Page 5 of The Downside of Love
Casually, Colby peeks up, his attention never once going to Ryan, but trained completely on Rory. I’m so fucked.
Despite the war raging inside me, telling me to take Rory for myself, to sweep her away with my charm, to push Colby right over the rail of the deck, I introduce Colby. “This is Colby, my best friend and right-hand man.”
Lifting her eyes up, those black, long lashes fluttering, she smiles one hell of a fucking smile and says, “Hi.”
It’s simple, but fuck does it pack a punch . . . right to my chest.
Finding his voice, not because he’s shy or anti-social, but because he’s a man of few words most of the time, he says, “Nice to meet you.” He follows the greeting with a chug of his drink, leaving his greeting at that. I wouldn’t expect anything else from him.
“What are you two doing?” Ryan asks, snapping us back into the conversation.
“Nothing,” I answer, knowing Colby isn’t going to speak up. “What did you have in mind?”
“Care to play a little pool with the champs?”
Even though it might just kill me, watching Colby blatantly stare at Rory the whole time, Ryan vying for my attention, I agree for the both of us, because I’m a sadist, and I want more time with Rory, even if it’s shared time.
Even if I have to watch Colby struggle to connect with her, even if I have to lend a hand and push her toward him, I’ll do it, because he’s my best friend. And who knows? Maybe during the night I’ll find flaws in Rory that change my mind about her.
One can only hope.
* * *
Ilean past the pool table, looking toward the front door where I saw Colby take off over half an hour ago, Rory following closely behind.
Despite trying to loosen him up, he was a stoic bastard the entire time we played pool with the girls. Barely answering Rory’s questions, not showing an ounce of personality, and only giving Rory his attention when she wasn’t looking.
And yet, when he left, she still chased after him, leaving me alone with a very touchy-feely Ryan.
This is not how I planned on this night going. I should be over the fucking moon ecstatic that a hot-as-shit girl like Ryan is practically pulling my pants down with her eyes, but all I can think about is what Colby and Rory are doing.
Did they go up to one of the rooms?
Are they just talking? Or are they doing more?
I should be happy for Colby, and a part of me is, because he needs this, he needs someone to loosen him up, but a huge part of me is roaring with pure jealousy.
The kind of jealousy that will slowly eat away at me.
Sitting on the edge of the rail, nursing a beer, not in the mood to drink given my current predicament—which is surprising—I look at Ryan who seems bored as shit.
Maybe because I haven’t been as engaging as I usually am.
I’m off tonight. My normally fun and outgoing personality is nowhere to be found, and instead, a worried and obsessive man has taken over my body.
And there is only one person to blame.
Rory.
She’s thrown me off.
I wasn’t expecting to meet someone as captivating as her, as softly spoken yet sassy as her. Nor was I expecting to watch her fawn over my best friend, trying desperately to penetrate his closed-off wall.
It’s totally fucked with my head.
“Are you bored with me?” Ryan asks, sounding self-conscious, pulling me from my thoughts.
“What?” I tilt my head in her direction, beer held to my chest.
