Ryke wads his straw paper. “You’ve never given Lily a present like that?”
“No, she’d rather I give her something else than a necklace.”
“Like what, Loren?” Rose looks like she could rip out his throat.
Lo is about to take the challenge, Rose automatically hitting his annoyance button. “Like my tongue on her—”
“Oh my God!” I shriek, scooting away from Lo and into the wall of the booth. I grab a menu and shield my face from everyone.
Ryke laughs under his breath, but I think my sister is about to launch herself at all the guys and scratch them out with her nails.
Connor whispers in her ear, “He’s just picking on you.”
“She’s a sex addict,” she whispers back just as fiercely. “He shouldn’t be joking around about this.”
“I can hear you,” Lo says flatly.
I peek at Ryke since he’s the one person I haven’t confronted since my addiction has spread from Rose to Connor and from Lo to Ryke. Yes, he told Ryke. I have no idea how it came out. Maybe in his confessional about needing to get sober. Our addictions intertwined so much that it was too hard for Lo to talk about his without bringing up my dependence on sex.
Ryke doesn’t even look at me. He’s mouthing something to Lo. I read his lips. I’ll tell them.
I glance at Lo and he nods to Ryke in approval.
I frown. “Tell them what?” I ask Lo.
“Nothing,” he lies, motioning for me to return to him. I set down the menu and slide back into his arms, and the waitress comes by to break up my sister’s whisper battle with Connor.
We order the turkey dinners and waters, and I’m left to wonder what secret Lo and Ryke share about me. It could be anything. As the waitress traipses back to the kitchen, Rose turns to Ryke and fishes out a crisp white envelope. “I couldn’t find your address anywhere, so I was unable to send this to your house.” She passes him a Christmas Charity Gala invitation. “Is Ryke a nickname? It wasn’t showing up in any directory.”
“Middle name,” he says, distant. He pulls out the cream card with gold cursive lettering. “I can’t go.” He barely even gives it a chance.
“Why not?” Lo questions, obviously hurt by the notion. If anyone has been a rock since he decided to become sober, it’s been Ryke. He’s practically his unofficial sponsor. I know he really wants Ryke there, especially since his father will be attending. “Is it the article? You’re supposed to be finished with that thing soon, aren’t you?”
“No, I submitted the article weeks ago.” He finally escapes the lie. “My professor gave me an A.”
“Send me a copy,” Connor says. “I’d love to read it.”
“Sure.” He’ll probably “forget” to email him the article for the next few weeks until Connor stops asking.
“Do you have plans or something?” Lo asks. “It’s the day before Christmas Eve. You can still spend time with your mom if you go.” I’ve never seen him like this—pleading for someone else in such a transparent manner.
Ryke nods. “Okay. Yeah, I’ll make it work. Thanks, Rose.” He folds the envelope in fours and stuffs it in his back pocket.
Lo relaxes, and he glances at the bathrooms. Does he want to go have sex? He turns to me, as though reading my mind, and whispers softly, “I have to use the bathroom for real. Don’t let Ryke eat my food if it comes.” With this, he kisses my cheek and disappears towards the blue doors.
I sink into the seat, hot from the three pair of eyes bearing down on me.
“Lily,” Rose starts, sitting forward. She clasps her hands. “Lily, I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I really want you to come live with me when the semester ends. There’s more than enough room in my apartment, and—”
“What about Lo?” I frown and shake my head. “I can’t leave him like this. And I go to Penn.”
“You can always transfer,” she reminds me.
Ryke turns to her. “Lo has it under control.”
Her yellow-green eyes puncture him. “He’s sick, Ryke. He needs to concentrate on himself, and he’s not going to be able to do that if he’s concerned about Lily’s well-being. I want him to get better, but I want her to get better more. So pardon me if I’m looking out for my sister’s best interest.”
“And I’m looking out for Lo’s. He wants to try it this way first. Look. It’s worked for the past week—”