Page 67 of Pulled Away

“It’s what he’s not doing. He’s sitting back and allowing Cassie to mess with Maya.”

“I can speak for myself, Rose,” Maya chides with a grimace.

“Why is she in charge of scheduling shifts, anyway? She doesn’t work here.”

“She said she wanted to help him out. Be the supportive girlfriend.”

“Translated to worm her way into every aspect of his life,” Piper mutters.

“What is she getting up to?” Bailey asks Maya, her face painted in concern.

“Look, it doesn’t matter. He’s serious about her and I don’t want to cause issues. If it gets bad, I’ll just find another job.”

We fall silent because it just doesn’t seem right. Maya’s been working here since she turned eighteen. She’s almost an institution at this stage.

I look around, trying to see Carter. He stopped off at the bar to get us some drinks and my heart drops when I spot him and…Ryan, heading to our booth.

The last time I saw him, I basically called him a piece of shit. I was just so furious. I don’t have money to spend on the rescue at the moment, but there are things I can do that cost nothing. Like pulling weeds. Then to see and know that he was there, in my happy place, that he had money to spend when I didn’t. I don’t know, I just saw red.

I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s here. They’re his friends too. Shifting in my seat, I drop my eyes to the table. I don’t want to look at him. I don’t want him looking at me.

“Hello, Aspen,” he says softly, and I close my eyes against the longing in his voice. It resonates with the longing that’s taken up residence in my heart. But it doesn’t matter. With time, that longing will fade. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

“Ryan,” I mumble, trying to keep my voice polite.

I don’t know how to act. To be. When the hurt is still so fresh.

“So, a new band tonight?” Carter says, putting my drink down. I immediately grab it, sucking on the straw. It gives me something to do. With my hands, my eyes, my mouth. Maybe my brain too, if I have enough of them. Promises to myself be damned.

“Obviously,” Rose mutters, her tone implying he’s a dumbass.

Carter’s eyes light up, his mouth jumping into a smile.

“The last band was a bust, so let’s hope this one is better,” Piper says, trying to head off the inevitable argument. “Maya?”

Maya shrugs, her lips flattening. I want to kick Nathan’s ass, but by the look on Bailey’s face, I’ll have to stand in line. Interviewing bands together has always been Maya and Nathan’s special thing, and though she doesn’t show it, I know being shoved to the side hurts her.

I glance up, finding Ryan’s eyes on me. I don’t think he’s stopped looking since he got here. Shifting uncomfortably, I bump against Carter. There are so many of us here tonight that we’re stuffed like sardines in a can.

“Oh hell, no,” Rose says, slamming her drink down and sitting up straight.

My eyes shoot in the direction of her glare. What the hell? I thought she was gone, but it seems that she wasn’t lying when she said she was moving back. Did Ryan know? Was all his words to me just that—empty words? Did he invite her tonight? That would be beyond cruel. Where is she staying? In the apartment, or has she taken my side of the bed? All these questions are snakes slithering through my brain, going round and round, chasing their tails, and I can’t help myself; my eyes jump to him to see his reaction.

He’s looking at her, but there’s no trace of the softness he used to look at her with. Instead, all I see is anger and frustration.

“What are you doing here?” Rose asks when Hadley stops at our booth.

“I heard you guys were here. I thought I’d join you for a drink,” she says, not looking at Rose but at Bailey.

“As you can notice, our booth is full,” Rose says, venom dripping from her words.

“It’s fine. I can just pull up a chair.”

She looks around, and I know without a doubt that once she finds one, she’ll pull it up next to Ryan.

“Funny that you want to join us when you told me that none of your friends,” I gesture to the people seated in the booth, “are important. How living in a small town is backward.”

Silence falls as everyone’s eyes land on her. I keep my face impassive, but inside I’m seething. My gloves are officially off. She helped to take them off when she showed me how little she cared about her dad dying, freeing me from the fear of coming across as insensitive.

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