“Isn’t it?”
“Lizzie should have told me what was going on, and she didn’t.” I thrust an arm toward the backyard. “She’s my best friend, and she’s been messing around with my brother!”
“You, ah, realize that I’m Brett’s friend, right?” When I remain silent, he continues. “Is it possible that Lizzie was afraid of how you would react? Or maybe she wasn’t ready to tell anyone about their relationship. Maybe they’re still trying to figure things out.”
Ugh. I’m nowhere near ready to hear logic. I nibble at my lower lip before sucking the fullness into my mouth. As I do, a groan rumbles up from deep within Ty’s chest.
“You kill me when you do that.”
Heat slams into my cheeks. It’s almost enough to make me forget about what I found in the backyard.
Almost, but not quite.
Maybe my feelings shouldn’t be hurt, but they are. We tell each other everything, and I don’t want that to change now. I had no idea she was interested in Brett. Although, in hindsight, there were little clues over the past couple of weeks that I had brushed aside and dismissed as nothing. Stares that lasted a little too long. Whispered conversations I walked in on. Even at my graduation party...their heads had been bent together for about fifteen minutes. It never registered in my brain that something could be going on between them. They’ve known each other for a decade. I blink and refocus my attention on Ty.
Kind of like us.
“I know it’s weird to think of your best friend with your brother, but is it any different than the two of us together?”
I glance away. “I don’t know.”
“Come on, Dani.” He smirks. “You’re a smart girl.”
As much as I don’t want to admit it, he’s right. There isn’t much of a difference in our situations. Ty wraps an arm around my waist before guiding me to the front porch steps. As he drops down beside me, his muscular thigh brushes against mine, and a sizzle of awareness slides through me. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel this kind of attraction to him.
Has it been the same for Lizzie?
Is this the way she feels about my brother?
As bizarre as the notion is, I allow the idea of them as a couple to settle inside me.
It’s the low murmur of voices that have me jerking out of my thoughts as Lizzie and Brett turn the corner into the front yard with towels wrapped around their bodies. Lizzie’s dark hair is slicked back. With only the light of the moon shining down, I’m still able to see the flush of ruddy color that stains her cheeks.
They grow quiet when they spot us sitting on the porch steps. Awkwardness descends as the pair grind to a halt on the sidewalk about ten feet away.
Brett clears his throat, avoiding eye contact at all costs. “Well, this is uncomfortable.”
He’s got that right. I wrack my brain, unsure what to say or how best to smooth over the situation.
When I remain silent, my brother blows out a lengthy breath before plowing a hand through his damp hair. “I’m sorry, Dani.” He glances at Lizzie who stands beside him. “We never meant for it to happen; it just did.”
I stare at them, still unable to wrap my brain around what I stumbled across. It’s so odd to think of Lizzie and my brother romantically involved. Then again, is it any stranger for me to be kissing Brett’s best friend? As much as I hate to admit it, maybe Ty is right, and there isn’t a difference. If they have feelings for each other, who am I to stand in their way? This isn’t something I’m willing to lose my best friend over, especially when we’ll be going our separate ways in the fall.
It’s those thoughts that have the tension leaking from my body and my shoulders loosening from around my ears. “It’s okay.” Until the words escape from my mouth, I don’t realize how much I mean them.
Relief rushes from Lizzie’s lips in a puff of air. “You’re really not mad?”
I shake my head. “No.”
She dashes forward and throws her arms around my shoulders before swallowing me up in a monstrous hug. I hiss out a breath as her chilled flesh comes in contact with my skin. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t sure how to tell you about this.”
I pull away enough to search her eyes. “We’re best friends for life. You can tell me anything.”
“You’re right. I should have been honest with you.” A mischievous smile dances across her face. “FYI, in case you two are planning on using the pool tonight, the heater isn’t working.” She shoots an amused glance at Brett. “And your brother had some serious shrinkage going on.”
“Gag me out the door!” I scrunch my nose and shove that image from my head. “New rule, I don’t need to know everything.”