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Am I that easy to read?
"I don’t know. Things have changed." I want to tell her about the sweaty-palm pizza incident at the hotel and the phone call flutters, but I chicken out. This is too weird. So, instead, I say, "I understand why he did it—all of it. He’s been gone a lot since we got back, so I don’t know what his plan is. If we change our behaviors, Heather and Tristen will know something is up, but..." I pause. I don’t want to admit to myself that it does bother me that he’s been gone the entire time. But then,Ialso avoidedhimlast night.
We sit quietly.
Finally, she says, "Are you sure you don’t want to tell Heather or Tristen? Or the police?"
"I’m sure." Instantly, all my defenses are back up, and I have to force myself to not snap at Den.
She sighs, resigned. "Then you need to be careful. If that freak is really still looking for you, don’t let your guard down."
I’m glad she lets the Rhys topic go for now and doesn’t push the other. "I won’t. Maybe he isn’t even looking anymore."
But while I say it, we both know that neither of us believes it.
I avoidRhys successfully for the rest of the weekend. I respond to his texts, but every time he comes in at night, I pretend to sleep. And every time, my body reacts the same way. He’s gone when I venture downstairs in the morning, and with every passing day, I grow almost resentful. His life is back to normal while mine is...well, not. Not anymore. I know, logically, it’s not his fault. I’m ignoring him, and he has to keep up the show, but still. A little bit of the betrayal creeps back into our newly built friendship.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I haven’t talkedto Lilly in person since we got home four days ago. She’s avoiding me, and I’m at a loss. When I text her, I get one-word answers. Every time I attempt to check on her at night, she pretends to sleep. I see the glow of the nightstand lamp under the door, but as soon as I knock, it turns off. The trip has changed everything. I thought I’d missed her before, but since we’ve gotten back and I’ve been hiding at Wes’s, I realizehow muchI need her in my life.
Kat came home yesterday.We briefly spoke on the phone, and as usual, she hasn’t asked how my holidays were. I also have no desire to volunteer information. That’s our relationship. Unless it benefits her in some way, she doesn’t care. Not that I care, either.
What does that say about me?
One more day and we’re back in school. Everyone will once again think we’rethe perfect couple. She will grope me every opportunity she gets, make a big freaking show of it, and I...I’ll let her. Because no one can fucking know that I’ve been in love with another girl my entire life.
Wes hasn’t saidanything about my presence at his house since he got back, but the questions are written all over his face. He deserves answers. He covered for me—for us. However, unless Lilly gives her okay, I can’t give him what he wants. It’s her life and her decision. And since she won’t talk to me, I have no choice but to divert Wes’s attention whenever we get close to the topic.
Lilly moved her training with Spence to Sunday to meet with Denielle on Saturday. That much I got out of her via text message, but how it went, I have no idea. I annoyed the shit out of Wes until he agreed to meet at the gym Sunday morning—the same time Lilly scheduled her session. That’s how low I have sunk to get a glimpse of her.
I get there about twenty minutes early just so I can see her spar with Spence. The room we always use is free for anyone to use when there are no group exercise classes scheduled. But the owner is an old friend of Spence’s, and we always get dibs before anyone else. A perk I can’t deny I enjoy. Two sides of the room are glass, which made Lilly super uncomfortable in the beginning. She hates being the center of attention, and when she trains, people stare. The petite, five-foot-four blonde beating up the six-foot-four Marine used to be the talk of the gym. Eventually, everyone got over it. The other members got used to our regular sessions, and Lilly learned to block them out.
Denielle sits cross-legged on the side, watching, and despite my best intention of just getting a brief glimpse, I stop mid-step and gawk. I haven’t seen her spar in a while, and she is good. Like,reallygood. Spence is wearing pads, and Lilly is going at it. My jaw hits the floor, and I all but drool.
Holy fuck, what a turn-on.
I’m really glad I chose my looser workout pants today; sliding my hand into the pocket, I adjust myself as inconspicuous as possible. I have the urge to get in there and trade places with Spence, pushing her like I used to. At that precise moment, Spence glances up and spots me. His eyes widen briefly; I haven’t been here at the same time as Lilly in years, but then his entire demeanor changes, and I know he’s up to something. He stops Lilly and says something to her. Her whole body goes rigid, and both Lilly and Denielle swivel toward me. Denielle presses her lips together in a failed attempt to hide a grin, and Lilly looks like she’s about to throw up. What the—? Then, Spence points at me and beckons me over.
Fuck.
Lilly holds my gaze, and very slowly, I put one foot in front of the other.
Has the glass door always been this heavy?
With every step, my pulse increases. Did Spence turn the heat up? I swear the room feels like one of those hot yoga studios. Coach made us take one of their sculpt classes once to prove his point that it’s not all about heavy weight training and sprints. The entire team was nearly in tears at the end of the hour.
Getting closer, it’s like I see Lilly for the first time in years, not four days. Finally in front of her, I’m able to tear my eyes away and look at Spence.
"Rhys." He is enjoying himself.
"Spence." I will my voice to sound calm and collected. My eyes flicker between all three of them.
"I didn’t expect you until this afternoon."
Huh? Oh. "Uh, yeah. I’m meeting Wes in a few."
"Mm-hmm."
