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Sophie pushed through the swinging half-door to come behind the counter. “But this was different.”
“Apparently not. Except I’m not pregnant this time.” Thank God her period had started yesterday.
“Cassie —”
“Look, I appreciate you having my back, but I agreed to sleep with him on the condition that nothing would change. Don’t get mad at him for holding up his end of the bargain.”
Her friends shared a look that said neither of them believed she was that cool with the situation. What they believed couldn’t matter. Right now, she had to concentrate on making Ryan believe it the next time she saw him.
* * *
Shivering inside his light jacket, Ryan rang the Patels’ doorbell. He should’ve brought a coat this morning. The weatherman had warned of dipping temperatures. But when was the weatherman ever right?
Ravi appeared through the glass, but he didn’t smile like he usually did. When he opened the heavy door, Ryan shuffled forward. Instead of moving aside to let him in, Ravi stepped onto the front porch and closed the door behind him.
“Dude, it’s freezing. What are you doing?” Ryan shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.
Sighing, Ravi glanced at the door. “Sophie will get Ellie and her things, but you can’t come in.”
Ryan smirked. “What? Did the housekeeper forget to come this week? I’ve seen a messy house.”
Ravi didn’t crack the expected smile.
“Come on, man. It’s freezing out here. I won’t look at anything. Just let me get Ellie and I’ll go.” He inched forward.
Ravi shifted to block his path. “Sophie doesn’t want you in the house. She says you’re not welcome here anymore.”
Ryan’s stomach pitched. “Not welcome? Here? Are you serious?” He and Ravi and Cassie had been friends since middle school. Ryan had probably spent more time at Ravi’s house through the years than his own. What the hell did his friend mean he wasn’t welcome?
“Look.” Ravi dropped his voice to a whisper as he leaned closer. “She’s probably just mad right now. Give her some time. I’m sure she’ll get over it. She’s just protective of Cassie.”
At the mention of Cassie, Ryan snapped to attention. “Cassie? What’s wrong with Cassie?”
Ravi gave him a pointed look. “The girl you hooked up with came by the bookstore. She told —”
“Wait. What? Who? I haven’t hooked up with anyone.” Just Cassie. He only wanted Cassie. That’s why he’d turned down Brooke.
Shit. Brooke.
“You sure about that?” his friend asked. “Your face says different.”
He couldn’t see his face, but he saw Ravi’s and it said Ryan was a fucking idiot.
“I didn’t hook up with anyone.” When Ravi only stared back like he didn’t believe him, Ryan sighed. “Brooke. The girl from your party. But I swear I didn’t do anything.”
His friend crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s not what she told Cassie and Sophie.”
“Fuck. Is Cassie upset?” He should’ve gotten to her sooner, but he’d never suspected Brooke would run to tell her.
“Cassie says she’s fine, you kiss women all the time.”
Not all the time, and not when he was trying to prove to Cassie they were right for each other. “She thinks I did it?”
“Why shouldn’t she?”
“Because I’m in love with her. Because I want a life with her and our daughter. She’s everything to me.”
A gasp jerked Ryan’s attention to the smaller figure behind Ravi. Sophie held Ellie’s bag in her hand, but thankfully his daughter wasn’t with her. “You’ve never told her that. I know you care about her. She knows you care about her, but you’ve never told herthat.”
