She rolled her eyes at me. “You know why. I think I saw enough of you all last night, don’t you?”
“So, thanks to your own actions, you starve yourself and then put yourself in danger?”
“I wasn’t in danger. Not really. Was I?”
“You screamed and ran. Then sent a group text, knowing the guy’s a creep and knowing Quinn needed to be careful.” I sat back. “You’re not stupid, Red.”
Leaning forward, she placed her elbows onto the table, her head in her hands as she looked down at it. “I’m not usually,” she agreed. “But I don’t usually have to look over my shoulder all the time.”
“I know, it sucks.” I rubbed my hand over her back. “It’ll be over soon.”
Red turned to look at me. “And we go back to the way everything was before?”
Turning my attention to the counter, I saw Gray was back inside, his arm looped around Quinn’s waist as he spoke to her. Ava was trying, and failing, to appear not to be watching us. Jett was outside, his eyes on his girl. Was this the way it was before? “I think the shift to coupledom has maybe changed the dynamics, but yeah, that aside, normal service needs to resume soon.” Looking back at her, I saw her frown before she hid it. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head and gave me a shrug.
“Tell me,” I encouraged her as I turned to face her again.
“I think my best friend may be more of a permanent fixture in your house from now on.”
“Hmm.”
“Is Quinn?” Red asked me.
“No, when it’s over, she’ll go back to her own place. She likes her own space.”
“Does it hurt?” Red asked me quietly. “To see them together? Like that?” Her head nodded toward the front of the store, and I turned. Gray was whispering in Quinn’s ear, and she was smiling at whatever he was saying. Ava and Jett were standing close to each other but also in their own bubble of communication.
“Sometimes,” I answered honestly. “Not to see them as a couple, I’m not jealous,” I told her as I turned back to look at her. “The lies? They hurt.”
“Understandable. Who likes being lied to?”
“Yeah, which means I need to see your arm.”
Red’s hand covered her arm. “No, you don’t. I’m fine.”
“Show me.” I reached for her arm.
“Ash! I’m not showing you here!”
Sitting back, I considered her. “Nothing on under the sweater?” Standing, I held my hand out. “Come on, it’s a bathroom break for you again.”
Red’s eyes were wide as she looked at me and then our friends, who were walking back toward us with coffee orders. “No.” Reaching out, she tugged at my hand. “Sit down!”
Using my superior strength, I tugged her to her feet and chuckled when she stumbled forward. “No need to fall over yourself for me, Red,” I joked as I winked at Ava and pulled Red behind me as I walked us to the restroom. I ignored Ava’s voice of protest — Jett would talk her down from following.
“I’m not going into the guys’ restroom with you again,” she whispered furiously.
“Noted,” I agreed as I tried the handle for the disabled cubicle. “Here works.”
When we were in and I locked the door, I turned and looked at her in exasperation. “Why is your sweater still on?” Her face flushed. “You’re not shy. I’ve seen you in a whole lot less. Just extract your arm if you insist on beingshy.”
Red turned her back to me with a lot of inaudible muttering, which I am sure wasn’t complimentary toward me. With a defiance that always surprised me, she thrust her arm out at me.
The bruises were faint, but they were there. “He marked you.” I was pissed.
“It looks worse than it is,” she said quietly as she pressed the bruises softly. “They don’t hurt.”
