With the phone neutralized, she could go back to her peaceful sleep-in day. But as she turned to leave, a speech bubble popped up on the screen. The temptation was too strong; Rose snatched up the phone and read it.
I’m sorry, okay? Can you please pick up?
So, they definitely had an argument. And it looked like it was Georgiana’s fault. What could she have done? Nothing too bad, Rose was sure. Georgiana was all sweetness with Tyler. She acted nasty only when he wasn’t around, during the rare times when Georgiana and Rose were alone together.
Georgiana was jealous of her. That was the only explanation. The sentiment was strong and reciprocated, too. Georgiana didn’t like the idea of her boyfriend living with his attractive female best friend. As for Rose, she didn’t appreciate Georgiana’s intrusion into their friendship—or the intrusion of any of Tyler’s girlfriends, for that matter.
And Georgiana was more annoying than most of the girls he dated. She went to Harvard Law with them, meaning she imposed not only on their free time, but on their school time as well. In class, she sat with them—Rose on one side, Georgiana on the other, and Tyler sandwiched in the middle. At lunch, she ate with them. When they were studying, she followed them to the library. And she was at the house so often that Rose wondered if she was trying to move in without Tyler noticing. Georgiana being beautiful and rich didn’t help. Nor the fact that she was the daughter of one of the most powerful and recognized lawyers in Boston, Bradley Smithson.
This was the first time since high school that Tyler had dated someone who was in school with them. Rose had forgotten how hard it was to have a daily reminder of him being with someone else. Not to mention the unwelcome novelty of being in the next room when Georgiana spent the night. Contractors should make thicker walls. It was almost like Georgiana was being a loud lover on purpose, to make sure Rose knew just how well Tyler satisfied her in bed. Her. Not Rose. Never Rose.
When Tyler had first started going out with Georgiana, it hadn’t been so hard. Not while Rose had been with her boyfriend Marcus, her longest relationship to date. She suspected the two years she’d spent with Marcus had been Tyler’s first experience with jealousy. She remembered being glad when he’d started dating Georgiana so she could finally stop feeling guilty for spending all her time with her boyfriend. Rose also hadn’t told Tyler she was moving in with Marcus and hadn’t been sure how he would take the news. Then everything had collapsed. Marcus had been offered a huge promotion in LA. And in less than a month, he’d left Rose heartbroken, with a canceled lease and nowhere to live. Of course, Tyler had stepped in immediately and invited Rose to stay in his spare bedroom. She’d accepted, grateful to have her best friend near her 24/7. Georgiana hadn’t been happy about it.
Rose sat in a chair at the kitchen table and rolled Tyler’s phone in her hands, tempted to snoop. She didn’t know why, but it seemed important she found out why Tyler and Georgiana had argued. But if Tyler discovered her at it, he’d flay her. He’d always been protective of his things, especially his phone, at least with his girls, and usually with a good reason. Although lately, he’d been growing increasingly private with her, too. Rose felt left out, and she couldn’t help but blame Georgiana.
Georgiana, who was sorry for something she’d done. What was it? She contemplated the black screen, trying to make up her mind. To spy or not to spy?
“What are you doing?”
Tyler’s voice put a sharp end to her dilemma. He was standing at the foot of the stairs, wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants.
“Oh, you’re awake, good!” Rose said, faking anger to cover her embarrassment at nearly being caught in the act. “Next time if you leave your phone lying around, do me a favor and put it on silent so it doesn’t wake me up.”
“Rose.” There was an edge to his voice. “Why were you looking into my phone?”
“I wasn’t looking into your phone.” She dropped the phone on the table. “This thing has been ringing nonstop for almost an hour. I couldn’t sleep, and it didn’t seem like you were getting up anytime soon, so I came downstairs to silence it.”
“If you were just putting the phone on silent, why were you sitting on a chair with it in your hands?”
Always the lawyer.
“I was trying to decide if your cuckoo girlfriend had ruined my sleep-in,” Rose said, getting up. Her chair scraped loudly on the kitchen floor. “Or if I could go back to bed.”
Rose stared him down; attack was the best defense. But would he believe her?
Two
Tyler
Rose’s aggressive tone was familiar. It was the one she used when she got caught doing something she shouldn’t and wanted to steer the attention away from herself. She was so busted. Tyler didn’t really care if she’d tried to hack his phone. Try as she might, his password was an alphanumeric nightmare, and he was sure not even the CIA would be able to crack it. One bad experience with an above-average tech-savvy girlfriend had been enough to force Tyler to up his security.
Still, what business did Rose have nosing around his things? Usually, it was hysterical girlfriends who tried to hack him, not his best friend. He kept no secrets with Rose. Well, except maybe his constant arguments about her with Georgiana. Rose had never been BFF with any of his previous girlfriends, but with Georgiana, it had been hate at first sight. On both sides. Had Rose sensed she’d been the reason for their argument? But if she wanted to know, all she had to do was ask.
Tyler was planning a way to make her confess when she stood up, and he saw what she was wearing—or rather how much she wasn’t. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He was used to seeing his best friend in faded loose T-shirts three or four sizes too big for her. Not in mini shorts. Definitely not in mini shorts.
Rose must have noticed his staring because she blushed bright red. Yet, she didn’t lower her gaze or rush off. Weird. Regular Rose was so shy and reserved. So much so that in the six months they’d been living together, she’d never shown more skin than that on her ankles. When she showered, she brought her clothes in the bathroom and came out already changed. He’d never even seen her in a towel. Even when she did the wash, she planted herself outside of the tiny laundry room like a watchdog. She said she didn’t want him to see her underwear because it embarrassed her. So, her standing there half-naked and bold was seriously freaking him out.
Frozen, Tyler watched her walk toward him.
“Anyway, Georgiana says she’s sorry,” Rose said, brushing past him as she continued toward the stairs. “And before you ask, no—I didn’t spy. The message popped up on the screen.”
Tyler followed her, not quite able to tear his eyes from her derrière as she climbed the stairs. He was shocked into silence. Seeing her like this was like being slapped in the face. He hadn’t tried to sleep with her, sober or drunk, for how long now? Two years. Not since she’d been with Marcus, not since her last fierce refusal of his advances. That night he’d been drunk and came on to her hard. Her “no” had been equally strong, worse than an ice shower. Sobered up by her rejection, he’d never been tempted to try again. Call it a strong reality check. To him, it had become clear she wasn’t interested. So, Tyler had set his mind on being her friend, just a friend.