“Boss,” Dec pleads again, and now I’m internally panicking. What the hell am I missing?
“BecauseIgot asked to be a groomsman in Lowesy’s wedding, at the poker night he planned for usweeksago,” Boston growls, his long, dark hair falling in front of his eyes. He rarely gets mad. Scary dude, but not a yeller. “Did you?”
It feels like ice water has been poured over my head.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
“Boss,”Lowesy hisses.
No.
I couldn’t have…
Oh my god.
I whirl around, meeting Declan’s eyes. He has a look on his face that is deeply sympathetic, but it doesn’t cover all the hurt that’s sitting there. Hurt that I haven’t noticed until now. I am hisguyin Pittsburgh. We met, we clicked, and he became my brother. I’ve picked him up off the ground when he wouldn’tlet anyone else, and he’s been backing me in my corner when nobody in their right mind would defend me.
He invited me to poker night the night of his engagement.
We’ve talked about it every couple of days since. All of us.
I didn’t know what it was for, but he made sure we were all going to be there multiple times, which clearly highlighted how important it was to him.
And I missed it.
Because I fucked shit up in my pretend relationship and let it ruin my day.
“Lowesy,” I say, a bit stunned. I step toward him, hands outward.
“It’s fine.” He forces a smile, but it’s strained.
“No, it’s not,” Boss bites out, and I want to tell him to fuck off so badly, but he’s right. “It’snot,Forker. Get your head out of your ass and either address your fucking feelings or end this stupid game your playing.”
“Boston,” Dec says, more stern now.
“Forker,” Boston snaps back at me instead. His voice roars for my attention. I give it to him.
Those green eyes are on fire with fury. He breathes heavily through his nose, hauls his bag over his shoulder, and storms forward to slam a finger into my chest. Hard.
“You’re lucky he has Seth,” he tells me, his voice calm but sharp. It slices right through my chest and into my back. “Because if he didn’t, you’d probably be next in line, and the best man is expected to show up.”
“God damnit,” Declan mutters behind me. “Boss, just head out, alright? If the girls are out there, tell them we’ll be there in a minute.”
Boston pulls his hat on top of his long, black hair and leaves with one more glare in my direction.
When we’re alone, I turn to Declan, shame smacking onto my shoulders like a four- hundred-pound weight.
“Lowesy.”
He raises a hand, silencing me. I swallow, but nod for him to go on. It’s a promise to keep my mouth shut. He deserves to say whatever he has to say.
“I don’t think Arden is the problem,” he says calmly. “I am with Boss on that. I think she’s great. I think she brings out a side of you I’ve never seen. I like her, and god, Pennylovesher.”
Arden loves Sweets just as much.
“It’s been the blessing of my life getting to watch Penny find a friend in Pittsburgh, Fork. I spent months watching her flounder, watching her pretend to connect with people for my benefit, knowing she’s yearning for the home that I pulled her from.” His throat bobs. “Arden isn’t Avery, but she’s the closest fucking thing to her, and if I could thank her for being that person for Lucky one thousand times over, it still wouldn’t be enough.”
I don’t know what to say to that. Don’t know what he wants me to say.
