Page 16 of Entwined with My Best Friend's Brother

Gwen snarls, "Don't trust him, Jen. The bastard could have just left it over to the authorities after he confirmed the risk of the situation. Yet he brought you here. Away from your house, job, Cale's friends, and school. What the hell is he thinking?"

Guilt hits me as I see the hurt flash in Ryan's eyes, "Gwen. Ryan probably couldn't report it for our safety."

Gwen stops her fit as her eyes zero in on me, "What do you mean, Jen?"

I don't want to talk about this again today. I still feel tired and sleepy and guilty about Ryan's bruised cheek.

"Gwen. Can we talk about this later? I... All of us have had a long day. Let's get some sleep first."

Getting up, I pull Ryan up as well, "I'm sorry."

Ryan avoids my eyes, humming as he shrugs my hand off, walking to the car's trunk to take out our luggage when Gwen approaches me, "What in the world happened between you two? The atmosphere seems tense."

I can't help glaring at Gwen, "Why did you hit him? I didn't call you here for this."

Gwen smiles at me smugly, "It's fine. He is my brother. He can take it. But look at you. You and my brother got so close in just half a day?"

I can't believe her, "What in the world goes on in your head, Gwen? You just punched your brother before me, and now you're asking this? You guys are just unbelievable." She and her brother are really two peas in a pod.

"Whatever. You brought your luggage, right?" I ask, my head throbbing in pain. Ryan did what he had to, but I must ensure Cale, and I were safe. And I can't trust Ryan entirely. Yet.

Gwen is looking at the car as she nods, "Of course. By the way, where is the little guy? I've really missed him."

Smiling fondly, I point towards Ryan's car, "He is still asleep, so don't shake him up too much, or he'll get cranky."

Gwen almost runs towards the car. Ever since the two met, they have been on the same wavelength. Sometimes they seem closer than I am to my son, making me slightly jealous.

I would have stayed there more to see them greet each other goofily. That always makes me smile, but I can't help but walk towards Ryan.

Picking up my bag, I'm about to apologize when he snatches the bag from my hands and walks on, ignoring me. His attitude is still the worst, but I follow him into his house.

I pause, staring at the giant doors of the mansion, "Is this really your house?"

But Ryan keeps walking, so I follow him up the grand curving stairs as he heads to a room on the second floor, "This is where Cale and you will be staying."

Ryan flips the lights on as he drops the four heavy bags on a gigantic couch in the far-left corner of the room. The room is enormous – a king-sized bed sits in the center with a beautiful canopy hanging from the top, a beautiful dressing table with a huge mirror on one side, and a large antique cupboard beautifully tucked in one corner. A balcony also leads to a beautiful view of the lake beside the mansion and the small artificial pool connected to the lake.

Standing on the balcony, I can see what I missed on our way here. Only when I see it from here can I see the million stars that fill the night sky and the millions more reflected in the large lake? This is the world's edge, and I will be floating in space if I jump off the balcony.

I can't help but mutter, "It's so beautiful," when Ryan's voice responds, "It is."

Remembering I'm not alone, I turn, embarrassed and ready to tell him off, but I feel overwhelmed once his gaze meets mine. Ryan's eyes always seem to say a lot, but I can't quite understand him.

Yet his eyes shine with a million stars and mine in the center. His eyes are so intense that I can't help but focus elsewhere when I again notice the bruise from Gwen.

Feeling a pang go through my heart, I walk to the couch, digging into my bag, "Wait here."

Finding the ointment for skin bruises, I step close to Ryan. His eyes still focus intensely on me, and I can't help looking back into his as I gently raise a hand to apply the ointment on the bruise.

His head leans into my hand, and it feels like I am patting a dog now. I laugh, "What are you doing, you silly dog?"

He smiles back, "I don't know as well."

I'm taken aback by that sentence. My smile drops. We both have an expression of sudden realization. I can't do this, so I hand the ointment to Ryan, "Apply it once daily, every day. Now then, I think I should go look for Cale. He must be sleepy."

I plan to run out the door and down the stairs, but just as I turn, I bump into a smug Gwen holding a sleepy-eyed Cale, "Oh, no worries. I got the little guy right here."

I want to escape Ryan as quickly as possible, but Gwen, this 'wonderful friend, and sister,' has to appear right now, so I do what I must, "Great! Then give me Cale, and you two may rest as well."

---