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Waiting for his response, I hunker down into my seat, tug my blanket up to my neck, and scroll mindlessly, trying to find anything that might hold my attention long enough to get through the next hour and a half, since Eli seems to be ignoring my cry for help.
Bailey begins to sniffle, a few stray tears leaking from her eyes as I glance in her direction. I tuck my face beneath the weighty blanket, muffling my chuckle. It isn’t that I find Bailey crying amusing … well, maybe a little … but the film has barely started, and she’s already a weepy mess.
God help us all when Clarence gets his wings.
“It’s not nice to give spoilers, Ryan Parker…”
My eyes widen at the husky rumble behind me. His voice is low, meant only for my ears, and I bite back a groan when his lips brush over my lobe, sending sparks firing through my veins.
“I’m pretty sure the statute of limitations ran out on spoilers about twenty years ago. You only have yourself to blame if you feel the film is ruined for you,” I whisper, tipping my head until I find his gaze. “I thought you weresuperbusy and unable to attend to my sos?”
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress.”
“Please tell me you’re going to get me out of here.”
“Nope,” he says loudly, stepping back as he draws the attention of Bailey and Daisy, who turn to us with confused expressions. “I come bearing gifts.” He offers up a cardboard tray holding four to-go mugs, and my lips twist into a frown.
Fucking hell. I’d been so busy staring at his stupid face I hadn’t noticed his full hands.
“You’re the best brother ever,” Bailey screeches, grabbing one of the cups and stealing one of the canvas bags he’s holding. She rifles through it, groaning aloud as she pulls out a sharing bag of chocolate and tucks it into her chest. We ran out of snacks halfway through the adverts, so it’s a welcome gift.
“Can you say that again so I can record it to send to Eli?” Chase teases, handing off the tray to Daisy before he offers me the other bag in his hand. “For the damsel.”
I narrow my eyes but gingerly pulling it from his grasp. A chuckle bursts out of me at the soft knitted blanket stored in the depths, and I shake my head, my chest warming at the gesture.
He gives me a knowing smile and moves away. Disappointment floods me, though it’s quickly dispelled when he grabs one of the empty chairs from the row behind us and moves it next to mine.
“You’re staying?” I ask, and he gives me a wide grin that sends my heart soaring.
“Of course I’m staying.” He fiddles with the blankets, removing the scratchy one and wrapping the soft woollen one over both our legs before he hands me a peppermint tea, his dimples winking at me as he sends me a smile. He leans in, his hand on my thigh and his voice in my ear, and the whole evening becomes bearable. “Where else would I be?”
6
Chase
Therestoftheweek passes by in a flurry of activity.
Bailey keeps us busy with party preparations, so the few times I do get to see Ryan, it’s always in a group setting, over dinner or movies at the end of the night.
It’s not that I begrudge Bailey being excited about her thirtieth birthday party—it is a milestone birthday, after all—but if she could not be trying to plan the event of the season while I try to make her best friend realise she’s in love with me, that would be brilliant.
I thought I’d got past some of her walls on Tuesday, watching that god-awful film with her, but the moment it was over, she nudged me away, and she hasn’t been alone in a room with me since.
If I didn’t understand her loyalty, I’d find it frustrating. But if anything, it only endears me more to her. I’m not afraid of putting in the work, because the result will be so fucking worth it.
“There’s not enough,” Bailey screeches from the kitchen as I round the corner. I find Eli first, scrubbing a hand over his face in frustration. As the eldest brother, he’s been stuck on Bailey duty while she spirals over the minute details, and I was more than happy to hand that over to him. “Oh, Chase, thank God you’re here.” I smirk in Eli’s direction, and he rolls his eyes at her sudden personality transplant. “Can you do me a huge favour?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I asked Grandad over here to go get the alcohol for tonight,” she grumbles, gesturing at the small selection decorating the island, “and this is what he comes back with. There’s not enough for the six of us, let alone everyone else coming.”
“There are at least ten litres of spirits there, Bails,” Eli argues.
“It’s not enough,” she snaps, turning to me with an incredulous look. “The man gets married, has a kid, and forgets what it takes to throw a party.”
“I know how to throw a party.”
“For a child, maybe,” she deadpans.
