I drop onto the love seat and he takes the couch, looking at me expectantly. I asked to come over out of the blue. Something I don’t ever really do. I don’t know what’s going through hishead, but he’s sitting on the edge of his seat like I’m about to surprise him with another dog.
“Why do you look so fucking excited?”
“I’m just happyyouasked to come and seeme,”he says with a smile. “It’s usually me pulling the weight in this friendship, so I feel like we’re turning over a new leaf.”
“We’re not.”
“Whatever you say,” he says, still grinning. He wiggles his shoulders a bit, like he’s about to burst. “Feels a little exciting to be asked for your attention.”
“I’m still going to be me after this conversation, and you’re still going to be you,” I tell him plainly.
“Except nowyouwant to hang out withmemore thanIwant to hang out withyou.”
I stare at him, which only makes his smile grow. He’s my boy and he knows it. I don’t know why he’s pretending anything will change after this conversation. I hardly ever reach out to make plans with anyone, I just show up when they invite me to shit and they show up at my house unannounced. That will remain the status quo.
“Look, I have a favour to ask and you can’t blame me, you have to blame Fork.”
His face falls along with his smile. He lets out a long, tired groan. Slumping forward, he runs his hands over his face.
“Positive start. Can’t wait to hear this one.”
“Feel free to say no.”
His brow furrows, but he dips his chin. “Okay.”
“Do I have time to adjust my RSVP so that I can bring a date to your wedding?”
He blinks, surprised by the question. “Uh, I’m not sure. That’s Lucky’s wheelhouse, but I can’t see it being a huge problem. She’ll be back in twenty minutes and we can check.”
“Okay,” I say, letting out a breath. “If there’s time, I’d like to change my RSVP.”
He stares at me for a long second, holding his bottle of beer between his knees. “Okay…to bring who?”
“Ariana.”
Declan blinks, shaking his head as if he hadn’t heard me properly. “What?”
“Ariana Forkerro,” I clarify, like a fucking loser.
“Yeah, I know who she is, Boss,” he says, waving me off. “You’re bringing Forker’s sister to my wedding?”
“No. Forker doesn’t want to leave her in town without supervision, and I’m apparently the only one he trusts who isn’t already bringing someone,” I clarify, because it’s not a date.She’snot my date. “He seemed worried about her, so I said I’d do it.”
His eyes scan mine, his face showing every ounce of hesitancy that he feels. “Before I bring this up to Lucky…is there any part of you that’s evenremotelyexcited to bring her as your date?”
Yep. It means I’ll get to listen to her ridiculous remarks for a week straight. I’ll get to shoot her a look every time she flirts with me and watch how it sparks that desire formorein her eyes. For some reason, that excites meheavily, but there is no way in hell I will ever admit that aloud.
I might have more screws loose than her brother does.
“Not my date. My plus one.”
“Same thing,” he says quickly. “Anyounceof your being that makes your dick twitch at the idea of her being there as your ‘plus one’?”
I force myself not to think about her face. Her mouth, asking me if I’d fuck her if she asked nicely. Trouble. Trouble thatcannotmake my dick twitch.
“None,” I say.
He cocks a brow, eyes burning into my face. “Because if the answer isyes,I’m going to say no.”
