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‘Course, after she put her mouth on me, I don’t think anything could ever compare again. All the heat in my body drained south just at the idea.
“Stop lumping her in with everyone else. She isn’t them, and they could never be her.” The game had been fun, stupid maybe, but fun. And it had been a way to drown out the noise. None of us had been happy with her cutting us off, but it wasn’t about dating Frankie—at least, not then. We hadn’t stood a chance then, at least we hadn’t thought we did. “You and I both know none of us ever thought we had a chance with her.” Sometimes spoken, often left unsaid, was the fact we’d all been hung up on Frankie, and she didn’t look at us the same way until now.
I wasn’t going to make excuses.
“And that’s done now.” We hadn’t marked a point in weeks.
“Then why the rush?” Bubba asked.
Was he for real? “What rush? I’ve been into Frankie for years. This didn’t feel like a rush, so much as finally having a chance to show her how I feel.”
“You’re right, it has been years—for you, for me, for them. We’re supposed to be her best friends. But we sucked. Then we hurt her. Now you’re setting her up to be hurt again. To have to choose between us…I can’t do that. I’m not leaving her, but I am going to be good. I’m going to be herfriendand not just the guy who wants to get between her legs.”
“Good. You’re going to be thegoodguy?” I pinched the bridge of my nose and started laughing. “Okay, you go hang out with your ex and plan Homecoming. That sounds great.”
“Not my idea,” Bubba argued. “Don’t be an ass.”
“You first,” I retaliated. “Being a good guy means not making her feel like crap.”
“I talked to her.”
“And?”
“And, none of your business. We butt out of each other’s dates.”
“Except you’re not dating, and I definitely am. You can be the friend, I’m definitely the boyfriend.”
“Aboyfriend,” Bubba corrected. “One of…not the only one. I just told you I’m not leaving.”
“No, you’re going to be hergoodfriend. Like I said, boyfriend,” I continued, and tapped my chest. “Which means now I’m telling you. Get your shit together, Bubba, before you damage what you could have irreparably. Then again…if you’re out, you’re out. I’m not gonna fight for you, if you can’t be bothered.”
I hated it. It had been the five of us for years. It felt wrong to have him step back. Not leaving wasn’t the same as being in. Not leaving wasn’t the same as continuing to date.
“Can you make it sound less like I’m a villain? I’m just trying to be a good guy. The guy she needs.”
I snorted. Whatever, man. He wanted to be the good guy, and that made me what? The bad one? Fine. Whatever. "I get it. Good boys go to heaven.” I clapped him on the shoulder before picking up my backpack. “Bad boys take her to heaven. Keep being good, man. She'll get there with or without you."
Then I headed in the house.
“You are such a jackass,” Bubba muttered, and I grinned.
Yes, yes I was. But at least I knew what I wanted and who I wanted. I could be her friend and her boyfriend. I wanted it all.
Coop
Jealousy didn’t look good on anyone, and Bubba was so jealous, he could spit. The fact he wouldn’t actually label it jealousy didn’t change the facts. I got it, I really did. I understood when he tried to explain to me he felt like an ass and that we were taking advantage of Frankie.
But understanding it didn’t mean I agreed. We weren’t taking advantage of her. When she bumped my hip and darted away, I had to swallow a sigh. Even the lightest touch left me panting like I was getting my first erection all over again. Sometimes I wondered, was she for real?
Just looking at Frankie was enough to make me want her. But it was more than that. Frankie was this fixed point in my life. We’d been in each other’s back pockets since before I realized girls were supposed to be icky.
She never achieved that status with me. Other girls? Sure. But not Frankie. She was my best friend. Then Jake came along, and he was all right, but I lived closer. When Bubba joined the mix, it was cool, and Archie. They each brought a different dynamic, but I liked having a big friend group.
The simple truth was, I liked her more. I liked seeing her every day. I liked it when she rolled her eyes at me. I liked it when she teased me.
I fucking loved it when she spoke French.
When she dove into the water though, I had to resist the urge to dive in right after her. Particularly because Archie stared at her the same way I was, and the asshole had been in his room while she changed in there.
