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Heading back down to Natty,I hear Rhys’s shower turn on and him rummaging around in his room for a while. A little later, I see my phone light up on the kitchen island, and while I walk over, Rhys races through the kitchen to the garage.
"Bye, girls!" he shouts and disappears.
On my screen is a text from him:Heading to Wes’s for a bit. See you later. PROMISE.
After the match,the team and several of the girlfriends go out to eat. I focus on the guys, we joke around, discuss the match and the team we’re going up against next. Kat is busy with the girls, but as soon as we are alone in the Defender, she lets me have it. After the first five minutes of her going on and on about how I made her look like a fool by not immediately coming to her, I tune her out. At some point, she starts ripping into Lilly and theaudacityof her showing up the way she did. It takes all the self-control I can muster not to pull over and physically kick her out of my car. I focus on breathing in and out while keeping my mouth shut, which gets harder with every venomous word that comes out of hers.
Why the fuck have I put up with this shit for so long?
Am I really that pathetic, instead of just sucking it up and dealing with my feelings for Lilly? The answer is simple: yes. I took the coward’s way out, and now I’m paying for it.
We stop in front of the entrance that leads to Kat’s gated community. She turns with an expectant look when I make no indication of keying in the code.
"Rhys?"
First name, huh?
"Not today." I can’t pretend tonight.
"I see." Her tone has turned to ice, and with one ferocious push, she is out of the car and slams the door shut.
I expel all the air I held in my lungs, put the car in drive, and leave Kat standing at the curb. She can walk the last half mile to her house.
I planned to go home, but I am too worked up. I drive to Wes’s and let myself in through the side door as I’ve been doing for years. Wes walks out of the bathroom when I enter his room. His eyebrows raise with an unspoken question, but I just head to the couch that already—or still, I should say—holds my pillow and blanket. Without a word, he turns off the light, and we both settle for the night.
Wes is still asleep when I leave his house the next morning.
Going hometo shower and change, I had planned to come clean about where I was all night. Guilt has been constricting my throat since waking up. I should’ve texted Lilly that I was staying at Wes’s. Not that I owe her an explanation, but I’m sure she has the wrong assumption about my whereabouts, and that simply bugs me. Her new plan, however, completely distracts me from explaining what happened. She wants to go to California. Well, fuck me. What am I supposed to do? She can’t go alone—that much is clear.
I guess we’re going to the golden state.
Following my usual pattern,I am leaving again, but I quickly regret my decision to go back to Wes’s.
When Mrs. Sheats opens the front door, she gives me a questioning look. She wears her usual outfit of black leggings and flowy tunic. Today’s color of choice is turquoise. I don’t think I have ever seen her in anything different, no matter what time of day. Her blonde hair is tied in a low ponytail. A lot of people mistake her for Wes’s older sister. She had Wes when she was just eighteen, and with her natural youthful look, that perception makes sense. I’ve fucked with Wes many times, saying how hot his mom is. Not that I would ever go there, but the way he gets riled up from the comments is hilarious.
"Uh, is everything okay, Rhys? Since when do you use the front door?"
Good question.
I don’t think I’ve done that since...no idea. Lilly’s decision has me completely distracted.
I put on a nonchalant grin and give her a peck on the cheek. "Just trying out something new, Mrs. S."
Her eyebrows are still up in her hairline, and she grunts, "Mm-hmm," with a smirk before closing the door behind me. Wes’s house has been more my home than my parents’ house since I was sixteen. I think his mother eventually accepted my constant presence here, and I became like her second son.
I head to the family room where I’ll find Wes at this time of day. We’re lounging on the large sectional, playing video games, when Wes casually announces, "I saw Lil last night." He leaves the sentence hanging.
Of course he noticed her. I’m an idiot for thinking he wouldn’t have. Everyonesaw her. He wants me to elaborate, especially after my unexpected appearance at his house last night; Friday nights are usually reserved for Kat.
"Yup." I hope he’ll let it go, but I know better. Three, two,...
"Dude, Lilly came toyourgame, and that’s all you got?" He’s annoyed, and I’m scrambling for a logical explanation without telling the truth.
I opt for a half-truth. "We made up."
Wes pauses the game and scowls at me. "Care to elaborate?" When I keep staring at the screen, he continues, "I still have no freaking clue what the fuck happened in the first place. Lillywasone of my closest friends. I had to choose between you two."
My head whips around, and I stop myself at the last moment from calling him out on his bullshit. I never made him choose.
