Page 176 of Rising Heat

Choosing to see this as not my problem.

Coop immediately points across the table.

“See? I told you Ryan was weirdly observant.”

“I’m choosing to hear that as complimentary,” Ryan says.

“It wasn’t.”

Bex is still looking at Ryan, more curiously than polite now.

“I’m not sure if I should be offended by that nickname.”

“You’d know if you were supposed to be offended.”

Bex folds her arms and leans back into the booth looking at him over the rim of her wine glass. I know that look. She’s collecting evidence.

Ryan just looks back at her, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Absolutely not my problem.

Coop tries to give Ryan a proper introduction anyway, which Ryan waves off with the hand not holding Tyler’s beer.

The night unwinds gradually after that. Nobody announces they’re leaving. It just starts happening once the pitchers empty and jackets reappear and the music shifts into that last stretch of the night where everybody gets sentimental or reckless.

Coop’s the first to call it, loudly announcing his departure to people who’d already watched him put his jacket on five minutes ago. Marco follows after another beer, steadying himself briefly against the table while he stands.

“Good meeting you,” he tells Bex. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Me? Never,” she grins.

Trick gives her one of his small nods on the way out, which somehow feels warmer than half the conversations people usually have at bars. Ryan buttons his coat beside the booth and looks at Bex again.

“You here all weekend, Princess?”

“Why?” Bex asks. “Running out of observations already?”

“Not even close.”

“And here I was beginning to worry.”

“You worry about me already?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Too late.”

Ryan smirks.

“See you around, Princess.”

I watch him go before looking between Tyler and Mack.

“…Should I be worried?”

Tyler follows my gaze.

“About Ryan?”