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“Of course I knew,” she said softly.

“Why am I always the last to know,” Blake grumbled.

Calvin just crossed his arms, his eyes on Rory. “Huh.”

Jay bristled. “Got a problem, army boy?”

“Nope,” Calvin said, his eyes still on her. “Just surprised.”

But she could sense it—there was something else. Melanie clearly hadn’t told him anything about her and Jay, and her friend’s loyalty made her heart swell. Calvin, however, looked displeased at this sudden turn of events.

“Wow, look at us,” Blake said as they all sat down. “We’re all in relationships.”

Rory’s eyes flicked over to Jay at the use of the big R word, but he seemed unfazed. He just kept smiling at the group.

“For now,” Calvin murmured, his voice only loud enough for Rory to hear. He was watching her again as he placed his arm around Melanie’s shoulders. Even if he wasn’t speaking his mind, she was able to catch the gist of what Calvin was trying to tell her.

He didn’t think whatever this was between her and Jay would last.

She shook her head and turned away. Then, she tightened the green bandana on her head with nervous hands and tried to avoid the way it gnawed at her during the rest of the game.

* * *

Jay was due at his abuelita’s for dinner before the game finished, so he kissed her goodbye and left after the third quarter. Which was how Rory ended up in Calvin’s truck with Melanie after watching Tyler and his team devour a turkey with their bare hands on the 50-yard line.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come back with us to Sandy Cove?” Melanie asked as they pulled up to Misty Bay. “The Fletchers and Calvin’s grandma are coming over as well, we’re going to have a lot of food. And jam.”

Rory shook her head, avoiding Calvin’s gaze. His judgment toward her was reverberating off of him, and she needed out of his presence. Even if the idea of going back to Melanie’s cottage was way more enticing than stepping foot in her sad, empty house.

“Thanks, but I have a lot of work to do,” she replied. She would start to tackle the senior pages, maybe nail down a few design concepts, before flicking on Sleeping Beauty and heating up her leftover Thai takeout.

She reached for the door handle.

“Why are you with him?” Calvin asked abruptly.

Rory whipped her head around and glared at him. “Um, because I like him?”

“Even after all the ways he’s hurt you and said horrible things about you?”

Melanie, sitting between the two of them, shook her head. “I haven’t told him anything, I promise.”

“She didn’t need to,” Calvin added. “I’ve seen enough at Scoops to know he treats you like dirt.”

“He’s working on it,” she responded through gritted teeth. “He’s trying to be better.”

“And is that really what you want?” Calvin asked. “Don’t you want to be with someone who treated you well from the beginning?”

Her face felt hot as she squinted her eyes. “He’s in a relationship.”

To her surprise, Calvin chuckled. “Come on, Rory, do you really think his feelings for you changed that quickly?”

“Calvin,” Melanie interjected harshly. “Leave her alone.”

He paused as if considering, then sighed, tilting his head back on his seat. “Okay, fine, I’m sorry.”

She didn’t bother looking back at either of them as she slammed the truck door, storming up to the house. As she secured the lock, that sickening feeling crawled up her belly again. She paced the room, angry at how invasive Calvin had been. Why, when he insinuated that she should be with Tyler, did she not tell him that she didn’t like Tyler like that?

She dropped to the couch, shoved her face in her hands, and swore.