Page 44 of What are the Risks
Noah: Where the fuck are you Ruby? I’m worried.
Noah: Tell me where you are. You don’t know anyone in Miami.
Noah: I’m not messingaround Ruby.
Noah: Where are you staying tonight?
Noah: Please call me babe. Fuck I’m going insane.
Noah: I miss you already. Come back.
Noah: I’m a fucking mess. I need you.
Noah: Don’t do this to me Ruby. Talk to me.
Noah: All my frat brothers are at a party but I didn’t go. I have the place to myself. Please come talk to me.
Noah: I’m sorry. So sorry. If I could take it back I would.
Noah: Don’t throw away our relationship like this. You owe me the chance to explain.
Noah: If you don’t call me back, I’ll call your friends.
That snapped me into gear. I hurried back to the booth, elbowing my way through the crowded dance floor. Noah didn’t have Bri, Jaz or Daisy’s numbers, but he did have Ryker’s.
Just as I reached the booth, Ryker was lifting Miranda off his lap to pull his phone from his pocket.
I must have been hiding in the corner for longer than I realised, because Evan and Miranda had made their way back. They all fit much better without my ass in there too.
I couldn’t decide who’d hit the bigger jackpot. Miranda and Elizabeth for landing Evan and Ryker, or Ryker and Evan for scoring the volleyball players. The four of them were a walking advertisement. They were going to sell a shit ton of energy drinks.
Ryker frowned at the screen for a pause before glancing up and finding me. “Why is Noah calling me?”
“I–”
This was my chance to fess up, to fill Ryker in on the real reason I was here with him. But I wasn’t ready to admit it just yet. Once the truth was out there, I wouldn’t be able to ignore it anymore.
I was also terrified of what Ryker might do. A cab could have him at Noah’s place within twenty minutes. I didn’t particularly want to see my best friend in handcuffs or my ex-boyfriend in a body bag... or did I?
“I missed his call earlier and he panicked,” I lied. “You don’t need to answer. I just texted him back.”
Ryker didn’t look convinced, but thankfully he still let the call ring out.
“Who’s Noah?” Miranda asked as she climbed back into Ryker’s lap.
I spoke through the thick lump in my throat. “My boyfriend.”
“Youhave a boyfriend?”
And cue the relief. Her expression completely shifted as the corners of her glossy lips curled upwards. Girls who were interested in Rykerlovedhearing that I had a boyfriend. It’s like my word that Ryker and I had never had a thing wasn’t enough.
I’d known Miranda had been trying to figure it out. The way she’d politely – yet not so subtly – questioned me in the bathroom made it obvious. She was into Ryker, and there was no way he wasn’t into her. She was gorgeous.
Ryker patted the space beside him, gesturing for me to sit. Now Miranda was back in his lap, there was enough room for me.
Taking a seat, I twirled the straw in my drink before taking a long sip. I couldn’t taste the alcohol in this, which meant it was either too weak or I was too drunk.
With everyone else distracted, I subtly typed out a text beneath the table.
