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“Has it been awful lately?” Having seen the Tyson I witnessed the first time we had met, and seeing how he is with Cole, I can imagine the stress Cole is going through at home. For me, though, it’s different. I haven’t seen the real asshole part of Ty since that first day. I don’t know why he treats Cole the way he does, but I have to remember that the Tyson I see and the one Cole sees are two totally different people.
He looks at me for a beat too long before shaking his head. “No worse than usual. He’s a prickly guy. But FaerieBeast likes him, so I guess he must not be all bad.”
No, he’s definitely not all bad. He’s sweet and romantic, and disarmingly hot.The silence between us stretches on, and for the first time since I became friends with Cole, it’s the awkward sort of silence that begs to be filled.
“Are you going to see your dad tonight?” I’m not even hungry, but I pull a cherry turnover from the bag and bite into it, just to have something to do with myself.
“Yeah, I think so. Depends on what time I get out of here. Want to come?”
Before I can answer, a woman calls his name. “Doctor Reynolds! On a break? I never thought I’d see the day.”
A nurse, by her scrubs, with chestnut brown hair and an easy smile that beams when she sets her eyes on Cole. She comes over and stands with her hands on her hips next to him.
“Are they looking for me, Deb?” he asks.
“No, but I am. My PT gave me a call to tell me your dad is starting therapy this morning, and he’s looking great. Your mom is over there with him now, and it sounds like your brother is too.”
“Ty’s there?” He raises his eyebrows. I feel like I’m intruding on a conversation I’m not a part of, so I watch the clouds move across the sky and eat my turnover. “That’s a shock.”
“Your brother’s not much of a family guy?” Deb gives Cole a sympathetic look.
He scoffs. “That’s an understatement. He’s got a chip on his shoulder bigger than Texas and seems to have it out for both meandmy dad. I’m glad he’s there, though, so Mom doesn’t have to be alone.”
“They’re lucky to have you for a son, then. Didn’t you say he’s your twin?”
“Technically, I guess. But we couldn’t be more different.” He sighs and turns back to me. “Luckily, I have Anders here, the sister I always wanted.”
Nurse Deb gives me a smile. “I’ll let you get back to her and your break. See you soon.”
She turns and hurries off in that power walk only nurses can do. “Friend of yours?” I ask.
“Getting there.” He grabs my shoulder and pulls me in for a hug. “She’s got nothing on you, though. Come on, I know you’ve got your books in there and I’ve got fifteen minutes of break left. Let’s get a study session in so you don’t feel guilty about coming out here to see me.”
He knows me too well. How can I keep lying to my best friend? I brush the crumbs off the table and reach into my book bag for the flashcards. Cole snatches them from my hand and leans back in his chair. For the moment things feel almost back to normal between us. It won’t last forever, though. Cole is smart and observant and the electricity between Tyson and me is going to be impossible to hide. If I can’t keep lying to Cole, should I stay away from Tyson? For the sake of Cole’s friendship, my schoolwork, and my dreams of becoming a doctor, I have to. Without Cole, my life will be a mess. But it feels too late to be pragmatic. Images of Tyson are branded in my mind, and I’m trapped between my loyalty to Cole and these exciting but foreign feelings of passion for Ty.
A sudden wave a nausea hits me as an intense foreboding feeling rushes through me. It’s only a matter of time before things come crashing down.
Chapter 16
Jordan
“Oh,crap.”Ishovethe last bite of pistachio croissant into my mouth and start tossing my books into my backpack. “I’m going to be late. Were we in a time warp or something? I swear we just started studying.”
Cole checks his watch. “Want a ride? I’ve got time to drop you off on my way to work. Grab us some coffee to go and I’ll get the car.”
I scoop FaerieBeast under my arm and head up to the counter at Cupitol. She’s heavy as a brick and feels as dense, too. When I get to the front of the line, she squirms in my arms, leaning forward to steal a treat from their tray of dog cookies.
“Beastie! Rude!” I flash the cashier an apologetic smile. “She loves your treats. And she’s in her Beastie mood today. Two coffees please.”
While I wait for the coffees, Cole pulls up outside. FaerieBeast stretches her neck out in an attempt to reach the treat tray as I grab the cups and turn to rush outside, hoping Beastie will behave long enough for me to make it to the car without spilling the scalding hot coffees on her.
“Come here, menace,” Cole says, reaching out to take her from me as I open the car door. He pops her into the backseat where she spins around, scratching at her bed to make herself a cozy spot inside her blanket next to her favorite squeaky hedgehog toy. Sometimes I wonder if the women Cole dates realize that they will always be second to his favorite girl. “Hop in and I’ll have us there in no time,” Cole says.
I slide in beside him and pass him his coffee as he pulls out into the street. Traffic is light and we listen to Spotify as we drive, upbeat dance mixes that fill the car and distract my mind from my stressful thoughts of lying to Cole. Until my phone dings with a text. It’s Tyson. I angle the phone away from Cole, toward the window, and unlock it.
Tyson:Can I see you tonight?
I bite my lip and glance at Cole to see if he’s watching me. His eyes are on the road and he’s bobbing his head to the music, a smile on his face.How can I keep secrets from him?I close my phone and slide it into my pocket. I’m dying to see Tyson, to feel his hands in my hair and his lips on mine. He is starting to feel like an addiction.
