I could see it. Lena was great and always so much fun to hang out with. But I could see him slipping up, her sniffing it out, and not letting it go until he gave in under pressure. She was the most insistent person I’d ever met.
They stared at me, waiting to see if I’d be okay with it. I smiled. “Well, now you’ve heard it from me too, Ryder’s my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?!” She hit her brother again. “OH, my god! That’s so amazing!” Lena ran over to hug me, pressing her faceto my bare chest. “I’m so freaking happy for you two! Oh mygod!”
She backed off and wiped her face. “Why are you so wet?”
My face burned hot and fast. I smiled, avoided her eyes, and scratched a non-existent itch on my head. “Uh… we were in the shower when you showed up.”
Her brow tilted, and she glanced at Ryder. “Oh!We!” Her face went white. “Oh shit. I’m so sorry. Fuck!” She looked around for her purse. “What terrible timing! Lemme just get out of your hair. Ry, call me when you’re, uh… ready.”
Ryder laughed. “No, no. You’ve ruined the mood, anyway. Might as well stay for coffee.”
“Are you sure?” she asked both of us. “I could just drive around for an hour? Or longer?”
“Yeah,” I said, laughing. He was right, the mood was ruined.
“Mm-hmm.” Ryder nodded. “Lemme just get dressed. Then I’ll make coffee. You want one, babe?”
“Babe. Oh my god!” Lena said. “So cute! Holy shit!”
Ryder rolled his eyes. I said, “Yes, please.” He walked away, laughing to himself.
Lena took my hand and brought me to the couch. “Okay, so spill. How’d it happen? How’d it go? You’re basically my brother-in-law now, but you’ve been like a brother to me my whole life. Now it’s official! Kinda.”
“Holy shit.” I laughed, and so did she. “I’m, like, still hungover.”
“Sorry, I’m a little hyper. Shouldn’t have any more caffeine.” She laughed hard. “But I’m also hyper for you guys! When did he start calling you babe? Did he tell you he only ever used that name for his most serious boyfriend that we all thought he was gonna marry?”
“He… did not.”
“Well, now you know. Is it a new thing?”
“Uh…” I remembered him calling me that while I was blowing him at Johnny Pete’s. Was that the first time? Either way, it wasn’t a story I was about to share. “I think, maybe, like yesterday?”
Her eyes bugged. “Yesterday? Holy shit. So then this, you being his boyfriend, that’s what you said, right? That must be new?”
“Uh, no. Maybe like two months? Month and a half? We had dinner at this French place, and I told him I had feelings for him.”
“Wait, you said you loved him before you even had a title?”
“No, I said that for the first time last night, too, I guess.” I laughed awkwardly. “It was a big night.”
Lena fell back laughing. “Oh, mygod, Finn!” She hit me like she did her brothers. I was thankful she wasn't wearing a ring. That shit hurt. “Iknewit wouldn’t just be a revenge fuck!”
Her smile had been so wide until she said that last part. It didn’t fade, not even when she gulped something down, making her face look weird as fuck.
“Wait, what?” I asked. My head hurt, and she spoke fast, but I didn’t miss that. “What did you say?”
“Oh, nothing.” She laughed. “So I take it you haven't told anyone yet? What about your parents? This is so exciting. I’ve beensucha huge champion of your relationship!”
“No, hold on. What did you say about a revenge fuck?”
Her smile faded, along with some of her color. “Oh no, nothing. Just that we thought it would be funny if he hooked up with you, as a fuck you to Miles for kicking him out of the best man spot.”
Ryder walked in as she said that. I looked at him and said, “Is that true?”
Lena, speaking at twice the speed she had been, said, “It was my idea, not his. But, like, I knew you had the hots for him forever. So it’s no big deal. And now you’re boyfriends! So, you’re welcome!”
