“Sure, yes, I’ll grab both,” Beth says and hurries away.
I watch her until I lose sight of her in the lush grounds. Now that she’s gone, maybe I can find out what is going on between Roxy and her husband.
I sit on the court next to Ryan, just the two of us, hidden from the sun by the palm tree fronds.
“I think your face is going to be fine,” Ryan says.
“Fine?” I say. Is that the best he can do?
“Beautiful, as always,” he assures me. That’s more like it.
“Good man,” I say.
“Jamie will have the final say, of course,” he says.
“Yes, it’s always nice to have a doctor in the house.” I pause to choose my next words carefully. “But speaking of houses and the people inside them, what’s up with you and Roxy?” I say. “You guys seem a little out of sync, to put it mildly.”
“What? No, we’re fine,” he says.
“Come on. I’ve been watching you two and things don’t look fine,” I say. “You can tell me anything.”
“Drop it, Amelia,” he says. And smiles. “You always did like to stir up trouble, find problems that weren’t there.”
“I’m not talking about me right now,” I say and flash him a smile back. It hurts my cheek. “It’s so obvious, I mean, especially for all of us who have known you for so long.”
“Oh, really? Is that the sorority gossip du jour?” he asks. His face has tensed, and his eyes are dark. It’s almost like he’s a different Ryan, unrecognizable. “I hate gossip, Amelia. I always have, as you know, so you can mind your own business and enjoy our over-the-top hospitality, OK?”
I smile, remembering those same words coming out of his mouth. We were standing in the backyard of the sorority house at a fall party senior year when he and Sunny, hand in hand, confronted me.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Ryan had said, leaning forward into my space.
I had been having a lovely evening at our party with several different, suitable hookups for later. The guy I had been flirting with scurried away when he heard Ryan’s tone.
“Iwasthinking about asking Mr. Brown-Eyed Hottie ifhe wanted to accompany me to my room, but thanks to your interruption, I guess that’s not happening now,” I said, annoyed. I smoothed my party dress and looked around, anxious to get back to the boy he scared away.
“You know exactly what we’re talking about, Amelia, so please don’t try to play dumb. You told a whole group of Kappas that I was pregnant and had an abortion,” Sunny whispered while shaking her head, her long blond hair spilling over her shoulders, her green dress a perfect match to her eyes. She was annoyingly pretty even when she was angry.
“No, I didn’t,” I said. “But that is what everyone has heard. I mean if I’ve heard it, I’m sure all of them have too. It’s spread across campus.” I open my arms wide, indicating our entire chapter and their guests.
“You know that isn’t true,” Sunny said. “Why would you repeat such a thing? You’re my friend. You could’ve asked me.”
“And even if you thought it was true,” Ryan said, “you could have shut down the whispers and told people it’s none of their business—which it isn’t. Instead, you fed the rumor mill for, what, your own amusement? What the hell, Amelia? I hate gossip, and I hate gossipers,” he said. He wrapped his arm protectively around Sunny. They looked irritatingly perfect together, what today’s generation would call #CoupleGoals.
“Maybe you’re right. I could have stood up for you, but I don’t know, I didn’t start it,” I said. “I wouldn’t start a rumor like that.” Well, I would and I could, but this particular time, I didn’t.
Ryan and Sunny stared at me, I guess trying to decidewhether I was telling the truth. The silence was awkward, and I had a party to get back to.
“Ryan, she said she didn’t do it,” Sunny said, standing up for me. “Don’t worry. We don’t hate you.”
Oh goody. Miss Sunshine and her man were still my friends. I didn’t say another word, simply turned and walked away. But I always remembered that look on Ryan’s face. It’s the same look he has right now. I decide to appease him. I mean, I don’t want the man to have a stroke or anything.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I was only asking a question. What with the house renovations and the wedding planning, I’m sure you and Roxy have so much going on that it’s stressful,” I say and pat his hand. “You just relax and enjoy yourself. Roxy will take care of everything, like she always does. And clearly I misread the relationship vibe. I’m sure all is dandy and nothing is going on.”
Ryan suddenly finds something interesting to stare at on the other side of the court. Finally, he turns to me. “You’re right, Amelia, there’s absolutely nothing going on between Roxy and me.”
Well, you know I don’t believe that answer. I see more than they give me credit for, as usual. But it sort of makes me happy that there’s trouble in paradise. It really does.
23
