Page 47 of Rear View
Miles sauntered our way and handed Xavier back his key. “Thanks for the invite, man. This was awesome.”
“Anytime,” Xavier said with an incline of his head.
The offer wasn’t fake for the sake of politeness, it was genuine, like he’d actually meant it. Like he enjoyed having Miles around.
Sheila scurried closer. “Everyone get in here for a picture!”
My lungs seized. I didn’t do pictures. Couldn’t risk them.
Miles gave my wrist a squeeze. When I looked at him, his nod said, “I got this.”
Yara, Kamala, Alec and Sheila closed around us.
“Squish in,” Sheila ordered.
Xavier moved behind me, his warm chest pressing against my back while Miles edged in on my right side. Sheila raised her phone, the screen facing us for a group selfie. My heart thrashed in my ears.
“Ready? One. Two. Three. Smile!” Her finger moved to the button.
Miles shifted so his shoulder blocked my face. She took the picture.
“Yay!” she said as the others moved away. “It was great seeing you again, Ryah!”
“You, too!” And it was. I loved Zoya, was eternally grateful for her, but being around new people, doing new things and just…beingwas the addictive kind of nice. I wanted more.
The others said their goodbyes, then piled into their respective vehicles, and I waved as they left. My brother climbed into his car and Xavier flanked me while I made my way there. He popped my door open and I sank inside.
My gaze met his. “When are you back?” I asked, my voice soft.
He set his forearm against the upper frame of the vehicle and gave it his weight, angling in. “Sunday.”
Disappointment curled in my stomach. A lot could happen in a week.
His eyes moved between mine and he must’ve read something in my expression, because he added, “Greenfield’s not far and our times are in the mornin’. Name the day, and I’ll be here.”
I cleared my throat and nodded. “My classes are done at noon on Fridays.”
Giving the roof a tap, he confirmed, “Friday, then.” He walked backward. “Don’t forget me.”
I smiled. At this point, I was pretty sure I couldn’t anymore, even if I tried. “Good luck with the race.”
He winked, then closed the door and offered my brother a salute.
Miles turned his car over. “Did you tell him?”
My smile skittered out and died on my lips as I swallowed around the painful lump in my throat. “We’re notthere.” With Xavier’s career and my…everything, who knew where we’d land, but I wasn’t ready to give him up. Not even close. Not yet.
Chapter Twelve
Ryah
I stared down at my phone as I stalked across campus, heading to TA a class for Barlowe. I tried to keep my sour mood from owning my face.
“Nothing?” Zoya said as she trudged along beside me.
Dodging a slush-filled puddle, I rubbed the scar above my brow and shook my head. “Nothing.” Not from Xavier, anyway. Three days and I hadn’t gotten a single text or anything. I knew because I’d checked. Again, and again, and again. It was embarrassing really, the way I’d obsessed over him.
For a guy who’d given me his entire focus, he sure forgot me fast when I wasn’t standing in front of him. But maybe that’s exactly what it was, out of his sight, out of his life. He didn’t give off that kind of vibe, but my experience in the romantic realm was minimal at best, so it wasn’t as if I was good at gauging such things.
