Page 52 of The Downside of Love
“Stryder, for the love of God, I can lift things.” I try to pull the blankets out from under his arms but he holds on tightly, clamping them to the side, keeping everything firmly in place.
“No heavy lifting.”
“It’s a blanket.”
“I got it. Go on ahead and find us a good spot on the lawn.”
“You’re stubborn, you know that?”
He winks at me and answers back, “Just taking care of you, Rory. Now go on before all the good spots are taken.”
Shaking my head at how ridiculous he is, I make my way through the crowd, all carrying the same kind of gear we brought and hurry my way to the center lawn where tons of people have already set up.
Scanning the area, I try to find somewhere that would work when I spot Ryan with a guy, lying on a blanket. When we make eye contact, she waves me over frantically. They have a great spot in the center with a little space to the side that Stryder and I could take.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, pulling me into a hug when I reach her.
I eye her date, who is a very handsome guy with blond hair and green eyes. He almost looks like a real-life Ken doll. Where does Ryan find these guys?
“Needed a little night away from the apartment. Who is this?” I wiggle my eyebrows as the guy stands.
“Brad, meet my bestie, Rory. She just had her appendix rupture, so don’t go punching her gut or anything.”
Laughing, he shakes his head at Ryan and takes my hand in his. “Your friend is an interesting one,” he says.
“Yeah, I know. But please, no punching in the gut.”
He holds his hands up in defense. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Eyeing my blue sundress and cowboy boots, Ryan looks around and says, “Are you here on a date?”
A snort pops out of me. “No. No way, not even a little.”
“Okay.” Ryan eyes me skeptically. “Then you’re here by yourself? That seems a little odd especially since you don’t have a chair or a blanket.”
I roll my eyes. “Stryder is here. He’s carrying the blanket and cooler, but he told me to find somewhere to sit.”
“Oh, how is our roomie doing?”
“Good,” he answers, coming up behind me. He sets the cooler and blankets down and gives Ryan a side hug. It doesn’t escape me how he hugs me differently. How when I greet him, he presses his entire body against mine, sometimes wraps his hand gently around my hair and when he lets go, his hand slowly drags down my lower back, just above my ass.
There is none of that with Ryan.
Why does that matter?It shouldn’t.
It doesn’t.
Shaking the weird thoughts out of my head, I ask, “Is it okay if we sit here with you?”
“Of course. We would love that, right, Brad?”
He nods but a part of me thinks maybe he would like his privacy with Ryan. Before I can offer it, Ryan introduces Brad to Stryder while blankets are spread.
I guess this is where we’re sitting.
“I’m so excited for this.” Ryan excitedly bounces next to us. “Everything about The Beatles music makes me happy. What’s your favorite song?”
Brad answers without even having to think. “’Help!’ Fucking love that song.”
