Double Booked | 509 Series Book 1

Chapter 23

That is up until this Friday. I swore nothing ever could change that, but the second I introduced Ryder to my brothers I realized that Ryder had enough of a hold on me he could topple our united force. If my brothers didn't like him I think I would have fought for Ryder, because I know him just as well as he knows me. We may not know each others whole life story, but we understand each other better than anyone else does.

"Up lets go, we don't want to keep Ryder waiting."

"God forbid," Anthony's gasps and I smack him without hesitation.

"What does that mean?" Sal clearly feels he's in danger just for being near me and Anthony at the moment so he scoops up his stuff and hides in the bathroom.

"Nothing little. I truly think Ryder is awesome and I am glad you two are friends."

"But? Because it feels like there is a but coming."

"No but, it is actually really nice to know when you're so far from all of us someone like him has your back. Not that Luna and Maya and Parker and all your other friends aren't great but the way Ryder watches you, it is comforting for a big brother let's put it that way."

"He is a good friend."

"Just a friend?"

"Yes," I tell him sternly. Why is everyone reading so much into this?

"Fine, but just... don't let figure skating make you blind to other things. Okay?"

I nod and get up to get dressed leaving Anthony alone. Figure skating has shifted my priorities in the past but it has never made me blind to anything. I brush off Ants comments as nothing more than brotherly concern. Clearly he and Sal like Ryder and just like I want them to end up with good girls they want me to end up with a good guy. I can totally see how from an outside perspective Ryder checks all the boxes but neither of us have romantic feelings for each other.

Ryder sends me a text when he has arrived and I drag my cranky brothers out into the sub zero cold. They're screaming like cats thrown into water as I open the door and the cold and wind outside hits them. Four years in Florida has clearly made them both soft.

We all climb into Ryder's car, which thankfully is warm, and I look to see if he looks as bad as the rest of us. Both my brothers are in sweatpants and hoodies, I am in similar with my hair in a sloppy bun on the top of my head, and Ryder rounds out the sweatpants and hoodie clad group finishing his outfit off with a beanie instead of his usual hat.

"Different," I remark, adjusting his beanie on his head a little. He looks tired but amused as I try to decide if I like beanies or hats better on him. Both look really good on him but I think I prefer his signature hat look.

"Please tell me you also feel like death, man."

Ryder looks back at Sal whose hair is still sticking up at weird angles. "In the middle of the night I got up to pee and went back to sleep in my shower, so yeah."

We all try to cover our mouths and suppress our laughter at Ryder's expense but Anthony breaks and soon the entire car is filled with uncontrollable laughter. Even Ryder is laughing at himself.

When we pull up to the diner my brothers throw their door open and sprint inside cursing about the fucking cold, while Ryder and I follow behind them at a much more leisurely pace. It is cold but it is actually the warmest day we've had in weeks so neither of us mind too much.

"You don't look half bad for a guy who slept in a shower."

"Butt that sounded strangely close to what I would think a compliment would sound like."