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“Thank you. Can we be done now?”
“Ugh, fine. Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you. You told me you saw Easton a few months back.”
“Yeah, and?”
Dammit, she’s going to make me ask it. “You know. What did you guys talk about? What was he wearing? Did he—”
“See!” she points at me. “That’s the exact reason I did what I did.”
“Tory, please.”
“I saw him up at Ray’s. He was sitting alone at the bar. Looked super sad. Like a guy who hadn’t gotten over a heartbreak.”
“So, what did you do?”
“I went and talked to him, duh. I asked why he was there. He said he was in town picking up some materials for a job. So, of course, I went all out, asking him every question under the sun and learned about the cabins and where he’d been the past year and a half. We chatted for about forty-five minutes, and he just had this look to him the whole time. A look that said he wanted to ask me about someone specific. But you know me, I always make men work for it. I refused to give up any information unless he grew a pair and asked. When I got up and said goodbye, he looked at me with the saddest eyes and asked, ‘How is she?’ And that’s when I knew he was still just as fucked up as you are.”
“I wasn’t fucked up.”
Tory rolls her eyes at me. “Let’s not rehash this. I hated what Easton did to you—well, what we thought he did—but I felt really sorry for him. He looked so. . . broken.”
“What did you say when he asked?”
“I just answered honestly. Said you were still just as broken up as him.” She raises her shoulders. “Then I got it in my head that I wanted to save the world one relationship at a time, so I conspired with Ashley to get you to his place.” I stare at her, not sure if I want to strangle her or have a full-out sob session. “I really am sorry. I thought you two would have gotten past your bullshit.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“You ready to tell me what happened while you were there?”
I sit back on my stool. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“Why don’t you start with the look on your face when the door opened to Easton Cruz. By the way, can we talk about how much hotter he’s gotten? Damn, heartbreak looks good on him.”
“Can we not?”
“You’re right, sorry. Okay, start from the beginning. Wait, hold on. Let me make a real drink. I have a feeling I’m gonna need it.”
***
By the time I finish, Tory has hearts in her eyes, and she’s sipping her third vodka. “Dude, that story. And I can’t believe Russ. What a douche.”
“I know. All this time, I just thought Easton didn’t love me. That I wasn’t good enough. And he was innocent all along.”
“Did you know I almost banged Russ one time?”
“Ew, you did not.”
“Totally did. It was the night we all went to Ray’s for your birthday. We got super wasted. Remember when we shared the Uber home, and I said I would take a separate ride home?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Snuck into Russ’s room. We fooled around for hours. He was too drunk to have sex, though. It was a blessing in disguise, I guess. Can’t imagine waking up to that level of regret.”
I shake my head, still in disbelief. “I just can’t believe Russ would do that to me. I thought he was my friend.”
“Well, it sounds like your friend was in love with you and very jealous.”
“He was not.”
