Better With You

XVII

LUKE'S POV

Oh god.

What stunt is Weston going to pull now?

What'd Griffin and Margarita convince him to do now?

"Do we need to count?" I whispered loud enough for just us to hear.

She lightly shook her head.

"Squeeze my hand." I whispered again.

I could feel it shaking a mile per minute.

"Ryder?" Weston asked her.

She looked up at him with big puppy dog eyes.

She was biting down on her lip.

"Ryder, I wanted to apologize for everything. For being the cause of your anxiety attack. For getting you drunk at my party. I've had enough time away from you and Luke to think about everything and process it. I mean I scared you off without even getting to know you. So I apologize to both you and Luke and want to start fresh. So what do you say?" He asked us sticking his hand out for a truce.

Ryder looked around her nervously.

I glanced at him skeptically.

"I'm serious. I mean Luke, you and I have been down since you moved back to LA. I don't want to ruin our friendship. And I see how much you love this girl. I'm willing to give her a chance." He said to us, his hand still out.

"I appreciate you doing this, Weston." I said shaking his hand.

"Ryder?" He asked with a hopeful tone.

"I feel like I'm being pranked." She said.

"You're not. This is all from the heart." He said.

She shook his hand.

I could feel her grasp on my hand ease up.

I glanced around the room.

Margarita's head were down in her hands probably fake crying.

Griffin looked like she was about to kill someone.

And Mikey just looked guilty.

"Well I sure do feel better. Your guys' turn to apologize." He said relaxing into his chair.

"Apologize? You want us to apologize for everything she's caused? Cold day in hell for that to happen! Everything would've been fine if she didn't show up and Luke wasn't an idiot! This is all her fault! You're so fake I can't stand it! Get the hell out of my apartment!" Griffin screamed at us.

I held Ryder's wrist and put her behind me.

"Don't you dare call my girlfriend fake. It's all your guys' fault. I'm human not a mind reader. How the hell was I supposed to pick up on Margarita's signals? Ryder's done nothing wrong to anyone here. Grow up already." I said to her.

"She needs to grow up! With all this fake crap about being neglected and having anxiety and panic attacks! She just wants your pity!" She yelled.

"She doesn't fake this stuff! Leave her alone!" I said raising my voice.

"Until she moves back to Wisconsin, she better watch her back." She snarled.

Ryder completely shut down.