Page 64 of Traded

“I did.” He yanks his phone free of his pocket.

“No,” Carter says slowly. My head swivels between them like I’m watching tennis. “Yousaid you’d spoken to her at the Furnace. And she was fine.”

“Spoken to me about what?” My head is starting to hurt. “Can someone get me some wine?”

“No.” All three of them chorus, and I stare down at my pathetically empty hands.

They feel like a metaphor for my life. “You all went out for dinner. Without me?”

“Not like that.” Carter tries to turn my face towards his, but I resist until his hand drops away. “Liam?”

My eyes slide toward him. Liam folds his arms. “I thought it would be a good idea to spend some time getting to know Lauren. Without…”

He hesitates. “I… thought this would be easier.”

“Without me,” I whisper. “That’s what you meant, right? Easier without me around.”

Jonas approaches me slowly. He kneels down so he can look up at my face. “It’s not like that, Ro. It’s so we can spend time with both of you. One-on-one. It’s important.”

“Right.” I hold his gaze until he shifts in place, glancing at Liam. “So when is my fancy dinner?”

“Tonight wasn’t about you,” Liam says abruptly. Next to him, Lauren tenses in her stupid scarlet shift dress. “It was to get to know our scent-match somewhere neutral, Rosie. If you need to ask why we had to do that, take a look in the mirror.”

I suck in a breath. I think the whole room does.

“What the fuck?” Carter appears in front of me, blocking my view. “That was uncalled for. Just because you’re embarrassed that she didn’t get whatever message—”

“I didn’t send the fucking message!” His eyes widen as I peer around Carter. “I figured it would be easier to explain after. Wedidn’t have anything planned. I didn’t think it would be such a big fucking deal.”

I would have preferred a slap.

“You lied to me,” Lauren says sharply. She’s staring at Liam, too. “I came and asked you if you’d told Rosie, and you promised me you would before we left. You told me youhad.”

“So you do like leftovers,” I mutter.

Everyone’s eyes slide to me, and I blow out my mouth like a pufferfish. “This is awkward.”

“Fuck.” Liam backs up to the couch and drops into it. He runs his hands over his face. “Ro, I’m sorry. I made a snap decision. It was wrong.”

“You can say it.” I might have to introduce more wine into my life. It helps dampen the pain of the cuts they can’t help inflicting. “I’m in the way, right? You have your scent match. Why do you even want me here?”

Shit. It doesn’t help that much. My voice breaks at the end. “I don’t matter anymore. Not to you. Right?”

Jonas opens his mouth, but Carter stops him. His voice is hard. “No. Let him answer.”

Liam’s head flinches back. “What? Of course you do. I was… I knew you’d spiral if you were on your own here, waiting for us to come back. I thought if you figured we were running late, I could explain when we got home. When I was here to help you.”

I lick my dry lips. “Well. You’re doing a brilliant job. Gold star for you.”

He flinches again. Like I’m hurtinghim. I look at Jonas next. “Did you think to check in? To see if I was okay?”

His face washes with crimson, staining his cheeks and ears. “Shit, Rosie.”

And then I look at Carter. And it hurts. “You couldn’t have shot me a quick message?”

His posture loosens, folded arms pulling away from his body as he takes a step toward me. “I was running late. Barely made it for the entrée.”

“At least you were there!” The words burst free, loud and pained and bouncing around this room of people who are supposed tocareabout me. “I’m sorry—I was late—all I know is not one of you took a minute to think about me. Notoneof you.”