“Ummm...nope!” Well, hell. I really hate lying. Although that doesn’t stop me from sliding my cell from my jeans’ back pocket and waving it around like evidence. “I was talking on the phone.”
“Huh.” Her brows draw together in confusion. “That’s so weird. I thought I heard a male voice.”
“It was my father.” There’s a pause as my mind whirls, and I add with a bit of a nervous chuckle, “You know how loud he is. Must be all that shouting from the sidelines.”
“Yeah,” she shrugs, “I guess.”
The air gets clogged in my throat. I can’t tell if she’s buying my story or not. It would probably be for the best if I change the subject rather than dig my hole any deeper. “I figured you would be with Ethan.”
Her lips sink into a frown. “We’re on another break.”
“Oh.” I’ve lost count of how many breaks they’ve taken in the four-plus months they’ve been together, but it’s a lot. Too many.
She rolls her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the door frame. “Yeah, I know. Something has to change. I can’t keep doing this anymore.”
I hate to say it, but I’ve heard this song and dance from Sydney before. Inevitably, she’ll get back together with Ethan, and the ugly cycle will begin all over again. She never does anything to break the pattern.
When I remain silent, she straightens and switches gears. “I’m starving. I slept right through dinner. Did you eat already?”
“Not yet.” I point to the kitchen and improvise. “I was about to make a PB&J.”
She scrunches her nose. “What are you? Like five? Let’s go out and grab something.”
“Oh.” Ignoring the jab at my favorite sandwich, I glance at my closed bedroom door. There’s no way I can tell Sydney that Rowan is standing on the other side. I mean, I could...but I’m not ready to do that yet. “Um—”
“Please!” She steeples her hands in front of her. “I need you to talk me out of this relationship!”
That’s not possible.
“Please, please, please! I need your wisdom now more than ever.”
My shoulders collapse. “Fine.” Sydney has always been there when I’ve needed her. How can I not do the same?
A big smile lights up her face. “Yay! I miss spending time with you. It feels like you’ve been so busy this past week, and I don’t even know what you’ve been up to.”
Remorse pricks at my conscience. I’ve been spending all my free time sneaking around with Rowan. Honestly, I didn’t think Sydney would notice my absence.
“Let me change, and we can go.”
Before I can respond, she swings away, closing the bedroom door behind her.
There’s a beat of silence before mine is cracked open, and Rowan peers out. “Is the coast clear?”
“Yeah.” Disappointment floods through me. I was really looking forward to spending a little one-on-one time with him.
As if reading my thoughts, his lips twitch. “Guess we’ll have to take a raincheck.”
“It looks that way,” I say with a pout. I’m going to self-combust if I don’t get laid soon.
He points to the wadded-up shirt on the living room floor. “I’m gonna need that before I take off.”
“I like you better without it on,” I tell him.
“You mean like this?” With a grin, he flexes his biceps, and I go a little weak in the knees. I could stare at him for hours. Unfortunately, now’s not the time to get caught up in his body. I scramble to grab the shirt from the floor and toss it to him. He tugs it over his head and covers his chest. Then he smacks a kiss against my lips. “Call me later?”
“As soon as I get back.”
“It’s a date.” And then he’s gone, disappearing almost soundlessly through the apartment door.
As if on cue, Sydney strolls out of her room with her purse in hand. “Ready to go?”
“Yup.”
“Want to grab Chinese? I could really go for chicken fried rice.”
My belly rumbles in agreement. I guess if I can’t satiate one appetite, I can at least satisfy the other. “That sounds good.”
As we leave the apartment, she throws an arm around my shoulders and tugs me close. “I guess if it doesn’t work out with Ethan, we can be single and ready to mingle together.”
I hoist my smile. “Yeah.”
Except...I’m not as single as she thinks I am.
And sooner rather than later, I need to come clean about that.
28
Demi
Annica knocks into me as I jog to the other side of the field. When I throw a