Chapter 21 #3
“Oh.” I bobbed my head around and noticed him shift his weight, also likely uncomfortable. I lifted my foot to step away from the wall, and Rory lightly placed the tips of his fingers onto my stomach to keep me in place. It felt like I had just been stabbed.
“What are you doing in Vegas?” Rory cocked his head.
“My friend’s birthday. I should get back to them.” I slipped out from beneath his fingers, but Rory moved his hand to my arm.
“Wait. Where are you going?” he asked.
I looked down at his hand gently gripping my forearm, unintentionally claiming me for that brief moment. “Um, not sure yet.” I laughed softly.
I looked out to the bar, not too far from where I was standing.
I could see Hannah staring back at me. Kara, however, was looking up at the ceiling, pretending to be interested in the building’s architecture.
Zoe gave me a wave, then pulled Maddy’s top down for a better look at her cleavage.
Her boobs were about to explode. Maddy shook her head solemnly and called out in distress, “I don’t know what you want from me! ”
Fucking. Useless.
“Well, how long are you here?” Rory let go of my arm, which was so hot from his touch that I was certain it had been left branded.
“Just the weekend.”
“I’m here for the weekend, too.”
“Yes, I know. Your face is sort of everywhere.” I nodded, finally making proper eye contact.
“Ahh . . .” Rory’s beautiful, softly freckled face flushed. He scratched his scruff.
I lifted my hand and gave him a limp wrist-wagging. “Get off my TV, will ya? It’s super inconvenient to just . . . always see your fuckin’ face.” I started laughing uncomfortably, but Rory didn’t laugh along with me.
“Yeah. Speaking of, I saw that Ben’s in a new movie with Ryan Gosling. He’s getting really big. Can’t get rid of that guy.” Rory held my stare.
“Yup. Gotta love it when your exes are so publicly successful.” I attempted to control my sarcasm.
“Are you two not together anymore?” His chest had risen, and I saw it stay in place. He was holding his breath.
“No,” I answered quietly, hoping he’d read the room and see that I didn’t want to go into any details. My eyes flipped over to my friends again, and they had all clandestinely shifted ten steps closer to Rory and me.
“I’m sorry.” Rory’s eyes dropped. He bit his bottom lip, thinking. “I didn’t know that.”
“Well, I really am gonna go now. I’m here with Hannah and Kara. I don’t know if you remember my friend from New York, Zoe?”
“Of course I remember her.” He kept his eyes on the ground.
“Anyway, it’s her birthday. So, here I go.” I turned to leave.
“Wait, just wait.” Rory grabbed my arm again.
It was my bicep this time. I slowly looked down at Rory’s hand.
Surely my skin should be melting off, no?
He noticed where my attention lay and removed his hand.
He took off his hat to rake his fingers through his hair and readjust. With a deep breath, he asked, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“I’m—I’m in Vegas with my friends, so—”
Hannah cut me off, shouting from even closer now, “SHE’S DOING NOTHING, RORY! SHE’S SINGLE AND DOING NOTHING!”
Rory gave Hannah a closed-mouth smile and dropped his hands into his pants pockets. “Hi, Hannah,” he called out, with a nod.
“Hi, Rory,” she called back, with an enormous self-satisfied grin. Hannah apparently still had a penchant for dramatically inserting herself into our . . . whatever this was.
He turned back to me. “It would be nice to catch up. Can I take you out?” Grown-up Rory’s confidence was disarming. He had never been so forward with me before.
“Um, I don’t . . .” I wanted to turn to the birthday girl to see her reaction to Rory’s offer, but I couldn’t because her chin landed squarely on my shoulder. Zoe had snuck up behind me.
“Yes, I think that would be a lovely idea, Rory. How nice to see you again.” Zoe’s voice was a deep whisper. They were all eavesdropping.
“Jesus Christ,” I sighed, then shook my head, silently apologizing for my friends.
Rory responded with a sly smile that creased his dimple. Zoe slowly backed away from us and straight into Kara. She stepped on Kara’s foot.
“Motherfff—OWW!” Kara screeched. Her knees gave out, and she tumbled over, elbowing Maddy directly in her engorged boob, which had borderline mastitis.
“Holy shit!” Maddy called out, grabbing her tit and bending over.
“Same number?” Rory asked, ignoring the chaos behind me.
“I’m not sure. Did you ever get my New York number?”
Rory just barely shook his head. He went into his pocket and handed me his phone.
I grabbed it from him and sent myself a text message that simply said “Ellie.” I cleared my throat, hoping to clear away the awkwardness between us.
“Haven’t switched my number over to LA. Can’t seem to let go of that nine-one-seven area code.
” Rory kept quiet until I gave him back his phone.
“Alright, well, I guess . . . text me?” I laughed warily and lifted my eyes to his.
“I’ll see you, Cainey.” Rory relaxed as he called me by my forgotten name. It was a name I had lost a long time ago, back when I lost myself as well.