Damn it! I felt like I was back at square freaking one!

“Thanks, Theo. I’m sure I’ll be fine with a good night’s sleep,” I said, brushing off his shyly sexual offer.

Theo looked down at the table and I had the sense he was feeling a tad rejected. I wish he would stop making me feel so guilty. It was starting to tick me off.

“Well, I’m here. You know if you need to talk, or whatever,” he stumbled.

I smiled. Not knowing what else to say. I hated dangling precariously like this on the edge of indecision. I wish I were firm enough in my resolve to be rid of Cole that I could move forward with Theo, no questions. No doubts.

And while Cole was hundreds of miles away, it was easier to work towards that. But now that I knew he was here in Bakersville, even if I hadn’t even seen him yet, I felt like he was pulling me back into his tractor beam. How could one person hold so much sway over another? It didn’t’ seem right. In fact it was downright cruel.

“Thanks, Theo. You’re such a good friend.” I patted his hand and almost cringed at my word choice.

Theo tried to play down his own wince. I had friend zoned him. Why had I done that? Did I want to do that? Why couldn’t I figure out what was going on in my own damn head?

“Well, I try to be,” Theo answered and I hated the look of disappointment on his face. One that I had put there.

I was such a damn fool.

“Make it a double, Dina!” I called out, tapping my fingers on the bar. I turned in my stool and looked out at the crowded restaurant. Barton’s was packed for a Tuesday night. But it was Ladies’ Night and women drank half price until closing. Most of Rinard College’s legal aged drinkers were crammed into the space. The girls looking to get wasted and the guys hoping to take them home.

I remembered that particular mating ritual well.

After Theo had left, I had tried to get my head into my workday. I ended up checking my email a half a dozen times and then mindlessly filing. My mind was on anything but work.

It was annoying.

So when Gracie had called and asked if I wanted to meet her at Barton’s for dinner I had agreed, mostly because I couldn’t take going home and drive myself crazy over thoughts of what Cole was doing.

But there was also a part of me that was much bigger than I wanted it to be that hoped to run into him there.

Though I should have known, given the state of his relationship with the rest of Generation Rejects, Barton’s was the last place he’d show up.

So it was with a nagging disappointment that I joined, Gracie, Garrett, Maysie, Jordan, and Mitch for a round of beers and a mountain of hot wings while the guys watched football and us girls talked about the latest episode of Scandal.

We had moved things over to the bar after we had finished eating. It was already much later than I had meant to stay out on a work night, but I was determined to enjoy myself.

As much fun as it was to hang out with my friends, I couldn’t ignore the nagging strangeness of being with this group of people without Cole. Even though he wasn’t there and his name was purposefully avoided like the plague, his presence was felt intensely.

I felt it. And I know everyone else did as well.

“I friend zoned Theo today,” I yelled to Gracie over the noise.

Gracie twirled her straw in her lemonade and widened her eyes.

“You did what?” she asked.

Garrett leaned in, resting his arms on the bar as he tried to hear what we were talking about.

“Who’s Theo?” he asked.

“The cute man who wants in Vivian’s pants,” Gracie teased and I rolled my eyes.

“That’s cool,” Garrett said, looking like he was already regretting getting involved in our conversation.

“Well it would be if I could stop being such an idiot,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.

“How did you friend zone him?” Mitch asked from my other side, seeming genuinely perplexed.

I noticed that Gracie instantly tensed when Mitch moved in closer to stand behind us. They had carefully sat away from each other all evening. Our group was suffocating under so much unresolved tension.

I had yet to figure out exactly had changed between Mitch and Gracie. But whatever it was, it clearly was there to stay for a while.

I looked at the both of them with raised eyebrows but they ignored my silent question.

They weren’t going to tell me shit.

“I said, “You’re such a good friend, Theo.”

Garrett and Mitch groaned in unison.

“I don’t even know this dude and I feel bad for him,” Mitch stated, reaching around me to grab his beer. I watched Gracie’s eyes follow him, her expression hurt but tender. And I suddenly knew exactly what the problem was.

They had slept together.

Those sneaky bastards had finally screwed and no one had told me. I met Gracie’s eyes and gave her a look that said I know what you did, you dirty hoe!

She flushed and quickly looked away. I was totally going to find out about this later.

But I kindly let it go for now.

“I thought you liked him,” Maysie piped up, coming to join us at the bar. Jordan was talking to Moore, Barton’s manager.

“I do like him. I just can’t make the leap,” I complained.

Gracie shook her head. “And I think we all know why,” she scolded.

“God, seriously? You’re still hung up on Cole?” Mitch spat out as though his name were a bad word.

“You don’t understand,” I responded unconvincingly. Garrett and Mitch both shook their heads as though I were the biggest idiot in the world. Gracie simply looked sad for me.