Page 31 of What Are the Chances
“Hey,” she beamed. “This is Ryan and his friend Will.”
“Yeah.” My voice came out short. “I know them.”
Parker’s dark eyebrows pulled together. “Did you meet them Saturday night or...” She trailed off, waiting for someone to fill in the blanks.
By the time Parker and I became friends, I’d made it clear I thought all athletes were conceited assholes. She was clearly at a loss as to how we were connected. I guess honesty was the best policy here. She was going to get the truth out of me one way or another. This saved her interrogation after Ryan and Will left, which was hopefully A-freaking-SAP.
I pointed at Will. “The ex.”
Parker’s jaw dropped open. “The cheating ex?”
Ryan snickered. “Savage.”
I noticed Will flinch from where he leant against the counter. I don’t know what he was playing at. He’d been to this house countless times in the past. Was he trying to ambush me about Saturday night? If so, he could’ve brought it up when I had him practically shirtless this morning.
“You guys make yourselves comfortable,” Parker said. “Riley and I will be back in a sec.”
She grabbed my wrist and dragged me up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Usually she distanced herself from me when I returned sweaty from a run. I guess she was too eager to get the tea. After closing my bedroom door behind us, she rounded on me.
“That’syour ex?”
“Aha.”
“All six-foot-four of him?”
“Mmhmm.”
Her eyes glistened as appreciation dawned on her face. “Jesus, Riley. He’s fucking delicious.”
I groaned. “I know.”
Parker’s reaction to Will was the same as every other girl on campus. Having your boyfriend constantly hit on was taxing. I’d always done my best to ignore it, especially given Will never gave other girls or puck bunnies the time of day. When we were together, I’d known that I was the only girl he wanted to be with.
Until I guess I wasn’t.
To this day, I didn’t know who the girl was that I’d walked in on him with. Truth be told, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t her fault. She owed me nothing.
Parker dreamily sighed. “Like, the definition of fuckable.”
I raised one eyebrow. “You still team Ryan there?”
“Yes. Totally. In fact.” She sobered. “Riley, I... I really like him.”
I dropped my gaze to the ground as all hopes of this being a short-term fling shattered. Then I instantly felt like a bad friend. Parker was clearly into Ryan, and here I was crossing everything in the hope of them growing bored of each other.
“I suggested Ryan bring a friend to watch a movie because I didn’t want it to seem like I was inviting him around to, you know, sleep together.” Parker grimaced, fiddling with her earrings. There was clearly a bit more. “And I may have mentioned I had anextremelyattractive roommate.”
I grumbled. Of course she had. Parker’s ammo had always been to play matchmaker. You’d think after almost three years of failed attempts she’d have given up. Apparently not.
It was humbling discovering Will was prepared to seduce thehot roommatetonight. An ache formed in my chest imagining the many times he’d been the wingman for Ryan. And Levi. And Tripp. How manyhot roommateshad there been since me?
“I’m so sorry, Riley. I wouldn’t have suggested that if I knew your ex was one of Ryan’s best friends.” Parker stepped forward, placing a hand on each of my shoulders. “You never told me me you dated a hockey player.”
She sounded hurt, like I’d kept a big secret from her. I suppose I had, but I didn’t see it that way. I trusted her, I just hadn’t wanted to recall my failed relationship. Bringing it up was like talking around a mouthful of shattered glass. Though between this and the PT visits, that was sure as hell shot to the ground now.
Parker smiled sadly. “He did some damage, huh?”
I scoffed. “Just a little bit.”
