Should I tell him you’ll call him back later?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
I’m just not exactly sure when later will be.
“Everything okay, Ryne?”
“Yup.” Please leave now. I don’t want to talk about any of this, not that there’s anything to even talk about in the first place.
Nathan frowns but pushes off the doorway. “Okay, if you need anything, you know where I live.”
I crack a smile as usual when he says that. I’ll never stop missing Dad and nobody will ever replace him, but Nathan’s pretty great. I appreciate him even when I just want him to go away. “Thanks, Nathan.”
He smiles and shuts the door behind him as he leaves. I blow out a big puff of air and flop back against my pillows. For the next five minutes, I waver back and forth about texting Dacen. I groan and tug on my hair. “This is stupid. Just do it. Asking him over is not a big deal.” I pick my phone back up and type out a quick message.
ME: What are you doing?
A few minutes later he responds.
DACEN: Alphabetizing my books. The pantry’s next. You?
I snort and shake my head with a chuckle. Alphabetizing the pantry? Seriously? He is so weird.
ME: For real?
His responses come through right away now.
DACEN: No. I just wanted to make you laugh. Did it work?
