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I shook my head. “I don’t want to upset you. It doesn’t matter. I did something stupid.” I ground out the words, hating how it was starting to hurt. I’d betrayed my brothers. I felt like shit now, even though I’d been so excited to give it a shot.
“Is it about Lily?” Chumley asked, as if he was reading my thoughts.
I swallowed as I looked over at the bench.
There was a splatter of oil on it from his madness. Maybe I should clean it.
“Tell me. You won’t upset me,” Chumley assured me.
“You like her,” I mumbled.
“As do you,” Chumley stated with a shrug. But then his eyes narrowed as it clicked. “Oh.”
“I didn’t think it through, I asked her on a picnic, but I know that’ll only hurt you guys. I’m stupid, I shouldn’t have been so selfish,” I grimaced.
Chumley just pursed his lips as he stared hard at me. “She said yes?”
“Yeah.”
“Then go on it. If it makes her happy, that’s all I care about,” Chumley said, but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. “Why did you come to me though?”
“I wanted to know if you could help me cook for the picnic,” I said sheepishly. Damn, I had hurt him.
But then he cracked a smile.
“You want me to help you win over the woman I care for?” he smirked at me, and I groaned inwardly as his eyes lit up.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll ask her on a date too. We’ll see who she chooses. Deal is though, whoever she does choose, the loser has to accept it with grace,” Chumley said as he jutted his chin out.
I just stared at him, dumbfounded.
Was he really okay with this? I mean, competing against him felt weird, but at least he wasn’t going to attack me with the saucepan. And he didn’t seem too hurt now that he’d decided to take it as a challenge.
“Do you really think the loser can just accept that?” I asked as I folded my arms.
“They’ll have to, for her sake. All we want is for her to be safe and happy. That’s why we’re here, right?”
I nodded and sighed as I managed a small smile.
“Deal,” I said as I offered him my hand. We shook on it, and I found myself beginning to worry.
Would she choose me? She’d said I was perfect, but she clearly liked Chumley too.
Then again, I did a lot more reading and felt like I knew of more romantic gestures.
But Chumley was good with food.
“I’ll help you with the food for the picnic, just to be a good sport,” Chumley winked.
Great. Now I’d feel even worse if she did choose me.
Feelings. Why did we have them?
