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“The answer’s still no.”
“Shit, you’re really sick.” My brows shot up. “I thought you were faking it at lunch yesterday.”
“Whatever this is, can it wait?” he croaked out, pulling the covers down enough to look at me. “Because I’m in a real bad way here, lad.”
“No.” Closing the door behind me, I walked into his room and sank down on the foot of his bed. “It can’t.”
Hugh drew the covers back over his head and groaned. “Fuck my life.”
“I asked your sister to be my girlfriend,” I announced, deciding to get it out of the way right away. “I think it’s fairly obvious by now that I’m in love with her, Hugh.” Clearing my throat, I scratched my jaw before adding, “I’m serious about this, okay? I’m serious about her.”
I had been up all night going over my raging thoughts and what I might say to my oldest friend. Because as much as we liked to fight and banter, this was a delicate situation, and I didn’t want to fuck up our friendship. Hugh Biggs meant an awful lot to me—not as much as his sister clearly meant, but still. I needed him to be okay about this. I needed his approval. I needed him to know that I wasn’t fucking around anymore. That his sister wasn’t a game to me, and I was deadly serious.
I had been expecting violence, predicting it even, but when Hugh didn’t react, I started to feel real concern for whatever affliction he had come down with.
“Did you hear me, Hugh?”
“I heard you, Gibs.”
Hmm. My brows furrowed in confusion. “And you don’t want to kill me?”
“I’m too fucking broken to kill you, lad.”
“Jesus.” Reaching for the covers, I pulled them back and studied his face. “Do you need a doctor?”
“No, because it’s my own fault.” Shaking his head, he pressed a hand to his forehead before asking, “What did Claire say when you asked her?”
“Well, she didn’t immediately reject me so I’m taking that as a solid win,” I offered with a sigh. “She’s taking some time to think it over.”
“Smart girl.”
“Very smart,” I agreed with a nod.
“Don’t break her heart, Gibs.”
My own one hammered hard when I heard his quiet request. “I won’t.”
“I mean it.” His brown eyes locked on mine. “If you’re serious about this, and I really fucking hope you are, then don’t let her down.”
“I am serious,” I vowed, swallowing deeply. “And I won’t let her down, Hugh.”
“Good,” he groaned, rolling onto his side. “Because I’m in no condition to kill you at the moment.”
“Duly noted.” Chuckling, I stood up and moved for the door. “Feel better soon, lad.”
“Omigod!” Claire yelped when I crashed into her in the landing, all blond curls and flushed cheeks. “What are you…”
On my best behavior, I smiled warmly before stepping aside for her towel-clad body to scamper back to her bedroom. “As you were, Claire-Bear.”
“You’re up early.”
“I’m a man on a mission.”
“Oh.” Cheeks still flushed, she lingered in her bedroom doorway, eyeing me uncertainly. “Hey, are you driving to school this morning?” She licked her lips and flicked a wrist in the direction of her brother’s closed bedroom door. “Because I don’t know if Hugh’s going…”
“I’ll be across the road when you’re ready,” I cut in and told her. “I’ll be waiting patiently, Claire-Bear.”
“Okay.” A small smile tipped her lips upward, letting me know that she had caught on to the hidden meaning behind my words. “I promise not to keep you waiting too long.”
