I sigh out, relieved.
Kennedy Ryland is probably the only person on God’s green earth that could pull Lincoln from any dark hole he dug himself in. She’s his beacon of light. Always has been, always will be.
“You know it’s not like that, Finn. Her fiancé wouldn’t like hearing you hinting that shit, either. Or her brother Jefferson. And don’t even get me started on her fucking daddy. Don’t let any of those fuckers hear you insinuate crap like that. Linc has his plate full enough as it is,” Easton reprimands me immediately as if I announced to the world that Lincoln has it bad for the engaged girl who has been his best friend since he was five.
“Dude, chill, will you? I’m not an idiot. But come on, that engagement is bullshit, and you know it. Both the dean and her brother must know that the wedding is never going to happen. I mean, Kennedy Ryland getting hitched to Thomas Maxwell? What a fucking joke. I’d bet my left nut that Tommyboy is probably just as much into Linc as Kennedy is. You know she’s just his fucking beard, and sooner or later, she’ll come to her senses and call the whole thing off.”
“Well, she hasn’t yet, now has she?” Easton retorts.
“That’s because Lincoln hasn’t made his move. Friend-zoning her was the stupidest thing that fucker ever did,” I blurt out unapologetically.
In hindsight, however, Linc keeping Kennedy at arm’s length probably wasn’t the worst thing he’s ever done. If he kept her any closer, then she’d have the same blood on her hands as we have on ours.
Easton looks up at the sky, probably thinking the same thing I am, and the pregnant pause that ensues is killer to my nerves.
“One thing is for sure—Senator Maxwell won’t be too happy to find out that his pride and joy likes sucking cock as much as his mistresses. Tommyboy should just fess up and get it over with instead of putting on this dog and pony show for his old man’s benefit,” I mumble, cracking my knuckles to fill the deafening silence.
“He’s just doing what everyone expects of him. So is Kennedy,” Easton defends, even though I know there’s no love lost between him and the senator’s son.
“Yeah, well, a lot of shit is expected of us, too. When does it become too much to deliver, huh? When do we reach a point that it’s just better to wave the white flag and surrender?” I relent, my nerves finally getting the best of me.
“You don’t, Finn. You just trudge on the best way you can. Surrendering is never an option. Only winning is,” he deadpans, his gray eyes turning a shade darker, showing that he means business.
Easton’s demeanor is also a reminder that thoughts, such as the ones I’m having, should stay far away from my head. It actually slaps some sense into me since the words he decided to throw are the ones he’s heard spill from my lips countless times.
Yeah, surrendering really isn’t an option. Not for us, at least.
“Is that the type of shit you’ve been struggling with all summer?” he asks point-blank. I give him a stiff nod, admitting my moments of weakness. “Well, it ends today. No more second-guessing and no more bullshit about waving the white flag. It’s not only your ass on the line. Remember that.”
I swallow dryly, but I stiffen my spine for him to see his words got through to me.
“You’re right. I guess I’ve just been thinking too hard.”
“Well, stop. I can see the fumes from here, and trust me, nothing good will come out of any one of us overthinking shit. Just let sleeping dogs lie,” he rebukes steadfastly.
“Fine,” I mumble, hating how I’ve somehow made Easton see me as being weak.
“And anyway, if push comes to shove and we do have to think things through, leave that shit for the pros, will you?” he says, pointing his thumbs to himself with a smug grin on his face.
I flip him the bird because he’s being a cocky shit, as usual, which is enough for the tension between us to simmer down somewhat.
“It’s good to see you, man. I honestly thought I wouldn’t get the chance to hang out with you and the guys before returning to Richfield tomorrow,” I admit, squeezing his shoulder.
“Linc sent me a text last night asking me to come over. If I knew you’d be coming, I might have blown him off,” he taunts, widening his trademark