Page 16 of Don’t Look Back

“Apparently.”

I wasn’t paying much attention, so I couldn’t see that a text had come through. Charlie, however, didn’t hesitate to mention it. “Uh, Ryan’s texting you.”

I’d never moved so fast in my life. “Okay, time to give that back.”

Charlie lunged out of the way. I darted after her, my bowl clattering to the floor and drenching us both with chocolate milk. She only bolted out of my reach and opened the message.

“He just wanted to make sure you were okay because he hadn’t heard from you,” she read aloud. “Aww! How sweet!”

“Charlie, give me my phone back!”

She tossed it to me, preventing me from getting my hand on her. “So you’re still talking to him?”

I ducked my face to hide the color flooding my cheeks. Charlie disappeared into the hallway, returning with a towel to sop up the mess she’d created.

“There’s no talking of any kind going on,” I mumbled. “Not on my side anyway.”

“Cut the bullshit, Genie. You know I can read right through you. What aren’t you telling me?”

I bit my lip, mulling over the idea of being open with her. I loved Charlie, but I didn’t know what can of worms would be opened if I told her that I had… a crush? On a man? The thought alone threatened to send my breakfast back up.

“Charlie, I love you, but sometimes I really want to throw you off a cliff,” I finally said.

She didn’t miss a beat. “You’re just mad because I’m right. Now spit it out.”

“I had him over for dinner last week,” I muttered into my hands.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

Asshole. She’d heard me loud and clear. She just liked to torture me.

I removed my hands from my face. “I had him over for dinner last week.”

“I knew he didn’t leave anything in your truck.”

“That’s it,” I said, bolting out of my spot. “I’m never talking to you again.”

I took the now empty bowl to the kitchen and threw it in the sink before leaning against the counter. I was dripping sweat. Whether it was from nerves or the fever I wasn’t sure, but my wet clothes clung to me.

As I suspected, Charlie was right on my heels.

“You like him?” she asked, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest.

Cue my heart leaping into my throat so violently that I gagged.

“What?! No!” I scoffed. My best friend watched me, raising a brow “No, I don’t like him. He’s cocky, arrogant, and I think that thing he does with his lip when he’s nervous is ridiculous.”

Charlie burst into laughter. I rolled my eyes and shoved past her, storming to my bedroom. I was tired. I wanted to sleep.

“Boy, if ignorance is bliss you must be the happiest person on the fucking planet.”

I groaned. “Ugh, will you just leave me alone!” I threw myself onto the bed, covering my face with a pillow.

“No, I won’t. Because I think I’m finally getting through to you.”

The mattress sunk down next to me.

“Getting through to me about what?” I asked. “I just got dumped, and I cooked my hand on a hot engine. I’m tired, in pain, and I want to go to sleep.”