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“So what else is going on? You’ve peeled the labels from four bottles, one of which was mine. Tell me, Noah.”
My phone lit up with a text message from Lizzie, both of our eyes flicking to it as my heart sank. “I got called up yesterday. She doesn’t know yet.”
“Fu—” Silas stopped himself, shaking his head as his tattooed fingers rubbed along his face. “Why didn’t you tell her?”
“We slept together,” I scoffed at myself, pissed for being a coward, “and I didn’t want to ruin it for her.” Silas latched his palm around my shoulder, and I stared at him, waiting for his judgment.
“You’re a piece of shit, Noah. If it’s two days or two years, you’re a deadbeat for keeping this from her.” He punched my shoulder with his free hand, lifting a finger in the air to silence my attempted rebuttal. “If she doesn’t dump your sorry ass, you know I’ll take Muffin, but don’t you dare try to use him and guilt me into supporting you. I’m team Lizzie here.”
“There aren’t teams, Silas.”
He scoffed, taking his hands off me and reaching for another beer Nadia started to hand him. “There are always teams in relationships, Noah. They’re just always hers.”
“Can you two do me a favor and please tell Ben I’m not into him?” Nadia grimaced, leaning over the bar to Silas and me. “I would do anything.”
Silas raised an eyebrow, resting his weight on his elbow as he leaned toward Nadia. “Oh?”
“For fuck’s sake,” I groaned, rolling my eyes and sliding off my stool. “I’m out of here.”
Silas grabbed my bicep, spinning me back to him with a scowl of warning spread along his expression. “Noah, I’ve known you through some serious shit. You let me paint a damn biography on your skin. You’re one troubled kid, but don’t think for a second you can bring casualties into the next life and pretend it doesn’t hurt.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I tugged my arm back, glaring at Silas like he’d just shanked me.
“Silas!” Nadia called from the bar. He glanced back once before holding up his index finger to her and stepping closer to me.
“Come on,” he urged, wrapping his massive arm around my shoulders and guiding us out of the bar.
State Street was swelling with people, buzzing to life as the rest of Madison slept. We stepped over piles of vomit and wove through mobs of college kids who I was thankful I didn’t have to babysit for a few more nights.
“I’ve never met her,” Silas finally said as we waited for a traffic light to change in our favor.
“You might have,” I grunted. “She’s been in for ink.”
He smacked my chest, cackling boisterously. “No shit. You found yourself a canvas. I like it. Now, tell me which one she is.”
“Silas.”
“Noah,” he mocked, singing my name with an annoying melody. “I need to meet her. I need to know who I’ll have to console when you’re abroad. That is, if she’s still interested in you when you finally tell her. Shit, man, what’s wrong with you?”
Things were right, so very damn right. I looked over at Silas, noticing his brown eyes softened beneath his furrowed brows. “Love, Silas. That’s what’s wrong with me. You think this is easy? You think I want to ruin someone’s life? She’s taken my entire heart in a matter of months and now…”
His palm squeezed my shoulder, the weight of his hand distracting me. “You need to go home, make love to your gorgeous girlfriend, tell her you’re shipping out, then have makeup sex, and give her something to remember about you.”
“You’re such a romantic,” I snarled, crossing my arms. “Keep talking like a charmer and I’ll kick your ass, Silas.”
“I love you.” He slapped my back. “We’ve been through hell together. I know when you’re distracted and when you’ve got something worth fighting for.”
Silas and I crossed the street, and I was happy to give him the silent treatment while I let my shit simmer. I didn’t say anything until we reached the Capitol steps, the same steps on which I learned Lizzie’s full name, told her about Callie cheating on me, and she told me about her tattoos. It seemed a lifetime ago but was just months.
“What’s the smile?” Silas probed, leaning against the railing next to me.
“It’s fast,” I nodded to myself, staring at the ground, “but life’s too damn short.”
“Sure as hell is,” Silas agreed, chuckling with his arms crossed. The designs etched into his biceps moved as his muscles clenched, almost tearing through his t-shirt. He was built for combat. I wasn’t, but keeping Lizzie and me together was a battle I was ready for.
My cheeks burned from smiling, my mood shifting slightly when I thought of Lizzie. I was excited, a damn bounce in my step and pulse in my body because of her, us.
“You have to trust the timing,” I told myself and Silas. “Can you meet her this weekend?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned, throwing his arms around me in a brotherly hug that took my soul back down a notch. Now, I just needed to go home and tell Lizzie…and hope she would still want me.
