Dire(72)

“What?” I said in anything but a whisper. Hooking up with an ex-boyfriend was always a bad idea. I knew from experience. “We’re going to New Orleans so you can hook up with an ex?”

“Calm down.” She looked right at the road. It wasn’t for safety reasons. She was avoiding my gaze.

“So how do I fit in? What am I going to do while you guys reconnect?” I resisted the urge to use air quotes.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just couldn’t do it alone. I needed my best friend with me.”

Best friend? Did she really see me that way? “Since we’re hours from Atlanta I’m coming, but I wish you’d been honest with me from the beginning.”

I was such a pushover. I could practically hear my brother lecturing me. He said I couldn’t spend my whole life as a doormat. He was right, but that didn’t mean I knew how to change it.

“His roommate’s single and excited to meet you.”

I groaned. “I am not hooking up with the roommate.”

“I never said you had to. I was just letting you know. He’s really cute.”

“Wonderful.” Reyna might as well have been getting a degree in matchmaker for all the effort she made trying to set other people up on dates. It wasn’t something she was particularly good at. To be honest, I couldn’t think of a single success story.

She changed lanes and gunned it to pass a truck. I held onto the ‘oh my god bar’ for dear life. She reduced speed once she was settled back in the right lane. “I really owe you for this. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Just don’t completely ditch me. That’s all I’m asking.”

“I won’t.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to make promises you can’t keep?”

She laughed. “Trust me on this one. I don’t even know if anything is going to happen. He invited me as a friend, remember?”

“You really believe that?” I didn’t. A guy wouldn’t invite an ex to stay with him unless he planned on rekindling the old flame—or getting her in bed—or most likely, both.

“I do. We flirt and stuff, but it hasn’t passed that.”

“If you say so.” I wasn’t in the mood to argue, but I steeled myself for a long few days. Hopefully I’d be able to navigate New Orleans on my own.

***



I checked the address twice after Reyna parked along the curb. When she said we’d be staying in an off-campus apartment I assumed it was going to be a complex or something. Instead we were parked in front of an old house that looked like it should have been condemned. Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it didn’t exactly have curb appeal.

“You coming?” Reyna asked leaning in through her open door. Miraculously she didn’t look like she’d been sitting in a car for seven hours. Now me on the other hand, that was an altogether different story. I’d barely slept the night before, and even if I wore makeup it wouldn’t have covered up the bags under my eyes.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” I reluctantly unbuckled and got out. I wasn’t looking forward to what I knew would be an awkward introduction.

Reyna pulled out my duffel in what she probably viewed as a peace offering. I put it over my shoulder and followed her over to the questionable looking set of stairs. I tentatively touched the bottom step before taking a deep breath and following her up to the porch.

She knocked on the door, and I was surprised it didn’t fall off the hinges.

A guy with brown hair opened the door and pulled Reyna into his arms. “Hey, Baby!”

My stomach dropped. Baby? They were on pet name terms?

“Hey, Chad!” Reyna kissed him on the lips playfully. “We made it.”

He rubbed her back in a very familiar way. “I’m glad you decided to make the trip. I promise to make it worth your while.”

I just stood there in the doorway holding my bag. I wished I had the nerve to clear my throat, but I didn’t want Chad to hate me already.

I settled on a light sigh that came out sounding like more of a grunt.

“Oh, sorry.” Reyna stumbled back from him. “Chad, this is Daisy, my amazing sorority sister and roommate.”

“Hey, Daisy. Thanks for going along for the ride with my girl, Reyna.”

Yeah, I was on my own for the weekend. “Of course. Anything for Reyna.” Door Mat. Door Mat. I repeated to myself.

Chad and Reyna exchanged a look, and I knew it had something to do with me. I assumed it couldn’t be good so I showed myself into the cramped apartment.

I eyed one worn out leather couch. I assumed I’d be sleeping there. I walked over to drop off my stuff and noticed a few suspicious stains. Gross. Completely and utterly gross. I was so glad I’d brought a sleeping bag with me. At least I wouldn’t have to sleep right on the thing.