Best Friends Don't Kiss

“Dude, you gotta stop being so hard on Barry. He’s not—”

“No,” Thatch chimes in, cutting Milo off. “Fucking Luke.”

“What?” Theo questions, and Thatch turns to point directly toward me.

“This motherfluffer isn’t in Vermont. With Ava. He’s here. Flying our fluffing plane.”

In an instant, it feels like a thousand questions are tossed my way, all revolving around why I’m here.

These fucking nosy-as-hell billionaire bastards. They know way too much about my life. But, more than that, why do they even care?

I try to move things along, to get everyone to take their seats so Trev and I can concentrate on getting the show on the road, but my copilot has other plans.

He takes off his headset, tosses it down beside his chair, and stands up.

“What are you doing?” I question, and he just strides toward the back of the plane.

What the fuck?

“This flight isn’t leaving until you tell us what is going on,” he retorts, and I stand up, out of my seat, to watch him plop down in a leather lounger across from Wes and Winnie.

I look to our passengers, you know, the ones who paid good money for this plane to take them to Las Vegas for New Year’s, but they are no help.

“Spill the tea, Luke,” Thatch says, sitting down beside Trevor. He puts his hands behind his head and stretches out his legs. “I’m prepared to sit here all night, my man.”

“Uh…what’s going on?” Cap chimes in, and Kline smirks.

“Well, Caplin, I think Luke here is in need of an intervention.”

Georgia rubs her hands together. “Oh boy, I love when I get to be a part of the interventions!”

“I don’t need an intervention.” I sigh again and run a hand through my hair. “I need to get this flight back on schedule so ATC doesn’t ream my ass.”

“Like you’re scared of ATC. Get real, man.” Trev snorts. “Anyway, it’s not like you’re going to have to deal with them anymore. Mr. NASA.”

Thatch furrows his brow. “Wait…what? You’re fluffing in?”

“Yeah.” I nod, but apparently, my reaction isn’t what they were expecting.

“Dude, why do you look so fucking miserable when telling us that?” Trent questions. “I mean, you got into NASA. You’re going to be a fucking astronaut. And you look like your dog just died.”

“The tea, Luke,” Thatch insists. “Serve it up, my man.”

“Fine!” I shout, my brain feeling like it might explode. “I fucked up with Ava, okay? That’s why I’m here and not in Vermont with her. She told me she needed space from me because I. Fucked. Up.”

Those words break the dam, and I just tell them everything.

How things changed between Ava and me in Vermont.

How we became more than just friends.

How I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I got into NASA and would be moving to Houston because she’s been the steadiest thing in my life since my parents died.

I just lay it all out there, and by the time the last word leaves my lips, Georgia and Winnie and Maybe have tears in their eyes, and Thatch is grinning like a fucking lunatic.

Cap, though, on the other hand, looks pissed. “Wait…you guys weren’t in a relationship? What the fuck, man?” he questions. “I feel had.”

“I think what Cap is trying to say is that you guys were very convincing, so convincing that it probably wasn’t ever fake, was it?” Kline interjects, his eyes kind and his words filled with his usual wisdom. “You love her.”

“Yeah. I do.” I nod. “Actually, I’ve loved her for a very long time.”

Trev smiles at me, his eyes knowing. “I’ve been trying to make you see that for years, man. For fucking years.”

I know he’s right.

“Well…I think I know what we have to do now,” Cassie announces and stands up from her chair. “Looks like we’re going to spend New Year’s in Vermont.”

Instantly, my eyes go wide. “What? No. No, that’s not—”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” Georgia is quick to jump on the insane bandwagon.

“You don’t understand. Ava wants space. She doesn’t want me in Vermont.”

“I swear, sometimes, men are so dense,” Lena comments.

“They sure are.” Maybe snorts. “But don’t feel bad, Luke. Every bastard on this plane has been in your clueless position before.”

“Excuse me?” Milo questions on a laugh, but Maybe ignores him, standing up to join the rest of the girl gang.

“Luke, honey, she wants you there,” Winnie says, her eyes serious. “She doesn’t want space. She wants you there.”

“You have to go,” Georgia adds. “You need to be there.”

Before I know it, Thatch and Milo and Kline and the rest of the guys are joining Team Crazy, urging a change in flight plans. And that fuck Trevor is back in the cockpit, talking to ATC to see if we can get last-minute clearance.

Which he does.

“We’re a go,” he says over his shoulder, meeting my eyes. “What do you say, Luke? Should we go get your girl?”