“Yeah?”
After emptying the blender, Wes took it over to the sink to rinse. “Well, yeah, you should. Especially if you do uh . . .feel that way we’re not saying you’re feeling.”
While Wes’ back was turned, Ramsey rolled his eyes. He loved his friend, but Wes could be ridiculous.
“If we’re thinking along those lines,” Ramsey said, “I’ve got something to say too.”
Wes turned back, smile bright. “Yeah?”
He had no idea what was coming, that much was obvious.
“You should text Marcus.”
Wes froze, plastic cup full of smoothie halfway to his lips. “What?” he barked.
“If you love him still, you should text him. That’s just your own advice, right?”
Wes looked pissed off and betrayed. “And say what? Sorry, guy, guess I miss you a lot? Guess I was full of shit when I said it would be okay if we went our separate ways?” He huffed out a frustrated breath. “Seems like the wrong thing to send over text.”
“Then call him up and say it,” Ramsey said.
“You remember what I said. What we agreed to, when you basically moved in here,” Wes reminded him in a hard voice.
Yeah, Ramsey remembered. He’d brought up Marcus, Wes’ ex, once, and Wes had lost his shit. It was the only time he and Wes had ever fought.
“Yeah,” Ramsey agreed, feeling guilty though he wasn’t sure that he was right to. It was just Wes’ wrecked face. The way he always looked like he was missing a part of himself, but knew he wasn’t ever going to be able to find it and put it back where it belonged.
The fight had been bad enough that Ramsey had actually felt the need to apologize, something he almost never did. But Wes had been so upset, despite that heclearlywas dying to do what Ramsey suggested and contact Marcus, that he hadn’t felt like he had any other choice.
He also hadn’t had much of a choice when after the apology, Wes had made him promise that he wouldn’t talk about Marcusor make any other suggestions or interfere in any way. Ramsey had already promisedhimselfhe wouldn’t interfere in a way he normally would, but Wes had extracted the additional promise that he wouldn’t even bring it up. Because, Wes said, Ramsey had never been in love. He’d never even dated anyone. How could Ramsey know it was “so easy” to just send Marcus a text if he’d never been there before?
Ramsey couldn’t say that was entirely why he’d suggested this whole fake dating slash fake liking charade to Nate, but it was definitely an added bonus.
If Wes thought Ramsey had similar feelings, for the first time ever, maybe the promise no longer applied.
Maybe hecouldget away with suggesting to Wes that he put everyone out of their misery by telling Marcus that he freakingmissedhim.
“Youpromised,” Wes repeated, more emphatically this time.
“I know, but—”
“No buts,” Wes said, and the look on his face was enough that Ramsey decided it was best to let it go. Tackle this another day, and in another way, maybe.
Wes sighed, picking up his shake again. “I know,” he continued, “you just want everyone to be happy the way you’re happy, but it’s just not happening, okay?”
Ramsey wanted to tell him that he wasn’t really particularly happy right now, but if he did that would undermine this whole thing, and what was the point of doing it if he 1) couldn’t get Wes off his back about Nate and 2) figure out a way to make it work to Wes’ advantage, or at thevery least,convince him that this cold war between him and Marcus was very stupid?
So instead Ramsey agreed. “Yeah,” he said. “Really happy.”
Wes shot him a look.
“Okay, that was overstating it a bit,” Ramsey agreed. “How aboutfairlyhappy?”
“Better,” Wes grumbled. Then he brightened. “Text him.”
Ramsey finished his coffee. “That wasn’t even a question.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Wes agreed.
