Page 38 of The Enemy: Extended Edition

His eyes are soft as his brows pull together. He’s unfairly handsome when he’s tender. “It’s okay if you do.”

I have to wiggle my toes to keep the sob building inside my body from leaking out.

“Are you crying—”

“Almost crying,” I correct, making Ryan grin.

He chuffs out a short laugh. “Are you almost crying because of your keys? Or did something happen?” There’s an edge to his voice there at the end. Something that tells me if something happened and it was the result of anyone at that rehearsal, he’s going to plow back inside and exact revenge on my behalf.

I’m still struggling to accept this Ryan 2.0. I don’t know what to do with him. Well . . . I know what I’d like to do with him, but that’s beside the point.

I sniff aggressively. No more emotions. “Compounding issues. The keys put it over the top.”

He nods slowly, diving his hands into his pants pockets in a move that only stresses his elevated good looks. The man is too beautiful. Might have stepped right out of a Banana Republic catalog for all anyone knows. “Can I help?”

“Do you have magical abilities to pass through glass and metal?”

He pulls his phone from his pocket. “No. But I have roadside assistance and can get a locksmith for you.”

“Oh.” I blink. “You’d let me use your roadside assistance?” For some reason, this is shaking me more than if he would have admitted to having special powers.

A sad smile curves the side of his mouth. “I don’t want to dignify that ridiculous question with an answer.”

I adjust on my heels that suddenly feel four sizes too small for my feet. I want to be home. Snuggled up in sweatpants and a blanket, trying to block out anything that makes me feel anxious and funky—aka blocking out Ryan until I know what to do with him.

I glance back toward the church and consider asking anyone else in there for help—but Stacy and Logan are busy entertaining their guests, Jake and Evie already left, and . . .

Ryan groans and rolls his eyes, smiling. “I’m calling them, June. You can fight me about it later.”

I don’t protest as he paces a few steps away, bringing his phone to his ear, but I do shoot my car one last mean-mug. “Expect extra curbs from here on out,” I whisper.

Not even two minutes later, Ryan is pocketing his phone and striding over to me. “Good and bad news. Good news, they’re sending a locksmith. Bad news, he’s got a couple of calls before ours, so we’ll have to wait around for him.”

I narrow my eyes and hold up my finger. “You keep saying this funny word. We. But I think you mean they’re sending someone for me. And I’ll have to wait around for him.”

Ryan’s grin is outrageous. “Nope. We have to wait for him. It’s my roadside assistance account and they will only service my family members or someone I’m currently riding with. So for tonight, we’re pretending I’m your passenger princess.”

GREAT. Just super.

I didn’t want to spend more time with Ryan. Because more time with Ryan means more time to like him. And I don’t want to like him. He’s literally leaving in two days. Plenty of people make long-distance relationships work—but I’m not one of those people. My trust is paper thin. Almost nonexistent.

Suddenly my stomach gives the loudest grumble of my life. It shakes the earth.

Ryan’s eyebrows shoot up. “Did you not eat dinner?”

I grimace lightly. “I was too nervous.”

Ryan’s face goes utterly serious, and I think he’s about to comment on my lack of dinner, but suddenly Logan calls to us as he’s walking out of the church. “I thought y’all left a while ago!”

“June locked her keys in the car because she was so eager to see me.”

I turn and glare at Ryan even though I know for a fact Logan won’t believe a word of that. (Even if it’s a little true.)

Logan makes his way to us. “Shoot. They’re locked in there?”

“Yeah, but a locksmith is on the way,” I say, trying to sound more cheery than I feel.

Logan nods slowly, glancing back toward the building for a half second. “We were getting ready to head out, but Stacy and I can wait with you if you need us to.”

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