He righted his expression a beat too late, smiling again. “Colin. Good to see you, man.”
He knew Andie hadn’t mentioned anything about their relationship to Colin. They had only spoken twice since their break up, and both were very formal conversations, mostly just about returning each other’s belongings. Regardless, he wasn’t exactly sure how he was supposed to play this.
“You busy?” Colin asked.
Shit shit shit.
“Uh,” Chase said awkwardly, running his hand through his hair and thinking of how he could possibly get Colin out of there before Andie showed up. He was fully aware that eventually Colin would find out they were together, but he didn’t need to know just how soon after their break up it happened. “No, I’m not busy. What’s up? How are you?”
“I’ve been better.”
Stupid fucking question, Chase thought.
“Yeah, I heard. Tyler told me,” he said.
Colin stood there, his expression unreadable. He didn’t look sad, or pissed, or confused, or hurt. He just…stood there.
There had never been a more awkward silence.
Fuck it, he thought. He had to say something. Invite him in. Anything. He could text Andie, tell her to stall.
“You want a beer or something?” Chase said, taking a step back into the apartment.
“No. I can’t stay. I was just in the neighborhood.”
Another silence, made more awkward by the fact that Chase didn’t believe him for a second.
“I went to Andie’s to get some of my stuff today,” Colin said, and Chase shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. He had no idea what he was supposed to say to that. He was totally unprepared for this, and he should have known better.
“I figured it would be better if I went when she wasn’t home,” Colin added.
Chase exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, man.”
Colin laughed then, a dry, humorless laugh as he tilted his head to the side. “Why do people always tell you they’re sorry when something bad happens to you? I mean, it’s not like you did anything, right? So what are you sorry for?”
Chase kept his expression smooth, his eyes on his friend.
“Anyway,” Colin continued. “I was at her place, and I found this.”
For the first time, Chase realized he held something in his hands, and he looked down just as Colin unrolled it and held it up.
It was the shirt Andie had fallen asleep in the night they first made love. The one he let her take home because she said it was the most comfortable shirt she’d ever worn. The one she looked so adorable in. His old, worn-in soccer shirt.
With McGuire emblazoned across the back.
He looked up and met Colin’s eyes.
The next thing he knew, a blinding pain seared across the left side of his face as his back slammed against the fridge, the loud thud followed by the sound of breaking glass as a few of the bottles he had above it crashed to the floor.
He straightened up immediately, his fists clenched at his sides and his body poised to spring, but he made no move to retaliate.
“Oh come on, McGuire,” Colin shouted. “Don’t start trying to be a good friend now! Take your fucking shot!”
Chase’s eye was throbbing, a pounding ache that he knew would feel ten times worse once the adrenalin wasn’t coursing through his veins. His muscles were so tense they were shaking, his fists tightly clenched at his sides, ready to defend himself if Colin came at him again.
But he couldn’t bring himself to hit him. He had no right.
Colin laughed angrily, shaking his head. “So let me get this straight. You can swoop in on my girlfriend when I ask you to look out for her, but you’re above taking a swing at me? What kind of fucked up logic is that? Take your shot!” he yelled, his voice shaking with rage.
“Colin,” Chase said, his voice measured. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
“Oh, and just how was it supposed to be? Were you supposed to keep fucking her behind my back? Well I’m sorry your shit got blown up Chase, really I am. My heart bleeds for you!”
Chase shook his head. “It wasn’t like that. Look, I know you don’t want to hear this now, but nothing ever happened between us when you two were together.”
“Fuck you!” he interrupted, taking a quick step toward him. “Do you think the order of operations makes a difference to me? You selfish prick! You float through life, doing whatever the hell suits you, no responsibility, no concern for anyone but yourself. And