“You're not playing?” I asked after a minute watching the other two.
“I did,” Ollie said. “But Dave's taking turns demolishing us all. You'll be next.”
I snorted in agreement, watching Dave and Ryan play. Or more like, justwatching Ryan.
For some reason, I couldn't pull my gaze away.
Funny.I'd been so sure that I'd have to get black out drunk to stop myself from thinking of what Melissa might be doing right now. Instead, she was somewhere in the very back of my mind and there was someone else occupying all my thoughts.
SIX
Ryan
“Is he okay?”
I followed Ollie's gaze to Kamran, who I was pretty sure, was on his sixth pint already and swaying around the pool table, missing every shot even though he kept insisting on rematches. Dave didn't mind. In fact, he loved it, grinning like a loon every time he won again.
I wasn’t surprised that Ollie had noticed it this time. Kamran was hiding his mood even less today than he had yesterday.
“I'm sure he's fine,” I finally said, just as Kamran's pool cue slipped through thin air, missing the ball entirely. It took him a minute to realize what had happened and then he straightened, cursed, and flung his cue onto the table, clearly done.
“I'm out,” he said toward us, shrugging.
He downed the rest of his pint and without saying anything, a scowl still plastered across his face, he went toward the bar.
Grimacing, I stood there, foot tapping anxiously as I watched him.
The boys didn't know the details. If I hadn't been at his place on the day he'd found out,Iprobably wouldn't know either.
“What about you, Ryan?” Dave asked, pulling my attention back to his devilish grin. “Want to get creamed again?”
“No way,” I retorted. “Me and Ollie are having a game. You’ve been hogging the table.”
He grumbled but let us play, constantly trying to adjust us and back-seat drive, which was an impressive feat to pull off for a pool game.
I wasn’t too bad with my angles though, so he ended up helping Ollie when he started to lose. Despite Dave’s interference, I still ended up winning.
“I’m not used to this,” I said, grinning, but the high was short lived because my gaze automatically scanned the pub, searching for Kamran.
He was still at the bar, sitting alone with his head bowed over yet another empty pint glass. Something about the slump of his shoulders made me want to hug him again. I just wanted to squeeze him.
It was the booze talking, I supposed. Alcohol plus Kamran sad equaled hugs and kisses. It was basic math.
I wasn’t sure how to handle him anymore. I wanted so badly to go check on him, but felt like I shouldn’t. It would make it too obvious that I knew something was wrong.
“Go after him,” Ollie suggested. “Seems like he's spiraling over something lately.”
I tore my gaze away from Kamran, realizing that both of the guys were standing next to me, observing him as well.
“Why me?” I asked uneasily.
They both gave me a funny look.
“Because he's your bestie?” Ollie reminded me slowly.
“He listens to you,” Dave added.
I shook myself, remembering that was how it always was with us. Me and Kam always came as a pair. Nothing unusual there. It was probably weirder for me to avoid it.
