I Was Working Late, He Was Eating My Food and Falling for My Best Friend Chapter 02

I Was Working Late, He Was Eating My Food and Falling for My Best Friend Chapter 02

A kind coworker eventually drove me home.

When I opened the door, Ethan and Lily were curled up on the couch watching television. Their shoulders touched, and her legs rested across his lap.

“Old movies really are the best,” Ethan said. Then he noticed me. “Oh, Annie, you’re back.”

His expression did not change.

“Why did you come home on your own? I was going to pick you up after I rested. I just got Lily calmed down.”

Lily elbowed him, her cheeks flushed.

“Don’t make me sound helpless. That roach was terrifying.”

Ethan’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

“Just admit you’re a coward. Who was it that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go?”

Lily put her hands on her hips.

“Right, because you’re so brave. Who almost cried on the roller coaster last time?”

I stopped while pulling off my soaked shoes.

“Roller coaster? When was this?”

They both froze.

“When your company went on that retreat,” Ethan finally said. “Lily and I happened to have the day off. We were bored, so we went to the amusement park.”

My stomach dropped.

“I told you the retreat allowed guests. You could have come with me.”

Ethan shrugged.

“That would have been awkward. We don’t know your coworkers.”

Lily quickly joined in.

“We were scouting it out for you, Annie. Now Ethan can take you there for your anniversary.”

They kept talking. Neither of them noticed my dripping hair or offered me a towel.

It had not always been this way.

In college, Lily had despised Ethan. She thought he had stolen her best friend. Whenever I came back from a date, she criticized him. He played too many games. He flirted too much. Once, after he made me cry, she marched into his dorm and hit him.

Back then, she always said the same thing.

“Annie, I just want you to be happy.”

After that fight, Ethan insisted there was no room in our relationship for Lily. Later, he began asking about her likes and dislikes. He said winning over my best friend was the only way to keep dating me. Then Lily started tagging along on our dates to make sure he treated me well.

Without anyone noticing, we became a permanent group of three.

After graduation, there was less and less room for me in it. Now they shared secrets I knew nothing about.

I curled my fingers into my palms. I was too tired to fight.

“Whatever.”

I ignored their startled faces and walked into the bathroom.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Dad.

Dad: [Annie, your mom and I bought our tickets. We’ll be there tomorrow.]