He carries the box inside and drops it beside my bed just as Nathan reappears at the door. His brows furrow when he sees me standing there, and he flicks me on the forehead. “You look like shit,” he says bluntly. “Go take a shower.”
Heat rushes to my face as I rub my forehead, glancing at Ryan—who’s failing miserably at suppressing his grin.
Nathan pats Ryan on the back. “Come on, man. You’re gonna be late for your date.”
My stomach drops at the same time Ryan’s eyes flick to mine, a hint of something similar to guilt in his eyes.
I swallow. “You have a date?”
Ryan rubs the back of his neck. “Uh… yeah. Met this girl at the bar last night, and… yeah.”
“Oh.” I nod, forcing a smile that feels more like biting down on broken glass. “That sounds… great. Have fun.”
Ryan nods, flashing me a small, half-hearted smile before following Nathan out of the room. I just stand there, blinking like an idiot.
I close the door, maneuver around the boxes, and flop onto the bed, burying my face in my hands with a long, agonized groan.
Aurora’s voice drifts in from across the room. “What’s with the dramatics?”
I groan again, dragging my hands down my face, scowling at her. “Why are brothers such assholes?”
Aurora laughs, tucking one leg under her as she settles beside me on the bed. “Probably a genetic defect. What happened?”
I hesitate for a second, then blow out a breath. “I think I like his friend.”
Aurora’s eyes practically sparkle, and her grin widens. “I knew it. And why is that a problem?” She cocks her head. “He’s a good choice. Tall, hot.” She nods, humming. “I approve.”
I chuckle, swinging my legs off the bed to sit up. “As much as I appreciate your approval, my brother won’t feel the same.”
She shrugs, rolling her eyes. “Who cares? You’re not a kid.”
“I wish it were that simple,” I mutter, shaking my head. “He still sees me as someone he needs to protect. And besides, I don’t date hockey players. And Ryan doesn’t date at all.”
Aurora waves me off. “The last thing you need right now is a relationship. You’ve been in one since you were—what, ten?”
“Seventeen,” I correct, rolling my eyes.
“Same thing.” She leans in with a smirk. “You need to let go and have some fun. Whether it’s with Ryan or someone else, you need a good rebound to make you forget about your ex.” She shoots me a wink. “Hop on and enjoy the ride.”
I laugh, grabbing a fluffy pillow and chucking it at her. She’s half-joking. But also… she’s right.
9
RYAN
All I wanted to do tonight was sprawl on the couch, put on an action movie, and pass out before midnight. Hell, I’d have settled for a rom-com. A sitcom. A damn infomercial. Anything that didn’t involve standing in a room full of drunk, half-naked idiots.
But my roommates had other plans.
I forgot how much I hate parties.
I hadn’t been to one in so long that I almost missed it. The noise. The chaos. The thrill of being shitfaced and waking up on some random bathroom floor.
Almost.
Because right now, being stone-cold sober, I wonder how the hell I ever thought this was fun.
Especially considering I’m currently wrapped in an actual fucking curtain. Full-length, hideous pattern, scratchy fabric that looks like it belongs on my grandma’s couch.
