“You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?”
“Our night together, Wren. Honestly, I thought I meant more to you than that.”
I stop pouring my cold brew and turn to face him. I was drunk last night, but not so drunk that I would have slept with him and forgotten about it. Is he actually insinuating that we slept together?
“Oh, relax,” he teases. “I’m just fucking with you.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I think it’s kind of funny. You should’ve seen your face.”
“Why are you here?” I ask again, flipping back around to finish making my drink.
“We were both pretty drunk last night and shared an Uber. You offered me the couch, and I passed out. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
I place the cold brew and creamer in the fridge.
“Okay, but why did we share an Uber?” I ask, moving into my small living room to join him.
He shrugs. “I told you last night I’d get you home safely, so I did.”
I don’t know why his statement makes my heart flutter. We’re friends. Friends want their friends to get home safely. Right? Like if it was Gray, I would’ve seen that she made it home. “Do you have any hot coffee?” he asks, standing from the couch and stretching dramatically, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Oh, um, no. I drink iced year round.”
“Really? Cold coffee even when it’s cold?”
“Yes, cold coffee. It’s currently September in Georgia. It’s not that cold.”
“I’m more of a hot coffee year round kind of guy.” He plops back down on the couch and yawns. “So, should I call us an Uber?”
“Oh, actually—” A knock on the door interrupts me. “That’s Gray. We have breakfast with the rest of the girls this morning,” I explain, swinging the door open.
“Are you really not going to text me back? Who did you meet?” She pushes past me, stopping abruptly when she sees Tanner.
“Morning, Gray,” he says, a little too chipper.
“Tanner?” Her eyes find mine in a slow but very dramatic movement. The look on her face is borderline psychotic.
“Tanner was just leaving,” I say. “Right?” I shove my hand in the direction of the door.
“Oh, yeah. Uber should be here any minute,” he says, walking toward us.
He stops before walking out, wrapping his arms around me. My whole body stiffens under him, and he lets out a loud chuckle. “Talk to you later,” he says, releasing me and winking. “Bye, Gray.”
“Bye?” she says in disbelief.
“You want to tell me why he was at your apartment this morning?” she asks as soon as the door is closed.
“It’s not what you think.” A rush of heat covers my face. “I’ll explain in the car. We’re going to be late.”
We walk out of my apartment in silence, and I spot Tanner a few feet from Gray’s car, standing on the curb, grinning from ear to ear. Of course he’s still here. It was obvious he hadn’t ordered a car yet, and a tinge of guilt pulls at my heart for kicking him out, but it quickly disappears when I remind myself that him being on my couch this morning was insane. I offer him a wave and then climb into Gray’s car.
“Should I offer him a ride?” Gray asks, following right behind me.
“We’re gonna be late if we stop by The Local first,” I say, guilt still hitting me square in the chest. “He’s a big boy; I’m sure he’ll find his way.”
