Page 26 of The Right Guy
“Where is Ro?” Fia’s shrill voice carried down the corridor. “The guys told me he rescued his drunken sister.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed, flicking away from my face to the room behind me. He was taller than me, so no amount of tiptoe action would prevent him from spying through the gap.
“Is he in there?” he barked with a vexed rumble.
Before I could own up to my indiscretion or even tell Theo that it was all a big fat misunderstanding, that he was my matching heartbeat, Fia bounced into my face and pushed the door open.
“Ro, I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I missed you, baby.” She strutted past me in a swirl of perfume and hairspray.
“Fia, keep it down. Kim’s sleeping. Ada was sleeping, too, until he hammered the fucking door down.” Ro’s cadencewas rushedand agitated.
Theo’s eyes found mine.
“What’s wrong, Ro?” Fia’s voice was distant as I observed Theo’s understanding descend.
“Kim got wasted. She was sickon the pavement. I had to do the night watch,soshe didn’t choke on her own vomit,” Ro continued.
I watched the lump in Theo’s throat bob. “He kissed you again, didn’t he?” His tone dropped like a deadly icicle.
“Why couldn’t she watch her?” The bickering voices behind me hushed. It didn’t matter because all I wanted to focus on was Theo.
“She’s my sister, Fia. My responsibility,” Ro scolded.
In two steps, I left Ro and Fia in the dorm room to fight it out. Those little steps brought me toe to toe with Theo in the hallway. “Yes, he did, but—”
A surge of something untamed lifted his chest high, and his arms shot down to his sides, hands fisted. “Good night, Ada,” he snarled.
“Theo.” I reached for his wrist. “Wait—let’s go to your place. They can look after Kim. We can talk there, in private.”
His sinewy neck tensed, and a stride backward broke my contact. “You’ve obviously got what you wished after all this time, Ada. You’ve won the right guy. It’s my queue to leave.”
“Wait! It’s not what you think. I’ll come with you. Let me grab my keys.”
Stormy eyes narrowed and his head cocked. “I mean, leave town. I’m moving on. Going someplace else.” Anger reverberated in his husky tone. “You’ll be fine without me, Ada. You’ve got that asshole,” he sneered.
My arms covered my abdomen. “Leave forever?” I squeaked, gobsmacked by his unexpected decision. “Theo? Do really think I’ll be okaywithoutyou? We both knowthat’sbullshit. What does this even mean?”
“I need a change,” hesaid simply.
“You can’t leave.” I stomped my foot and scowled.
“I can.” He sighed like the conversation was growing tiresome.
“Theo? Why? The bar? Your job? What about money?”
A blast of air shot down his nose. “I don’t give a fuck about money.”
“Don’t leave me.” I was in shock and utterly devastated by his coldness. Theo turned on his heels and stomped down the hallway like the devil was sitting on his shoulder, prodding him with fire. “Theo?” I darted up behind him. “Wait!”
He stopped at the elevator but didn’t glance back at me. The doors slid open as I extended my hand to grab him. “You can’t leave. I need you.”
Theo glared at my hand curling the cuff of his jacket with an unreadable look hardening his features. “You only think you need me, Ada. We’re just friends, remember? I know everything about you, like how you want that asshole to be your boyfriend. Congratulations. Now you’ve got him.” On his last word, he sauntered into the elevator, slotted his hands into his pockets, and pressed his back to the wall.
My heart plummeted when he offered an unnatural smile. It wasn’t the memorable, stunning smile he always gifted me with. This one was unfriendly and cold.
The doors closed. Instantly, the hurt and sadness tore through me. I traipsed back to my dorm room and hurled open door.
“Kim’s coming back with us,” Fia announced before prancing out of the room and flicking the tips of her blonde hair in my face. A waft of her floral scent tainted the air like venom, and her grating pitch was like nails scraping down a blackboard.
