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Which means I really need to tell her about my dad’s job. Thankfully, no one in any of my classes has mentioned the hockey team. But Chloe is clearly interested in the sport—one might say slightly obsessed, considering she’s pointed out two players in the short time we’ve been here.
The team’s first home game since I started here is tomorrow.I’m guessing Chloe will be going, and the longer I avoid telling her about my dad, the weirder it’ll be.
“Should we grab refills?” Chloe suggests. “Then go find Malia?”
I glance around before answering, hating that I’m letting Aidan dictate my movements, but also anxious to avoid him.
He’s still standing in the opening. Conor and his girlfriend are gone, but Aidan isn’t alone. There’s a beautiful blonde standingveryclose, her boobs brushing his bicep as she stands on her tiptoes to whisper something to him.
“Um…” I stall on answering Chloe.
Aidan is half-blocking the entrance to the kitchen. There’s no way to pass him and remain incognito. And while he’s hopefully too focused on the blonde’s cleavage to notice anyone walking by, I’d rather not gamble.
“How about we go check out the scene in the dining room instead?” I suggest. “You can have the rest of my drink, if you want.”
“No, it’s fine. I should slow down, anyway. I didn’t drink that much over break. Let’s go.”
Chloe links our elbows, then starts to pull me toward the dining room.
And I make the mistake of looking at Aidan again, right as he glances this way.
Our eyes lock, and it feels like all the oxygen in the room has suddenly been sucked away. Breathing becomes impossible, my lungs stalling with surprise and uncertainty.
He’s about a dozen feet away, and there’s at least that many people separating us. But somehow, he captures my full attention as totally as he did that night when it was just the two of us.
I’m expecting his gaze to drop, his attention to return to the beautiful girl by his side.
Instead, he says something to her without looking away from me and then heads in this direction. I focus on Chloe, silently praying he’s spotted someone else behind me.
No such luck.
A few seconds later he’s here, smoothly cutting us off. Chloe lets out a shocked “Oh” before coming to an abrupt stop and forcing me to pause too.
The first time I’ve seen her speechless, and it’s occurring at the worst possible time.
“Hi.” Aidan winks at me, which does alarming things to my stomach. Then glances at Chloe. “Hey, I’m Aidan. Nice to meet you.”
“Hi. I’m Chloe.” Chloe’s voice has turned shy and soft, eons away from her usual bubbliness.
And I have a sudden, unpleasant vision of Aidan leaving my house tomorrow morning, fresh from fucking my roommate. Maybe he came over here to flirt with Chloe, and I was just his in to talking with her.
“Having fun?” He’s looking at me now. “Rylan.”
Ihatehow he says my name. Hate how it affects me, specifically. How it seems like I can feel the syllables brushing against my skin. How he’s saying so much more than one word.
Chloe glances at me, and I know she’s wondering how I know him. Wondering why I didn’t mention knowing him earlier.
There’s nothing worse he could have said, since having fun is something I’m historically terrible at. For some reason, it feels like he knows that. Can tell that. Depressing, considering he’s the person I’ve let loose most with. Most wasn’t enough, I guess.
“I’m helping Aidan out with a math class this semester,” I tell Chloe, avoiding his gaze and ignoring his question.
I don’t mention it’s one he previously failed, since that seemslike his own business. I might be confused and irritated about him coming over here, but I’m not that petty.
“Are you a math major?” Chloe asks Aidan.
I cover up the laugh that wants to appear with a snort.
Aidan doesn’t look fooled. The question is especially ironic after our last conversation.
