Page 16 of Spar
Chris searched the room, an expression of what might have been panic on his face, until his eyes settled on her. His features went hard, glaring in typical Chris-fashion, but he didn’t say a thing.
“Tori, what are you doing on that leg?” Claire said, finally capturing Tori’s attention from the large man who had distracted her from realizing her best friend was there.
Her friend crossed the room quickly and enveloped her in a hug.
“I wanted to see the lake,” Tori admitted quietly.
Claire wrapped an arm around her, taking the weight off her left leg. “Let’s get you to the couch.”
Tori nodded and searched the room, but Chris was nowhere in sight. She settled back on the cushions with Claire by her side. “What are you doing here?” she asked happily. With Chris out of the room, she was finally able to catch her breath and regain some composure.
Claire smiled. “Your knight-in-shining-armor brought me to your rescue.
Tori snorted. “I don’t need rescuing, or whatever it is he thinks he’s doing.”
“Little harsh for someone who is letting you stay in his million-dollar home.”
Tori felt a tiny bit bad. Okay, a lot. She was acting like a brat, and she knew it. She was excited to stay in this beautiful house, and she was aware that she should be filled with gratitude and thanks that he had offered his home, but why did it have to be him?
“Now that I’ve made you realize what a whiner you’re being, tell me about this kiss.” Claire leaned back on the sofa.
Oh no. It was like college all over again, waking up after a crazy night of drinking and piecing together the events of the evening before. Although this time, it felt more like a Chris-induced stupor. Too many run-ins with the man she had guarded her heart so carefully against were wreaking havoc on her ability to remember everything that had happened lately.
The words to explain remained elusive. Claire had been her best friend since middle school, and Tori knew she was genuinely upset she had been left in the dark. She’d thought about telling her BFF about her first kiss. More than once. In the end, she had decided to tell no one to not risk their opinions or teasing that would taint the memory.
Tori leaned back into the couch and rested her head on Claire’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I never told you. I guess I was afraid what people would think or say. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“I’m not people. I’myourpeople. I thought we told each other everything,” Claire complained but squeezed Tori’s hand for comfort. “It does explain a lot, though.”
“What’s there to explain? Chris and I have always butted heads. The kiss didn’t cause that.”
No, it hadn’t been the kiss. They’d managed to remain friends after the kiss, hard as it was for her to picture that now.
“That’s not how I remember it. You two were friends once upon a time. So, what happened?”
Tori shrugged. Revisiting her relationship with Chris was emotionally exhausting, not to mention the queasiness she felt being surrounded by him and his things. Even worse, being in his home was making her feel nostalgic and even a little less angry with the guy. She needed the anger. It helped solidify the many reasons she could not and would not let Chris get close to her again.
Claire leaned forward and grabbed her keys and purse from the coffee table. “Just promise me you’ll take it easy on Chris. Give the man a break. Maybe it’s hard for you to see because of whatever happened between you two, but I think he’s genuinely trying to be there for you.”
Claire stood as Chris reappeared with several paper bags filled with groceries.
“What’s all this?” Claire said as she followed him to the kitchen.
He moved around the room, placing food in the fridge and pantry.
Chris looked from Tori to Claire before responding, running a hand through his tousled hair. “I got a few groceries so we’ll have something to eat.” He turned around and placed a bag of apples and bananas in a large bowl.
“We?” Tori asked, her stomach tightening at the implication of his words.
Chris took a bite from a small, red apple, grinning while he chewed and swallowed.
“Yeah,we. Domino’s doesn’t deliver up here, sweetheart, and I like to eat.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Chris only felta little guilty for not mentioning that he would also be staying at the house. He knew if she’d been privy to that little detail, there would have been no getting her here.
An angry crimson flush stained Tori’s face as she hobbled forward, holding onto furniture and heading for the kitchen.
