Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Damn it.
Would this movie ever end?
I exhaled a sigh of relief when the credits finally rolled and the lights turned on, only to stumble against Banks as I stood up.
Rip rolled his eyes and muttered, “Get a room.”
“Your encouragement is noted.” Banks winked.
I sighed. “I tripped on my shoelace.”
“Surprise, surprise,” Rip said in a dry tone. “Your shoes aren’t tied.”
“I’ll tie them—” Banks lowered himself to the ground while Rip ground his teeth in annoyance. That my shoes were untied? That someone else was tying them? Or that he was thinking about the tension between us too, confused, and hating it?
Ha, nice fairytale thought there, Colby.
I shook my head as Banks stood. “All done!”
Rip stared him down, his expression unreadable, the air thick with tension even though neither guy was really saying anything.
“Is there a reason you invited yourself?” I asked sweetly. “I thought you didn’t like rom-coms?”
“Is there a reason you can’t stop gawking at Banks every time he opens his damn mouth?” he said right back, making me pause. Was he… jealous? Banks had barely touched me all night—he’d tied my shoes, for crying out loud—it wasn’t like he’d proposed marriage with one knee pressed against the sticky floor of the movie theater.
“What’s wrong with you?” I clenched my fists. “I thought things…” I didn’t finish the sentence because I didn’t want to look stupid or sound stupid. What I wanted to say was that I’d thought things had shifted, that we’d gone from bickering and biting each other’s heads off to actually attempting to get along, not just for the kids but for us. Had this whole Banks intervention ruined everything?
“So.” Banks rubbed his hands together. “I think I’m just going to take an Uber back.” Banks actually looked pleased with himself, as if he’d accomplished something between us, when his idea had completely backfired.
At least earlier this week I hadn’t been fighting with Rip.
Now we were back to square one.
“Don’t be dramatic,” Rip said to Banks. “Your car’s at our house anyway.”
“No, no, it’s fine, really.” His smile was so arrogant I had a sudden urge to trip him. “Oh, and I was thinking maybe dinner next week? We can try that new sushi place.”
Rip tensed next to me for the millionth time that night.
“Oh, um… maybe.” I gulped, not knowing what else to say but needing this whole awkward scenario to be done with before I passed out from the stress. “I’ll have to see if it’s OK with Rip, only because the kids—”
“Why would I care if you went on a date?” Rip said coolly. “Go, I’ll watch the kids while you two go out. Sounds fun.”
“Oh.” I tried not to let him see the rejection on my face. I was getting whiplash from his responses. Why was it that this one hurt the worst? I’d rather have him angry at me or fighting with me than tell me to go on a date with his best friend as if it didn’t bother him when it actually bothered me, like I was getting passed off to someone else because he couldn’t be troubled. “All right, then—”
“Great.” Banks interrupted almost like he wanted to get the yes before he bolted away from us at top speed. “I’ll text.”
He was gone in seconds, leaving me alone with a very irritated-looking Rip and a half-eaten bag of the popcorn that was already starting to sit heavily in my stomach.
Rip didn’t say anything as we both walked out of the theater and toward his car. He at least opened the door for me, letting me go through first, then opened the passenger-side door to the car and shut it.
See? Manners even when he was irritated.
I ignored the pain in my chest as he walked around the car and got in.
I checked my phone to see if things were going OK with Mrs. Harris and saw a reminder to make Ben’s cupcakes.
“Did you make Ben’s cupcakes for tomorrow?”
“Shoot.” Rip took a turn and pulled into the grocery store parking lot, then cut the engine and unbuckled his seat belt. “You find more stuff for the gluten-free, soy-free, fun-free cupcakes so they don’t taste like shit, and I’ll get milk.”
“You forgot sugar-free,” I added. “And dairy-free.”
“What are we going to put in them? Air?” He seemed frustrated, but I knew it wasn’t about the cupcakes.
“Hey, Rip.” I fell into step with him. “If you don’t want me to go on a date with Banks I won’t. Honestly, he’s just a friend anyway.” I frowned. “And I could be totally off base, but you seem more prickly than usual, like a pet porcupine that just shed all of their quills.”
“Yeah, he definitely doesn’t see you as a friend, Colby. Also that would make me a naked porcupine, so thanks for that analogy.”