Page 20 of The Right Guy
“He makes you stuff, and you’re at his place more than you are here. If that’s not a relationship, then—”
“Kim, he’s my buddy,” I cut her off before she could infer anything else.
Kim sighed and flopped backward onto the bed. “You keep telling yourself that, Ada.”
“We are just friends.” My murmur hid beneath theteesliding over my head as I hurriedly threw on clothes.
I bolted out of the dorms, running at the same speed as my galloping heartbeat. What should I to say to him? The truth of it all burst over me in a wash of sadness. He pulled away from me. I made a fool of myself. He would forgive me, wouldn’t he?
When I reached his beach house, I hunched over and held a palm to my lungs, waiting for the panting to slow down. Beads of perspiration trickled, and my glasses coasted down my nose. I counted to three and rapped on the door with my knuckles. I never used to do that, but right then, I thought I should, like I owed him privacy or that our friendship had changed.
He didn’t answer, so I cracked it open. Hushed voices came from further inside. I’d been here a thousand times and walked the layout like I lived there myself, so I wandered in. I ambled into the sitting room and sucked in sharply. “Shit,” I muttered while my friendly smile iced over.
“Ada?” Theo’s wide eyes settled on me from across the room. His arm draped the waitress who had rosy cheeks, like they’d been doing stuff together. “Have you been running?” he asked before moving away from his cozy twosome.
I swallowed noisily. “Yep. New health kick thing. Gotta keep in shape for the ball.” My voice came across strangled, matching my heart.
“You’ve already met Nancy, from Jumping Joe’s.”
My eyes flicked to hers and then back to Theo. “I have.” I agreed curtly.
“Did you need something?” Theo sauntered toward me with a predatory confidence I had grown to adore. The morning sunlight streamed in through the large windows, surrounding his brawny physique. My pulse skipped so many times, I nearly fainted.
“You look stressed out?”His arms folded when he stopped before me.
I didn’t want to have an important conversation while she was in the room. “Can we talk in private?” My brows lifted, and my lips formed a straight line.
A blank expression masked his thoughts, making me uncertain. “I’m kind of busy, Ada. Whatever it is, it can wait. I doubt it’s that important.” He shifted on the spot and looked back at Nancy.
“Is she your girlfriend now?” Those words left my mouth without wanting an answer. “I mean, am I intruding?”
I noted an odd flash cloud his eyes, and then in an instant, his hand gripped my arm. With the full force of his body, Theo pushed me out of the room to the front door. “Can we not talk about that shit in front of her,” he gritted out like I’d pissed him off.
My stomach convulsed when he wouldn’t meet my gaze, and I instinctively sensed the loss. “Sorry, I should have waited for you to open the door. It won’t happen again. I’ll see you later at The Reef?” I stepped back, only his hand remained locked around my wrist.
“Ada.” A low throaty growl carried my name.
“It’s cool, Theo. See you later.” A hint of my heartbreak cracked on the last word, and his eyes froze.
“Did you need something?”
“Theo, I—”I remember. I wish I could kiss you again, but she’s here.“Uh, my mother said, I should ask you to be my escort to the ball. I told her it was a dumb idea because you hate formal stuff, but she made me promise to ask you.”
His lashes lowered briefly. “So, you’re only asking because your mother told you to?” he growled. “Ada, next time, wait for me to open the door.” The pressure of his grip released like my skin was on fire.
Theo looked to his boots, then without a word, he pivoted away from us—from Theo and Ada. I captured a sob before he heard me cry and hurried outside into the morning sea breeze. After a few cowardly steps, I stopped dead, readying myself to confess. I inhaled slowly and swivelled around to meet the closed door.
I stood there on his doorstep, wondering how the hell we had progressed from best friends to almost strangers. It was no one else’s fault but my own, and Nancy’sbecause she was in my way.
* * *
Back at the dorms, I crawled into bed, weighed down by stupid self-pity. My heart was unequivocally fractured and particles of sadness floated around my soul. I’d wandered through the day like I’d lost the love of my life. I half-heartedly attended classes as a shell of my former happy self. I didn’t needto pretend everything was normal between Theo and I, because it wasn’t. I had broken us. I had lost the closeness that meant more to me than a silly crush on Ro Huxley.
As I rolled over, the pretty stone pendant slipped free from my top and lightly touched my knuckles. I sighed aloud. “Kim? Can I talk to you about something?”
Nothing.
I sat up and looked over to her empty bed. I’dbeen too wrappedup in my own misery to notice she wasn’t in the room. Kim was always in the room. I plucked my phone from thenightstandand scrolled down the list, hitting dial when I found her name.
