Page 23 of Keep Me
She dropped her other hand to her stomach, rubbing it lightly.
As if the dagger wasn’t stabbing me deep enough. She could see the damage she was causing and decided to twist it. I deserved it. I fell for a guy who was taken. A guy who was apparently building a family with someone else.
The bathroom door unlocked, forcing me into action. I didn’t want to be there when it opened. “Nope. I’m good. Tell him to have a great summer and I’ll see him soon,” I squeaked out before skittering away as fast as I could. There was no way I would let Matty see me upset.
When I got to the end of the hall, I stabbed the elevator button frantically.
Why wasn’t it coming quicker?
“Come on. Come on,” I whispered, too afraid to look behind me and see the happy couple mocking me for ever thinking I deserved something like that.
“Yes!” The elevator dinged open, but my happiness was short-lived when Hayden and Adam were standing inside.
“There you are! I knocked on your door earlier, but you didn’t answer.” Hayden was all smiles as I teetered on the edge of the elevator. I didn’t know what was worse: standing in the hallway where my failed one-night stand might see me or getting on this elevator and explaining to my friends what happened. That I’d ruined the friend group, and I would have to excuse myself from any event we’d ever get invited to again because of it.
I chose the latter. At least I could lie to my friends about my feelings. I wasn’t sure I could be that strong in front of Matty.
“What were you doing on this floor?” Hayden asked, and when I stepped into the elevator, she pulled me into a hug.
Adam let out a sardonic laugh. “Isn’t it obvious? Matty’s room is down the hall.”
Sucking in a breath, I thought I could handle talking about it with these two, but I couldn’t. No, just hearing Matty’s name and seeing their smiles of encouragement were too much for me. What would I be like when the rest of the guests saw me at breakfast?
Everyone knew Matty and I had kissed and would rightfully assume a hell of a lot more happened since we snuck out of the after party early. However, no one knew just how far we took it, or how difficult it would be to take any of it back.
“Britt, are you okay?” I looked up as she broke away from our hug. Keeping one hand on my shoulder, she squeezed it.
I swallowed and blinked the tears from my eyes, letting them trickle down my face.
Her brows furrowed and lips tight, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t even speak to my best friend about what happened. It was too soon, and I hadn’t figured it all out myself yet.
“You know what? I forgot to tell you that I’ve got an early flight, so I need to skip breakfast.”
“But I thought you were on the same one as us?”
Crap. She was right.
“Ah, no. My dad called me late last night, and he said they got tickets to the Los Angeles Hammerheads and Catfish game today. Wouldn’t want to miss Max playing.”
Thankfully, neither one of them knew a thing about baseball. Otherwise, they’d know that the game didn’t start until theevening, meaning my excuse for changing the flight made no sense.
“So, you moved your flight last night?” Hayden narrowed her gaze at Adam, unconvinced.
I nodded.
“Oh wow. I didn’t realize airlines were so accommodating these days.”
“Neither did I,” I grumbled, staring down at my feet, feeling sick. Not only was I lying to my friend, but if I couldn’t get my flight changed to an earlier one, then I’d have to hide away in the airport bathroom until I got a later one.
“Catfish baseball. That’ll be awesome,” Adam said.
“Yeah,” I drawled out. Lackluster and unenthused.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” I quipped as the elevator opened to the first floor. “You guys go have breakfast. I’ve just got to pack because my cab is waiting outside.” It was all lies, and I was almost certain Hayden could see through it, but like the dutiful friend she was, she didn’t question me. Not in front of her boyfriend at least. Instead, she drew me into another hug and squeezed tighter than before.
