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“He really likes you,” she says, her mouth twisting.
My hackles go up at her tone and brashness, but I swallow down the irritation with another sip of my beer. “Yeah, I like him too. Brenden’s a good guy.” My stomach knots as I set my beer back on the table and pick at the label.
Her face screws up, her eyes cutting through me with anger. I’m not sure what I’ve done to piss her off, but this is ridiculous.
My gaze skirts over to the other side of the bar in search of Brenden as she replies, “He really is. He doesn’t deserve to be jerked around.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes snap back to her, my hand fisting at my side in irritation.
“I’ve never seen him like this. He’s…”
She waves her hands through the air, as if trying to conjure the right word.
“Content,” she decides. “He’s happy, and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
“Neither do I.” I sit up straighter, gripping the edges of my seat. “Are you implying I might hurt him in some way?”
She shrugs. “I think you should be very clear with where you stand.”
I stare at her, my mouth agape. “I have been.”
“Yeah, I know all about how you told him you’re only interested in his friendship, but I also know your words mean nothing if your actions don’t follow suit.”
Allison crosses her arms, her gaze blazing as I sit in stunned silence. It feels as if she slapped me in the face. She single-handedly brought my fears to life by insinuating Brenden has stronger feelings for me. Even worse, she believes I gave him hope of something more.
Brenden
“Is everything okay over here?” I ask, taking my seat next to Lizzy.
As Jon and I were approaching the table, I could tell something wasn’t right. Lizzy’s head was bent down as she played with the label on her beer. And Allison was just sitting back, acting like Lizzy wasn’t even there.
Allison and Jon were on edge before we even left the house. They lectured me separately about my relationship with Lizzy and the risks involved, and I told them both to mind their own damn business.
“Yep,” Allison chirps. “I’m going to dance.” She jumps to her feet and makes her way to the dance floor, Jon following right behind her without a word.
I turn my attention back to Lizzy, who’s still focused on pulling the label from her beer.
“Hey.” I reach out to tuck her hair behind her ear, hating the way she startles from my touch. “Is something wrong?”
She bites down on her lip, her eyes glossy as they peer into mine. “No, I’m good.”
I’m not certain which makes her statement less believable: the forced smile or wavering tone. She seemed fine before I left the table, which means it must be something that happened while I was gone. Allison may not approve of my relationship with Lizzy, but I felt sure she wouldn’t say anything to Lizzy about it.
“Did Allison say something fucked up to you?” I ask, and when her eyes move back to her bottle, my stomach flips. “Whatever it was, it’s not about you. Something is going on with her and Jon.”
The beat of my heart comes to a screeching halt when her eyes lift to meet mine again. It’s like someone dimmed the light in them. She’s distant, disconnected.
“We’re friends, right?” Her voice is weak, her words strangled as she fidgets in her seat.
Allison definitely said something to her. Lizzy’s walls are firmly in place, effectively shutting me out.
“Well, yeah. I’d like to think so by now,” I answer, my gaze unrelenting.
Her stare avoids me. “I mean…you know that’s all this is, right?”
“Last I checked.” I chuckle, hoping to keep this conversation light and casual—to bring back the playful, fun Lizzy I had here with me a few minutes ago.
“So, you’re still okay with only being friends then?”
