Fight Like You've Never Lost (Summer Lake #14) - S.J. McCoy Page 0,56

text had come in from her when he landed. He’d decided to wait until he was here before he told her that yes, he wanted to talk tonight—in person.

Tonight works for me. What time?

He hit send. It was eleven-twenty, but she’d been staying up studying until the small hours. He doubted she’d have gone to bed. He walked across the lobby and pressed the button for the elevator. He couldn’t help smiling as he waited for it. It reminded him of their first weekend together—this had to be his favorite elevator.

His phone buzzed with her reply.

It’s not tonight for you anymore.

It’s two-twenty in the morning there.

You must have been busy.

You probably need to sleep.

We can talk some other time.

His heart sank. He should have thought of that. She was right. He shouldn’t be texting her in the middle of the night. But she didn’t know that he wasn’t on the East coast—that he was right here. His phone buzzed again, and he looked down.

Or not.

Oh, shit! She was mad at him. That uneasiness he’d felt about her short answers this week had been spot on. She wasn’t just busy. She was mad at him for something. A rush of adrenaline coursed through him as he stepped out of the elevator. Maybe she wasn’t mad? Maybe she was doubting him? Or … he ran a hand through his hair as an even worse thought struck him—maybe she was done with him.

He looked at her door but decided it might be better to text some more before they came face to face.

I’m sorry it’s so late.

But I still want to talk.

Don’t you?

He waited.

I don’t know.

It depends what you’re going to say.

That didn’t help. He didn’t know if she was mad at him, doubting him, or if she thought he’d be angry that she was done with him. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and went to knock on her door.

He waited a few moments. His heart was beating faster and faster. What if she wasn’t here? His hands balled into fists at the thought that she might be somewhere else—with someone else. He pulled his phone back out.

Are you at home?

Her reply came much faster.

Yes. Unlike you, I need to get to bed at a decent hour.

The thought that she might be in another guy’s bed and lying to him made him see red. He banged on the door this time. But there was still no sound of movement inside.

If you’re at home, you should answer your door.

He watched the screen, waiting to see her reply. Instead, he heard the chain slide inside the door. It flew open and she stood there looking gorgeous in her robe … gorgeous and madder than hell. He barely had time to register just how beautiful she was when she was angry.

“What are you doing here?”

He glared at her. He was still angry at the thought of her with someone else … and the fact that she was right here wasn’t managing to calm him down.

“It seemed like the only way I was going to get you to talk to me.”

She put her hands on her hips. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to tell me what the hell’s going on.”

“Me? You want me to tell you what’s going on? How about you go first?” She spat the last words at him, and he finally remembered that he had nothing to be mad at her about. But it seemed she thought she had reason to be mad at him.

“Are we going to stand here yelling on your doorstep or are you going to let me come in?”

Her lips pressed together into a thin line and she flung the door open, gesturing for him to enter. “If you want to.”

“What the hell’s going on with you?”

She glared at him. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” She stepped in close and tapped two fingers in the middle of his chest.

“I would if I knew. And by the way … hello, Leanne.”

She blew out an angry sigh and turned to go into the living room. “You’re going to make me tell you what I know?”

He nodded. Wondering what she thought she knew.

“Okay. Who’s Brittany?”

He stared at her, trying to process the question.

“Don’t bother lying to me, Ryan. I know she was with you last Friday night.”

His heart was hammering in his chest as he pieced it together.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” She still looked mad, but her eyes were shining with