Forever (Friends #3)(17)

Livvy sighs. "This is sounding way too familiar." She studies me. "Are you really okay? Do you want me to drive you home? I can. I don't mind. I'm completely sober."

"I'll take her home," Jordan says, making both of us turn and glare at him.

"Is that what you want?" Livvy asks me.

Yes. Yes, it's exactly what I want. But is it a smart move? Am I just setting myself up for heartbreak yet again? How many times can we do this to each other? How many times can I endure the back and forth with my emotions before I finally can't take it anymore?

"Hey." We all turn toward the door where Ryan is standing, looking contrite. "You okay, Amanda? I brought ice for your eye." He holds up a Ziploc bag full of ice cubes.

"I'm fine," I say as I sit up, wincing at the pain lancing through my head. "Is everything okay out there?"

Jordan goes to Ryan and takes the bag of ice from him before bringing it over to me. I take it from him and gently set it over my eye, sucking in a sharp breath from the coldness.

"Someone broke a glass vase in the living room, but otherwise, everything's fine. Cannon made everybody go out to the backyard." Ryan smiles at Livvy. "Ready to go, baby?"

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. I hate the way he just called her baby. Not even an hour ago she was spitting fire and ready to hook up with Dustin just to prove some weird point. Now she's looking at him with hearts in her eyes like he's her personal savior.

"Amanda? You'll be okay with him?" She sends Jordan one of her famous death looks.

I shift the bag of ice over my eye, hoping this helps, because the icy cold against my skin sucks. "I'll be fine. Promise. Text me when you get home." Realization dawns. "Wait, my phone is in your car. I should go-"

"You're not going anywhere," Jordan interrupts before he turns to Ryan. "Can you grab Amanda's phone from Livvy's car for me?"

"Uh, sure." Annoyance flashes on Ryan's face, and then he's gone.

Livvy starts to giggle. "He doesn't like it when someone tells him what to do."

"I know," Jordan says smugly, making us all laugh.

Ryan returns minutes later with my phone in his hand and Cannon in tow. He's the one who delivers my phone to me, his cheeks ruddy with embarrassment.

"You okay, Amanda? I didn't mean to cause all that trouble." He sends a look toward Jordan. "We cool, man? I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't want to fight with you either, so we're cool. And I didn't mean to cause a scene. Your house didn't get trashed, did it?" Jordan asks.

"Nah, it's all good. I made everyone go outside. The temperature will drop and then they'll all bail." Cannon shakes his head with a faint smile. "This'll be the talk of school come Monday, won't it?"

"Most likely." Jordan pauses. "You mind if we stay here for a few more minutes? I want to make sure Amanda's okay before she starts moving around."

Geez, what is he? My dad? Though it's kind of sweet, how worried he is about me.




 

 

"Yeah, sure. No problem. However long it takes," Cannon says easily. "Sorry again, Amanda. I was just trying to help."

I send Cannon a smile. "I know. And I appreciate it."

"We'll get out of your hair," Livvy says, steering both boys out of the room. She glances at me over her shoulder, mouthing, "text me later" right before Jordan closes the door behind them.

And now once again, we're all alone.

He walks over to the bed and sits on the edge of the mattress, closest to the end. "How you feeling?"

"I'm okay." I run my tongue over my teeth and grimace. "My tongue hurts."

"What? Why?"

"I bit it when I got hit and I think I cut it."

He scoots closer. "Let me see."

I clamp my lips shut. "No."

"Come on. Let me see. What if it's serious?"

"Serious as my black eye? I doubt it."

"Your eye isn't black." He tilts his head to the side. "Yet."

"Whatever. You can't even see it." I drop the bag of ice beside me on the bed. "I need a break from the ice."

"You should keep the ice on your eye. It'll keep down the swelling and bruising."

"It's cold."

"That's the point."

He makes a growling sound that's part scary, part sexy. "Show me your tongue, Amanda," he demands.

I stick my tongue out at him and he leans in, examining it closely, which is just … weird. It makes me think of his tongue. How it's been in my mouth, curling around mine. How he's licked my neck, my chest, many parts of my body. How he went down on me and proved that his tongue was downright magical …