Page 71 of Dating and Dragons
Andrew doesn’t return the greeting. “It sure looked like you two were doing a lot of talking.” He side-eyes Logan.
What exactly is happening right now? Andrew never cared before if I was dating someone.
He leans against the pantry door and crosses his arms over his chest. “How was your D&D game?”
Logan and I exchange a glance. “Um, it was fine.”
His expression grows harder. “I saw the chat comments.”
My mouth drops open. Am I having an elaborate fever dream right now?“What?”
“Don’t play dumb. I read what they were saying about you. And now you’re dating another D&D loser like the last one?” His eyes flick to Logan with disdain.
“I’m nothing like him,” Logan argues, but I can only focus on Andrew. I take a step toward him.
“How could you have seen those comments?” My stomach bottoms out. “You’re watching the livestream?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs.
“I…You…”
I’m too dumbfounded to string words together.Andrewis watching our games? Andrew, whose been too caught up with his own life to hang out with me for years? Andrew, who never misses a chance to make fun of my interests? I’m in the upside down for real.
“Why would you watch? You hate D&D. I remember one time you said it was a make-believe game for people with no actual talent.”
He chuckles. “That was a good line. But, I don’t know, I was bored and curious. You mentioned the group before to Mom and Dad, so it wasn’t that hard to find it online.”
His explanation still doesn’t make sense. If he was homealone, there are a billion things he’d have more fun doing. I guess it’s sweet that he’d care enough to watch, but mostly I’m just suspicious.
I put a hand on my hip. “Well, whatever this protective act is, you can stop it now. Logan is a friend.”
“A friend with benefits,” he mutters. “You thought your old friends were cool too—”
“Listen, I know you don’t know me,” Logan interrupts, stepping forward as if he thinks we’re about to lunge at each other’s throats. “But all of us care way too much about Quinn to ever act like that.”
“Yeah, I saw how much youcarea few seconds ago. Do you have any idea what she went through with her last group?”
Now I’m the one who might need to break up a fight. “Andrew,stop.” I hold out a hand to keep him back and turn to Logan.
“I’m fine,” Logan reassures me before I can say anything. To my surprise, he doesn’t look angry. “I’ll go.” He nods to Andrew and walks to the door. When it clicks shut at his back, I whirl on Andrew.
“What the hell has gotten into you? Logan is a good guy—you didn’t need to act like that with him. Or like you’re my big protector when we both know you couldn’t care less what’s going on with me.”
“That’s not true,” he argues, and pulls a Gatorade from the refrigerator like we’re having a casual chat about the weather.
“That’s a surprise to me.”
“I like it here,” he replies, as if that makes any sense given the context of the conversation.
“Um, okay?”
“What they did really messed you up, and I don’t want to move again.”
“What are you talking about? We didn’t move because of me. We moved because Grandma needed help.”
“But the fact that you were so miserable certainly motivated Mom and Dad.”
I tilt my head. Did it? It didn’t seem like anyone took much notice of what was happening with me at the end of last year. I didn’t necessarily mind, since I wanted as much space as possible.