Better If He Goes (Always You #1) - Allie Everhart Page 0,38

not over." He rubs my back as he holds me. "When he's had time to cool off, I'll talk to him and make him realize what a huge mistake it would be to give you up. You're amazing, Riley. He'd be a fool to let you go."

"I just don't see how we could make it work now."

Brad pulls away. "Let's go sit down."

We go to the couch, which is so small that we can't help but touch legs as we sit. Brad is a big guy, so he takes up most of the tiny couch, leaving me just enough space to squeeze in beside him. He puts his arm up behind me, giving me a little more room.

"Nate said he wouldn't be able to handle seeing me with someone else. So is he saying if I date someone, our friendship is over?"

"He's being unreasonable. He has to accept you're going to date other people. Threatening to end your friendship if you do is an asshole move. I'm hoping he only said that because he's pissed. That doesn't sound like something Nate would say."

"I didn't think so either, but I think he really meant it. I can't say I'd feel differently if it were me. If I loved Nate that way, it'd be hard to see him with someone else."

"If you loved him, you'd want him to be happy, even if it was with someone else."

"I'd like to think so, but I don't know. It's hard to say without going through it like Nate is right now."

"If it were you, you wouldn't be acting like Nate. You'd be sad and hurt, but you wouldn't be taking it out on him or punishing him for it. You'd want him to be happy, even if that happiness was with someone else."

"How do you know? You just met me."

"I haven't known you that long, but I know what type of person you are and I know you wouldn't want Nate to feel like you're feeling now if the tables were turned. You're a good person, Riley."

"I don't feel like I am." I rest my head on Brad's shoulder. "I just broke Nate's heart. He's hurting because of me."

"He's hurting because the dream he had in his head isn't going to come true. He imagined a future with you before he even talked to you about it. That's not your fault. You can't be blamed for ending a dream you didn't even know about until tonight. And you are a good person. And a good friend, better than any friend I've ever had, and I've had a lot. Nate has no idea what you do for him."

I lift my head to look at Brad. "What do you mean?"

"You give up what you want to protect him and keep him from getting hurt. It's not your job to do that, but you still do. Because you care so much about him."

"What are you talking about? I don't give up what I want."

"What about you and me?"

I sit back, still facing him. "What about us?"

"You ended it before it could start."

"Ended what?"

"Riley, you know what I'm talking about. I wasn't the only one feeling something between us."

I look down at my hands resting in my lap. "I admit there's an attraction there, but to be fair, all girls are attracted to you. You're um...you have good genes."

"You're attracted to my jeans?" he asks in a kidding tone. "You mean the ones I'm wearing now or the ones I wore the night of our date?"

I roll my eyes. "Genes as in genetics. You're hot, okay? As if you don't already know this? And the night at the brewery was not a date."

"Seemed like a date to me."

"We didn't even kiss."

"I didn't think you'd let me." He lifts my chin up and our eyes meet. "Was I wrong?"

"I might've let you," I say, glancing away. "I would've rather had you kiss me that night instead of at the pool during CPR training."

"That wasn't a kiss."

"It wasn't?" I ask, my eyes returning to his.

"No, it was a new technique used to save someone."

"Really? I've never heard of that."

He laughs. "Riley, I'm joking. And I shouldn't have done that. That was a horrible first kiss."

"So why'd you do it?"

"I wasn't thinking. It just happened. That night at the brewery, I kept thinking about kissing you. I wanted to, but then I didn't, but I wish I had. The next day when you were lying there during the training and I was