“Yeah?” I glance at her, then at the guy who co-owns the gym with Emmett.

“Yeah. He’s nice. We’ll see where it goes. We’re just going to get another drink.”

“Okay.” I give her a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

“You’re sure you’re good?” she asks as we walk outside.

“I’m sure. Go!”

“Okay.” She smiles, then walks off with Jackson.

Emmett, Harrison, and Noah are all standing to the left outside the bar. I flash a small smile in their general direction, then head right. Everyone else seems to have already left. There’s no sign of anyone else from our group lingering outside. I dig my phone out of my bag to call an Uber.

“You good, Evie?”

I glance at Noah, who’s walked over to me. “Yeah. Just heading home.”

“Want me to go with you?”

“No, of course not. I’m fine. Great.” I smile and hope it comes across as genuine.

Noah hesitates. “I know we never really talked about…”

“We don’t need to, Noah. Just because…I just…” I sigh. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t feel like…” God, I can’t even get a full sentence out.

I know Noah feels torn between loyalty to me and his friendship with Gray, even though I’ve told him not to take sides. I feel terrible for putting him in this position. And I hate myself for ever expecting more from Gray.

“I’m just going to go home and pass out. Go have fun with your friends, okay?” I want to ask where Gray is. So badly. But I refrain.

Noah nods slowly, then leans forward and hugs me. “Love you, sis.”

I smile. “Love you too.”

Noah walks away. I turn back toward the street, and then I get the answer to the question I couldn’t voice. Gray exits the bar.

Rather than head for his friends, Gray walks straight toward me. He stops a few feet from me and shoves his hands into his pockets. He’s not relaxed or at ease now. His jaw is clenched and his shoulders are tight. “Hi.”

“For the record, I didn’t call you an asshole.” I figure there’s no point in acting like this is a casual catch-up.

“You should’ve.”

I don’t dispute it; I cut to the chase. “You didn’t call.”

Can you hate someone for not loving you? For confirming something you already should have known? Right now, I do. I hate him. I hate all the other emotions that are flooding me right now. How he still looks like the person I’d forget to cross the road with. I’ve had plenty of time to accept that he’s not.

“I know.” He stares at me.

I stare back.