Page 107 of This Changes Everything

I pulled my phone back from Zoë’s tight grip and typed.

ELLIE: That was Zoë. Don’t come. Carrie’s here. Might ruin Blair’s night.

Rory slinked behind me, moving his hands inside the fabric of my backless dress and inching his fingers across my bare stomach.

“What’s going on over here?” He pressed a kiss into my shoulder. His thumb trailed over my belly button and down to the top of my pubic bone.

I turned my head, shooting him an accusatory look, and he grinned back at me, acknowledging our secret touching.

“Just texting the girls.”

My phone dinged, and without looking at it, I showed the screen to Rory. His fingers, which had moved dangerously close to being between my legs, stilled. He pushed his mouth into my shoulder again, but he didn’t kiss me this time. The muscles in his jaw rippled with tension.

“That’s not the girls.” His voice was low, raspy, and . . . angry?

I flipped my phone back around so I could see what Rory was looking at.

CRAIG SINICKI: Happy New Year, Ellie.

Before I could say anything, Rory growled, “I’m going to hit him.”

“What’s going on?” Kara leaned forward to look at my phone, confused about what made Rory so instantly furious.

“Excuse us.” I moved my body free from Rory’s grip and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from Zoë and Kara and toward the hearth to sit. Rory was seething and crackling as much as the fire behind us.

“It’s nothing, Rory. Totally innocent,” I said, trying to soothe his rage.

“It’s not nothing. It’s purposeful, and it’s inappropriate.” Rory’s face was turning as red as Kara’s dress.

“He’s just wishing me a Happy New Year. What am I supposed to do? Call him out for being nice?”

Rory ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. “He’s not being nice, Ellie. It’s him subtly reminding you that he’s still around. It’s manipulative, and I’m going to fucking hit him.”

I touched Rory’s chest as it rapidly rose and fell with his strained breaths. I locked eyes with him. My blue against his brown. My coldness against his warmth. Balancing each other out.

Just as Rory began to calm down, two women sat next to us on the hearth. “Can you settle a debate for us? Ryan Gosling or Ben Winters?”

My eyes shot to Rory, and I couldn’t help but snort with laughter.

Rory looked back at me, then lifted his eyes to the women and dead-panned, “Ben Winters.” He lightly shook his head, but a faint smile revealed itself against his tightened mouth.

“Ellie-Bee!” Jacob called from the other side of the room. He jogged over to sit next to Rory at the fireplace. “I haven’t seen you in ages. When are you moving back?”

The question came at me hard, like I had just been punched.

When am I moving back? As if everything I’ve done up to this point was just a phase?

My eyes flipped over to Rory, who was leaning his elbows against his knees and loosely holding his hands together. He was looking between his legs.

“Uh . . . Yeah, I don’t—I don’t know.”

“I might be going down there. We’re still undecided.” Rory leaned back and crossed his arms, saving me.

Just then, Blair’s little girl popped her head around the fireplace, surprising us. Cameron sat down on Rory’s other side, having given up on bedtime.

“Uncle Rory, can you put me to bed?” Grace asked.

Rory grabbed Grace’s little hand and stood. “I would love to.” He gave me a small smile, then took her up the stairs.