Page 89 of You're The One
The door shuts behind him, and I flip the deadbolt.
I turn to head for the back door, intent onfinallyfinding Dom, but Ryan steps into my path.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going? We need to talk. Especially after”—he gestures vaguely toward the front of the house—“all that.”
“Could we do that tomorrow… or never?”
I try to sidestep him, scanning the darkness beyond the glass. I have no idea where Dom went, but I need to make sure he’s okay.
Because he’s my friend. And that’s what friends do.
Ryan shifts in front of me again, blocking my path. “Is there something going on with you two?”
I step sideways, and he mirrors the move like we’re doing some kind of awkward dance.
“What?” My voice pitches up. “Of course not.”
Which, technically, isn’t a lie. One kiss doesn’t equal “something.”
Ryan studies me, his brows drawing together. “Are you sure?”
I’m sure of absolutely nothing. Which, unfortunately, is nothing new for me.
“As much as I’m enjoying this weird game of keep-away,” I snip, “don’t you think you should be more concerned about your best friend?”
“You’re right.” He straightens. “I’ll go find him?—”
“No!” I wince. “I’ve got it. We’re…”What the hell are we?“Friends now,” I settle on. It’s close enough to the truth.
His eyes narrow. “Is thatall?”
I glance away and then back at him. “Let me check on him. And we’ll talk tomorrow. Okay?”
“Will we?”
We’re all supposed to see him tomorrow for the so-called hockey game, the last thing on the Chicago filming schedule. Am I going to talk to him? Sure. Probably.
But what will I say? I’m not exactly known for my emotional honesty.
“Promise.” I hold out my pinky. The universal, sibling oath.
He sighs but hooks his little finger with mine. “All right. We’ll go. I’ll leave the back door unlocked. You’re still crashing at ours tonight, right?”
“Yep. See you later.”
Hannah pulls me into a hug, whispering into my ear, “I’m here if you want to talk.” Then she melts into Ryan’s side.
“I’ll walk you guys out.” I practically herd them toward the door, a hand on each of their shoulders as I guide them out of the house.
I follow Ryan and Hannah’s path across the yard, watching as they slip into the house next door. Their patio light clicks off, and that’s when I notice a faint glow coming from Dominic’s garage.
THIRTY
I’m notsure how long I’ve been sitting in my car, staring at the garage wall like it holds answers. But it’s… blank.
Maybe that’s fitting.
I sit there, thinking about nothing and everything all at once. Even the damn garage looks like a showroom. Everything is so fucking white. Too clean. Too bright. Too controlled.
