The WRONG Brother (Love You Forever #1) - Alexis Winter Page 0,63
I showed up and ruined her hookup date? Plus that night at the restaurant when she said she was going to sue me? You were already together?”
I nod.
“Why . . . why didn’t you tell me?” He stands up and starts to pace.
“I just . . . she didn’t want to. We wanted to wait to make sure what we were doing was serious. We didn’t want a breakup to get in the way of your friendship, or to come between our parents. After your little confession the other night, we agreed to tell you when we got back home.”
“My confession? She told you about that?”
“Yep.” I walk into the room and sit at the computer desk, spinning the chair around to face him.
“Man,” he breathes out, falling back onto the bed, “so this is how things are going to be from now on? I tell her something personal and she goes running to tell you? I guess you stole my best friend after all, didn’t you?”
I take deep breath and roll my neck to crack it and relieve stress. “It’s not like that. I’m sure she only told me because you kissed her and she didn’t want me to hear it from you or someone else.”
“And what did she say about it?”
“She said she thinks you’re feeling a little mixed up about her lately—that you think I’m trying to steal her from you and that’s making you hang on to her in any way you can.”
He nods. “Yeah, that’s what she said to me too.”
“Well, is there any truth to that?”
His fingers tie together in knots in front of him. “I’m not sure. I mean, I know I said I couldn’t imagine being with her, but it felt like I was losing her. In my head, it made sense to give her what I thought she still wanted. It would’ve been completely selfish though. It wouldn’t have been for her; it would’ve been for me. I figured it was the only way to keep her, so I was willing to do it.”
“Just so you know, that isn’t the case. I’m not making her choose me over you. I’d never do that. You’re her best friend and she needs you. You’re my only brother and I need you too. She and I have talked about this at length. She straight up told me she’ll never choose between the two of us. So I wouldn’t suggest making her try.”
He looks up at me. “I wouldn’t do that to her either. If you can make her happy in a way I can’t, then I’m more than happy to step aside. But just so you know, whether you guys work out or not, she’s always going to be in my life. She’s been my best friend too long to let her go now.”
I smile. “Understood. I guess I better make sure this lasts then, huh?”
He smirks as he nods. “Yeah, you better.”
“Want to go back to the party?”
“Yeah, let me change and I’ll be over.”
I nod. “I’ll wait for ya downstairs.”
I leave him alone and go down to the kitchen. I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge and take a long drink, needing to rehydrate after spending all day in the sun and drinking on top of it. Preston comes down a few minutes later.
“So you’re really not pissed we’re together?”
He smiles and everything is right in the world. “No. I’m happy for the two of you. But seriously, the next time you two have a little secret, fill me in. That’s what got me. The surprise.”
I laugh as we walk out the door together. “Yeah, I’d say you walked in at a surprising moment.”
He pushes me. “When someone walks in, it’s common courtesy to stop thrusting, by the way.”
I laugh even harder. “I couldn’t help it. You caught me right in the middle of coming, man. You try stopping at that point.”
He rolls his eyes and pushes me again.
“Oh yeah, that reminds me.” I pull back my fist and slug him in the bicep.
He clutches it. “What the fuck was that for?”
“Because you saw my girl naked.”
He laughs. “That was years ago. After seeing what I saw today, she’s clearly grown. Maybe I should punch you.”
“Gotta catch me first,” I say, taking off running toward the gate to let myself back into the party.
When I step back in, Piper is sitting at the patio table with our parents. Fuck. We’re in trouble.