"Eyes front!" Matt's warning snaps me back to our own battle.
"What's wrong, little witch?" Virginia's voice drips poison. "Too busy reading tea leaves to focus?"
The rope goes slack so suddenly I stumble backward. Caleb dropped his end. "Oops," he says flatly. But he clenches his hands, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
Matt's victory cheer covers the tension, but I catch his wink at his brother. "Some things are worth losing for, right?"
"And that's round one!" Kristal announces. "Though I'm not sure about that release technique, Caleb."
"Your fault, Miller!" Virginia snaps, but Caleb's already walking away, not even pretending to care about her glare.
"Don't worry about it," Matt tells me quietly as Virginia storms off. "Some people just hit nerves they don't know exist."
"Ten seconds until round two!" Kristal calls out. "We're making memories here!"
"Hey Sarah-bear." Wyatt's voice carries across the lawn. "Remember senior year? That weekend at your parents' lake house when—"
I catch the exact moment Matt snaps. His jaw tightens next to me, and something shifts in his expression, like he's finally done pretending this is all fun and games.
"That's it." His voice is deadly quiet.Thisis Matthew Miller, the guy who once broke someone's nose for talking shit about his brother.
"Matt," Sarah warns.
But Wyatt, the absolute idiot, stalks closer. "Come on, Miller. You can't still be jealous of ancient history." My stomach turns as he brushes Sarah's arm. "Though some memories are worth holding onto, right?"
I barely have time to blink before chaos erupts. Matt launches forward, knocking into Wyatt, who backpedals, arms pinwheeling. They both tumble to the ground in a tangle of limbs and woundedmasculinity.
"You wanna bring up the lake house?" Matt grabs a fistful of Wyatt's polo shirt. "Let's talk about how you passed out face-first in the guacamole before nine!"
Wyatt shoves back. "At least I didn't text Sarah's dad by accident asking if she was on birth control!"
They roll across the lawn, narrowly missing Kristal, who stands there in shock. Dixie starts filming on her phone, while Magnolia looks utterly horrified at this display of testosterone and grass stains. I step further away from the rolling bodies.
"Both of you, STOP!" Sarah's voice slices through the madness as she stands there, streaked in mud.
Everyone freezes.
"Wyatt, you're done!" Then she turns to her fiancé, who immediately lets go of Wyatt's shirt. "And ifyoudon't start acting like the man I agreed to marry, instead of a territorial frat boy, you're sleeping on the couch until the wedding."
"But he—"
"Is an ass? Yes. Has been trying to get a rise out of you all morning?Obviously.And you're letting him win."
Matt scrambles to his feet, grass in his hair and regret on his face. "Sarah, babe, sunshine of my life—"
"Don'tbabeme when you have literal dirt on your face."
"But it's my warrior paint." He attempts a charming smile that somehow works despite everything. "I was defending your honor."
"My honor graduated law school. It can defend itself."
The corner of Matt's mouth twitches. "I know. That's why I love you." He steps closer, grass-stained knees and all. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to punch guys who talk about you like you're still available."
Sarah's stern expression cracks, just slightly. "You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously in love with you." Matt drops to one knee, taking her hand with exaggerated ceremony. "Sarah Bell, will you forgiveme for acting like an idiot and still marry me Saturday even though I just tackled a man in front of your mother?"
A collective "aww" rises from the group, and I can't help but smile. This is so perfectly them—dramatic and over-the-top, and somehow still the most genuine love I've ever seen. I glance at Caleb, who's watching his brother with a grin.
