I roll my eyes. “Nothing is heating up.”
“So, when are you officially ruining the friendship?” Violet asks as she flutters her eyelashes. “Because that’s so hot.”
"Eww,” Cami says, playfully sticking a finger in her throat and pretending to gag. “That’s my brother you’re talking about. But I do love him with you and Owen. So, I’ll allow it.”
“We’re not ruining our friendship,” I say, more to myself than anyone else. “Ollie and I are best friends. He’s my person.”
We’ve been this way forever. Since the day my mom died, and he showed up on my porch with no idea what to say but refusing to leave. Since his house stopped feeling safe and mine became the place he stayed late and left early.
We grew up side by side. Through bad haircuts and bad choices. Through his girlfriends and my dating disasters. Through the years where he dated sweet, normal girls who made sense for a guy like him, and I dated men who never stayed long enough to matter.
Ollie’s been my emergency contact for as long as I can remember. The first person I call when something breaks. The one who shows up without asking if I need help. He’s the steady thing in my life. The constant. He’s my Luke and I’m his Lorelei.
And somewhere along the way, without ever meaning to, my feelings stopped being simple.
That’s the problem. Because you don’t risk the one person who’s always chosen you. You don’t gamble your entire world on a feeling that could wreck everything if it goes wrong. So, no. We’re not ruining our friendship. I won’t let myself want more than this.
"Sure.” Cami raises her eyebrows at me in disbelief. “Like, Jack is my support system. And my husband.”
“Didn’t the guy die at the end of that song? We don’t need Ollie to die,” Violet calls as we bundle up to head out to the barn to see the new baby sheep.
I shake my head. “Not ruining the friendship!”
Later, we stand by my truck as everyone says goodnight. The cool air wraps around us, and the laughter fades. It’s just the two of us for a second, enough space to feel everything too clearly as we wait for Owen to finish saying goodbye to all of the animals.
“I’m gonna help you out,” Ollie says quietly, leaning his weight against the tailgate like he’s settling in for a battle he’s already decided to win.
“You already do too much,” I tell him. “I can take care of myself.”
His eyes soften. “I know you can. But you’re not gonna.”
That hits something in me I don’t have the tools to fix.
“I don’t want to drag you into my mess,” I whisper fiercely.
“Poppy.” He steps closer, his voice warm enough to melt snow. “You’re not a mess. You’re the strongest person I know. And Owen… he deserves all of us showing up for him.”
I watch his mouth and damn it’s a fine mouth. I think about it a lot. What it would be like to kiss it...nope. Can’t think about that. Can’t think about Ollie like that. Best friends don’t think about kissing each other. If I cross this line, I ruin everything. Irisk the only steady thing we have. And Ollie’s too important to us. I’m selfish for thinking of him this way.
Ollie holds his arms open, and my body doesn’t wait for permission. I step into him, and he hugs me like he’s been waiting all day for it. His heartbeat is loud under my cheek. His hand rests against my back, steady and warm.
It’s not just a hug. It’s a temptation. Of something I can’t have. Because no matter how much Cami and Violet tease me about ruining our friendship and becoming more, I can’t.
We pull apart too soon, both pretending we’re fine. He walks around to Owen, who’s heading toward the truck, and leans down to him.
“See ya, buddy,” Ollie says with a soft ruffle of his hair.
Owen wraps his arms around his waist without hesitation. “I love you, Ollie.”
My chest caves in on itself.
Ollie hugs back harder, like he’s holding the whole world right there in that small body. “Love you too, buddy.”
I look away because I can’t handle it. Because Owen can love him so easily. Because Ollie earns that love every time he shows up.
And because somewhere deep inside me…
I already love him, too. And I always have.
