Page 36 of All Your Tomorrows

His footsteps sounded behind me. “I’m sorry, Nora. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I’m not hurt,” I assured him as I slipped the key into the lock.

“I meant when it happened—the way it happened,” he explained.

“Oh, you mean at the beach? Thanks for ruining my favorite place for me. Totally appreciate your kindness. But rest assured. I’m over it,” I said as I unlocked the door. “You and me, that is. Not the ruining the beach thing.Thatreally sucks.”

“Well, I’m not over it,” he said. “You were the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Oh my God. This dude is so lame,” Kyler said, already standing inside my living room as I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

I turned to face Rick who tried to step inside. I threw out my palm and pressed it to his chest. “Have you said everything you wanted to say?” I asked as his eyes dropped to my hand on him.

“Nora?” he pled, realizing I wasn’t letting him inside my house.

“I hope you feel better now that you got that off your chest because, let’s be honest, that’s what this was all about, right? You clearing your conscience now that the two of you broke up?”

His eyes cast down.

“Goodbye, Rick. Don’t ever come back here.” I dropped my hand from his chest and slammed the door in his face.Damn, that felt good.

“Badass,” Kyler said from somewhere in my living room.

I chuckled as I turned to face him.

“He’s such a tool,” he said.

“He is, isn’t he?” I studied Kyler just a few feet away from me. Rick was nothing compared to him. He was untrustworthy while Kyler was honest. He was plain while Kyler’s good looks could stop traffic. He was dull while Kyler’s personality could fill a room. He was a terrible kisser while Kyler was perfection.

There was a knock on the front door.

“Want me to kick his ass?” Kyler asked.

I shook my head, knowing I could handle Rick. He was nothing to me.Hewas just a memory. Since I hadn’t moved away from the door, I flung it back open. Izzy pushed her way inside pulling two suitcases behind her.

“Iz!” I screeched.

“Surprise!” she sang, dropping her suitcases and hugging me as we both jumped around.

We finally released each other. “I thought you were working?” I said.

“Total lie to throw you off,” she said, proud of herself for keeping her return a secret. “Was I interrupting anything?” Her eyes moved around the living room, sweeping right over Kyler who had dropped down onto the sofa.

“Kyler’s on the sofa,” I explained.

“Oh really?” Izzy asked with insinuation in her tone.

“You told her about me?” he asked with raised brows.

“Well, you’re the third roommate now, aren’t you?” I said.

“What’s he saying?” Izzy asked.

“He just asked if I’d told you about him.”

“Has she ever,” Izzy said, leaving it at that—thoughthatwas enough to let on that I’d been talking to her about him.

“Rick just left,” I said.

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