Page 207 of Tag

I swallowed my last bite, and he took the empty wrapper, stuffing it in a Ziplock bag inside the basket.

“Ashton thought it was me in the video.”

Ryder’s brows shot up, his head turning toward me, disbelief flickering across his face. “There’s no logical way he made that mistake, Sanj. It’d be like me confusing you with Roxxi. Or Rook.”

I shrugged with a laugh. “He was pretty freaked out about it.”

Ryder made a sound, a low “huh” that wasn’t quite a question, more like he was filing something away, turning it over in that sharp mind of his.

I squinted at him, shifting on the blanket. “What does that mean?”

His eyes stayed on the lake, fingers drumming against the pier. “What else did he say?”

I hesitated. “He mentioned you went to a party. At Ellie Newton’s.”

Ryder stayed silent for a long moment, eyes still on the water. His expression didn’t shift, didn’t so much as flicker.

“Yeah,” he said simply. “I did.”

I watched him carefully, my heart thudding, waiting for something else. An explanation. A defense. Anything, but that was all he gave me. Just that quiet, steady confirmation.

“Is that what really happened to your hand?” I nodded to his gauze wrapped knuckles.

He held it straight out and flexed his fingers. “No, Sass. This was a tribute.”

I waited once again for him to give an explanation.

When he didn’t, I swallowed and finally asked, “Was Brooke there too?”

His gaze finally shifted, meeting mine again. “She was.”

I looked away, my eyes dropping to the glassy surface of the lake below us, pretending to be fascinated by the way the light danced over the water.

“I’m not really sure what to do here,” I confessed. “I trust you more than anyone. That doesn’t make this any easier.”

“I hugged her.”

I blinked, the words sinking in deep.

“She walked up and grabbed me, and I hugged her because the alternative was shoving her into Ellie’s pool. Rook and Xander kept us apart after that.”

I wasn’t sure what my reaction was supposed to be. My chest pulled tight, that mix of relief and ache tangling together in my ribs.

He reached over and took my hand. “The only girl for me is you, Sass. I promise you that. This won’t be an issue much longer.”

“What am I supposed to do in the meantime? This can’t be our new normal. It will ruin us, Rye.”

He moved the basket and wrapped his arms around me, holding me so tight I almost forgot how to breathe. For a moment, I just sat there stiffly, the words coiled in my throat. Then I felt his warmth seeping into me, the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing, the weight of his hand against my back, like he was anchoring me. I pressed my forehead into his shoulder, my hands curling into his jacket.

“Look at me, Sass,” he murmured, tilting his head until I lifted mine. Our faces were so close I could see every hue in his gorgeous eyes.

“Do you remember the day we made our promise?”

“Of course, I do.”

The memory rose up, warm and golden.

We sat at the end of this pier, cross-legged, sneakers kicked off, bare toes skimming the water.

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