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Wait a minute! Since when is Ryker involved in my private life? “It’s none of your business, big guy.”
“You made it my business when you started shouting in the office.”
“I didn’t start it!” Yeah, I know. Real mature.
“No, but I’m going to end it.” Ryker may be a softie when it comes to Phoebe, but the menace in his voice is kind of freaking me out now.
“All right. All right. I’m going.”
I park in front of Grayson’s apartment building ten minutes later. It’s a three-story brick building not too far from the college. I study the building while frozen in place until I remember my mantra just friends. I’m not here checking up on my boyfriend only to discover— Nope. I am not going there. Those thoughts are most unwelcome in my mind.
I march to the building and straight up to the third floor where Grayson’s apartment is. I look around as I knock on his door. Although I’m not a lover of apartment buildings – all those neighbors being nosy – the place looks nice. All the lights are working, and the floor looks clean.
I knock again and end up nearly hitting Grayson with my fist when he opens his door. I yank my hand back when I realize he’s shirtless. My eyes rove over his muscles, and my mouth waters. I would love to get my tongue on those. Stop. No, you don’t, Suzie. Friends. Just friends.
“Sorry. Were you sleeping? I didn’t think soldiers were allowed to be in bed at 11 a.m.,” I sass while forcing my eyes to remain above shoulder level.
“What are you doing here?”
“Someone’s grumpy,” I say and then push my way inside. I shiver when my body rubs up against his. No, not rubs against his. His humongous body was in the way was all. I didn’t deliberately rub up against him. Not me.
Little Susan cheers when we’re inside his place and starts singing Finally while practicing her disco moves.No, we have not met Mr. Right, I tell her.
My brow wrinkles when I see his living room. It’s a mess. “I thought you military types were clean freaks.”
I pick up a pile of clothes to make room for myself on his couch. When I return my attention to Grayson, he’s putting on a t-shirt. Little Susan sniffs and the disco moves come to an abrupt halt. Told you so.
I wait until he moves the magazines on a chair and takes a seat before I start. “What’s going on? You’ve ignored my messages since Sunday.”
“Been busy is all.”
I look around the room. “Obviously, cleaning is not included in this busyness.”
He grunts but doesn’t otherwise speak. Normally, we don’t have any problems keeping up a conversation.
“Did I piss you off?” It wouldn’t be the first time I inadvertently pissed a person off. Not the second either if I’m being completely honest.
“Nah. Like I said I’m busy.”
He won’t look me in the eyes, though. I know when a man is being evasive. Trust me, I have a degree in ferreting out evasive men.
“What’s really going on?”
“Leave it alone. You’re my friend, Suzie, not my girlfriend.” I feel like he slapped me. He’s not wrong. I’m not his girlfriend, but it doesn’t mean I want to hear him growl the words at me.
“Duh. I’m your friend. I’m worried about you. I’m checking up on you. This is what friends do.” At least it’s how girlfriends act with each other. I don’t exactly have any male friends unless you count the uncles who I would never ever check up on. I do not want to know what they get up to when they disappear.
“Really? Like friends tell each other their secrets.” I nod. “Then, Suzie Langley, why don’t you want anyone to know about your brewing? Why is it a hobby instead of a business?”
Geez. Go straight to the heart, why don’t you. “I’ll tell you why my brewing is only a hobby if you tell me what’s going on with you.”
“Deal.”
Shit. I didn’t think he’d go for it. Son of a bitch. Now, I have to tell him. I reach up to tear at the spikes in my hair before I remember I’m growing my hair out. I drop my hands in my lap where I fidget with the strings from the hole in the thigh of my jeans.
“The brewing thing is a dream I shared with my ex. We were going to take the Midwest by storm with our specialty microbrews. I haven’t figured out yet if brewing is a venture I want to take on as a full-time business by myself is all.”
And – big time secret – I’m not sure I can brew full-time without memories of Toby the asshole ex ruining it.
“Why did you guys break up?”
I shake my head. “Suzie’s revelation hour is up. It’s now time for Grayson’s revelations.”
He rubs the back of his neck with his hand as he focuses on the ground. “Like I said, I’m busy is all. Going back to school takes more time and energy than I expected.”
I know he’s lying or at least not telling me the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It’s kind of obvious seeing how he refuses to look me in the eye.
I don’t call him on his obvious lies, though. Because he’s right. He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t have a right to push him. Besides, I have other ways of finding out information. Mwa-ha-ha-ha.
