I don’t care if people think we’re crazy. Fuck what other people say. I love this man. I’m nervous and scared still, but that’snormal, right? Nothing worth fighting for comes easy. But I’m willing to go to hell and back for those I love. And I am head over heels in love with Rhyland Cole.
As I head to the kitchen and grab a bottle from the fridge, I decide today I’m going to tell him exactly how I feel. I’m going to tell him I love him. Even if that wasn’t what he was going to say before Gabby woke up, I’m going to tell him.
While the bottle warms up in the warmer, I empty the dishwasher while I wait.
I’m currently bent over, halfway into the dishwasher, when I hear footsteps approach me from behind. So much for our plan. Guess someone was impatient for their bottle.
“What the fuck?” a deep voice says from behind, and I freeze. That voice doesn’t belong to Rhyland, but I know that voice just as well.
Chapter 30
Payton
No, no, no. This isn’t fucking happening right now.
“Darling, I’m sure you’re great and all, but you gotta get the fuck out of here.”
How did he even get in here?I wish I could slide into the dishwasher and pretend that he never saw me.
The new visitor talks again, but this time, I think it’s more to himself. “Did anything I fucking said yesterday get through to him? Bringing a booty call back to his house, and my sister’s car is in the fucking driveway. I’m going to kill him.”
Oh, he might kill him when he realizes the truth. But I might get my shot in, too, for calling me a booty call.Also, before Hollie, what sort of booty calls was my brother bringing home that did house chores?
After quickly weighing my options—which are honestly slim to none at the moment—I figure out the best option is to comeclean. My brother will not like this, but I’m left with no other choice, unless an alien would pick this exact time to kidnap either of us.
I take a few steadying breaths in and out as, slower than molasses, I rise to my full height and spin around. My eyes are closed, and I pray that when I open them, I won’t be face-to-face with Ollie. However, when I open my eyes, my big brother is staring at me. His face is pale as a ghost, mouth agape.
“Payton?”
If we were in any other situation, I would wave my hand in front of his face and say, “Earth to Oliver,” but I think we need a little distance between us right now.
Well, at least Rhyland is upstairs. Maybe there’s a chance I can get my brother out of here before—fuck you, world.
As if I summoned him from my mind, I hear footsteps thudding on the stairs.
No, no, no. Go back upstairs,I mentally beg while continuing my Wild West standoff with my brother.
“Hey, babe, Princess and I want to know if you’re coming back to bed?”
Ollie’s eyes nearly bulge out of the sockets when his eyes connect with his best friend, who is currently shirtless and holding my daughter. His gaze then bounces between me and Rhy, and his brows furrow when he realizes my shirt doesn’t belong to me. There’s no way I could play it off that it does, not only because I am swimming in it but because I realize I’m wearing a shirt from a concert I know they attended together.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ollie raises his voice, and he looks like it’s taking all his power to hold himself back.
“I live here.”
“Why are you shirtless?” he asks, gathering venom by the second. It’s clear that he’s putting two and two together yet acting like a fucking idiot and asking dumb questions.
“Again, I live here. I think the better question is, what areyoudoing here?”
Ollie completely ignores his question and begins pacing back and forth. Every time his eyes continue to bounce between Rhy and me and our various stages of undress, I feel as though I’m getting smaller and smaller.
Yeah, he definitely knows now.
“When you said you wanted to help my sister, I didn’t think you meant with your dick,” Ollie spits out before turning his attention back to me. “Please tell me you’reonlyin his shirt because you’re an irresponsible person and it’s laundry day, leaving you with nothing else to wear, and my best friend is such a gentleman that he literally gave you the shirt off his back.”
His assumption, or maybe more so his hope, is quite comical, but I know if I let out a laugh, it will only make the situation worse. And all I want to do is get Ollie out of here.
My brother takes my silence for what it is. He slams his hands onto the island, causing me to jump. “Someone better start fucking talking.”
