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“You’re late,” Maddox grunts, stepping back from me, running a hand down his front over the wrinkles in his shirt that I created.
The hand on my back rubs up and down once before dropping. “Got here at the perfect time, it seems. Drop the broken expressions, and go deal with the questions. Maybe smile. Look in love.”
Maddox snorts. “Yes, Dad.”
I face Cooper and smile, hoping he can read the thank you in my stare. He smiles back before sweeping me up in a hug. It’s anI missed youhug, and I soak it up.
“Happy you’re here, Brax,” he says.
Cooper isn’t as tall as Maddox, but it’s still a task to look up at him from this position, so I don’t bother trying. I bury my face into his chest instead before pulling back and patting him on the stomach.
“Right back ’atcha, Cooperoni.”
“Do you need some more time to chat, or are you ready to say hi to everyone, Braxton?” Maddox snarks. I scowl.
“Right. My bad for wanting to say hi to my friend.”
“You’ll have plenty of time to gossip later.”
“Gossip? Don’t be an asshole. Not—”
“Not what?” he interrupts.
“Not after that.”
“That what? Kiss?” He shakes his head, laughing in a way that has my stomach twisting painfully. “We were pretending. You need to focus on what we need to do next. They’re going to swarm us. Our story is weak at best.”
“Okay, chill out. Get it together, Dox, or you’re going to be the only one responsible for your downfall,” Cooper says in a no-bullshit tone.
“Are you going to take the heat from us, then? Or are you just here to be the angel on my shoulder?”
Cooper thins his lips and cocks a brow. He looks like a dad prepared to scold his kid for being smart-mouthed, even though he’s only two years older than us. His maturity can be jarring for those who don’t know him well. Personally, I love it.
“Watch it. I’m not here to be anything but a friend. You don’t need anybody to take the heat from you. Just make your plan believable. You saw each other again and decided to give it a shot.”
“That’sbelievable?” Maddox asks incredulously.
“Why not? It’s been eight years. They don’t know the whole story between you two, anyway. Just parts of it.”
“Cooper’s right,” I say. Maddox’s intense stare does little to make me waver. “But the longer we stay here whispering, the more questions they’re going to have.”
Finally, with a harsh laugh and a shake of his head, he relents. “Fine. Okay. But if this fails—”
“It won’t,” I reassure both him and myself.
Cooper flashes me a half smile before patting Maddox on the bicep and brushing past us. Addie shouts his name from somewhere in the yard, but the nerves buzzing under my skin, distract me from listening to what she’s saying.
This is Maddox’s family. At one time, I considered every single person here mine as well. They deserve the truth, but this isn’t about what I feel and think. It’s about helping Maddox. If keeping the truth a secret will ensure that happens, then I’ll do it.
“Ready?” I ask.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” My fingers tingle when he links them through his and squeezes my hand. “They’ll get over it. You don’t have to feel guilty about lying,” he adds, reading my mind.
I drop my eyes to our clasped hands. His is calloused and burning hot, and it swallows mine, making it look so delicate.
I straighten my shoulders and pull on a smile. Then, I wait for him to turn around and face the crowd before stepping up beside him and tightening my grip on his fingers. He returns the squeeze.
A slow clap starts from the left side of the yard, and I find an older and much buffer-looking Jamieson Bateman watching us with a shit-eating grin. Beside him, his dad and brother look more shocked than anything. Not that I can blame them.
