“Okay. I’m glad.” Her smile wilts as she steps back into the hall, pulling the door with her. “I didn’t want to interrupt your night. I just wanted to let you know I have a date, so I’ll be home late. If you hear Dolly groaning down the hall, it’s because he’s lonely. He sounds a little scary at times. It’s not a poltergeist, just my cat.”
Her words siphon the air from my lungs, but I manage to get out, “Thanks for the warning.”
She nods. “See ya later, Ty.”
“See ya.”
The door latches behind her, and I sit staring down into the thick weave of the charcoal rug at my feet.
Avery is going on a date?
As if her completely ignoring the fact that I texted her isn’t bad enough. She’ll be out with someone else. For the first time in a long time… I feel jealous.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
AVERY
Larissaand I chat on the couch as we watch Josh and Ryan play each other in a video game where all they do is hide behind walls and control panels and blast each other with some kind of laser space-gun. I try to keep the smile on my face as Larissa leans back, sipping on a homemade mocktail she swears is delicious and will make my skin glow. The fibrous chunks clinging to the ice cubes tell me otherwise.
“I know what you’re thinking.” She lowers the drink from her lips. “How can something that tastes so good be so good for you?” That’s not exactly what was on my mind, but she carries on, her voice lowering to a whisper. “It’s the pineapple. Pineapple changes everything.”
“I’ll have to make a mental note of that.”
“Next time I might add a little vodka though. For entertainment purposes.” She nods toward Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum thumbing their little controllers todeath. “I didn’t know we were getting lassoed into some sci-fi extravaganza. I’m sorry.”
If I would have known this is what our “date” would look like, I probably would have stayed back at Ty’s.
“Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault. I didn’t have any other plans.” Besides sitting at home doing exactly what I’m doing right now—thinking about Ty.
I wonder what he’s doing. Probably reading something sci-fi instead of playing it. I’d rather be ignored for a good book than a video game any day. And there are a lot less swear words yelled when you’re buried in a book. Usually.
When Josh sneaks up on Ryan for the last time—and unloads his cache of laser rounds—I almost snort at Ryan’s reaction. One would think this was actually happening. He lifts a fist, and for a moment I think he might punch the TV, but instead he brings it down hard on the power button of the console.
The screen goes black, and Josh grins up at him. “Better luck next time, Ry-Dog.”
I cringe a little at the endearment.
Ry-Dogmumbles something and makes his way to the kitchen. The suction of the fridge door echoes through the apartment before he slams it shut again and returns with a can of beer. My phone buzzes, and I pull it out, glad to have a distraction from whatever excuse Ryan is spewing to Josh about his loss. When I open the email, I’m excited to see a new client request. According to them, Mary referred them to me. Bless her. I’ll swallow whatever insults she throws at me if she continues to hand me clients.
“Avery?” Ryan’s dark stare engulfs me.
“Hm?” I shove my phone back into the pocket of my shorts.
“Josh cheated, right? You saw?” he must be repeating himself.
I look from him to Josh to Larissa, who lifts her hands in surrender.
“Maybe?” I say. “I’m sorry, I was checking my email.”
Ryan barks out a laugh. “Sorry, plant girl. I didn’t realize I was interrupting business.”
The smile that constantly plagues my face brightens even more as I whip out my phone. “I just got another client, actually!”
Larissa cheers like I won the lottery and sips her chunky juice.
Ryan throws back his beer, unmoved by my news.
Josh, ever the gentleman, congratulates me as he sinks down next to Larissa. “You two ready to head out? You have practice bright and early, yeah?”
