Page 29 of The Downside of Love
“Can’t promise it will be good, but I’ll give it a try.” Taking a look at the time, he pats his legs and says, “We should get to bed. Don’t you have an early class in the morning?”
“Yeah, but if you want to stay up some more, it’s okay. I can put in earplugs or something. Don’t alter your schedule for me.”
He shakes his head and stands, stretching his hands above his head, revealing a small patch of skin just above the waistband of his shorts. “Nah, I don’t really have a schedule. If I wasn’t here or at Ryan’s I would most likely be at a bar, so going to bed now isn’t going to disturb my routine.”
Walking over to his bed, he gathers his toothbrush and toothpaste and heads into the bathroom where he quietly shuts the door.
I sit at the table, trying to wrap my head around the night.
My ex-boyfriend’s best friend is here, in my apartment, brushing his teeth. We just spent the evening playing cards, eating mac and cheese, and laughing. I saw a part of Stryder I hadn’t seen in a very long time, and even though I don’t think I know him like I should for someone who is staying in my apartment, I trust him. I trust him because he belongs to Colby. They’re brothers, and anyone Colby trusts, I trust.Is that why it feels so comfortable with him here?
When Stryder comes out of the bathroom, I quickly get ready for bed, brushing my teeth and washing my face. When I emerge, Stryder is lying on the air mattress, feet hanging off the end, his shoulders almost too broad for the little space, looking beyond ridiculous.
“Oh my God, Stryder, please take my bed. You do not fit that thing at all. It will be the perfect size for me, just let me take the twin.”
Defiantly, he shakes his head. “I’m good.”
“Stryder.”
Not even giving me a glance, he repeats himself, a little sterner to get his point across. “I’m good, Rory.”
Knowing I won’t win this battle, I give in and head to my giant bed, feeling like a complete ass. When I get under my covers, I watch him for a moment while he’s on his phone, scrolling. “I feel stupid being in this giant bed when you’re on what looks like a child’s mattress.”
“I’ve slept on worse, believe me. My dad used to put us through his own personal boot camps when I was young. This mattress is a dream compared to what I used to have to sleep on.”
From what Colby told me in the past, Stryder’s dad was a real hard-ass on him. He spent a lot of time prepping Stryder for the Air Force, constantly challenging him, never truly letting him be a kid.
I couldn’t imagine what life must have been like for him and Colby. No wonder they’re such good friends; they both needed the support and brotherhood when they reached the Academy. They couldn’t have been better matched for each other.
I want to ask if Stryder has heard from Colby, if they talk at all and how often, but I don’t want Stryder thinking I’m letting him stay here so I can get information out of him. In all honesty, I don’t want to know for me, I want to know for Stryder. I want to know if he has anyone else to rely on, to talk to, to share with. Are Ryan and I the only ones who he can come to?
I guess he has his brother, but at the bar, he didn’t look that much better. Must be the curse of the father. Such a tool.
“If you get too hot, just let me know. I have a window AC unit in my closet I can set up. I had to use it a few times last summer when it was really hot, but for the most part, if I keep the windows open, we get a nice cross breeze.”
“I’m good. Seriously Rory, stop worrying.”
I’m not worrying per se. I’m just trying to make sure he’s comfortable. I can’t imagine living in a cold household with a dad so harsh. I’m not sure if it’s the innate need within me to care for him because I feel bad for him, or because of his friendship with Colby.
Whatever it is, I say, “If you need anything, just let me know. Don’t be afraid to wake me up. Even if you have a scary dream.”
He turns his head to the side, eyebrow quirked. “A scary dream?”
I play with the blankets on my lap, flipping them casually back and forth. “Well, you know, if some gremlin tries to eat you.”
He chuckles. “So if I have a dream about a monster that isn’t a gremlin trying to eat me, should I not wake you up? Am I only waking you up for gremlin-type dreams?”
“Gremlins, monsters, and possessed dolls. How about that?”
“That’s fair.” He chuckles and turns his head back so he’s staring at the ceiling. Keeping his eyes trained there, he says, “I know I’ve said it before, but I want you to know how much it means to me that you and Ryan are offering to help me out for a bit. I don’t think you know how bad it was at my house.” He pauses for a second and then lets out a long breath. “I got to rock-bottom, Rory, and I’m trying to climb my way back up, so thank you for being a stepping stone for me.”
With that, he turns his body away from me, toward the wall, ending the conversation abruptly before I can even get it started.
Heart racing, my mind whirling with millions of questions, I open my mouth to say something when I realize it’s not the time. This is our first night together, and if we’re going to make this work and not be super uncomfortable, we need to take baby steps, one night at a time.
But I will say this. While Stryder is staying with me, it will be my mission to make sure the fun-loving, exuberant man I knew from the past returns, and the broken and battered man resting a few feet away disappears.
Chapter Nine
