Bella shifts closer to Ayden. She fixes her attention on him like he’s the only person in the room, and then she whispers something into his ear. His jaw relaxes, and when she steps away from him, I could swear his hand twitches like he wants to pull her back into his side.
But he doesn’t. He lets her go, and I drag Bella away from all the boys and sit with her at a private table in the corner of the room.
“I don’t get how they’re all cousins,” I say. “I never got the whole story from Dylan.”
“Their fathers are brothers,” she explains. “All the guys in this room, plus Colton, are around the same age give or take a few years. Brayden’s the oldest and Cam’s the youngest. Jenson might as well be a cousin; he goes with them everywhere.” She smiles. “They’re like the brothers I never had.”
“So Ayden’s like a brother, too?” I say, watching closely for her reaction.
She noticeably flushes. “Um. That would be a no comment.”
“Huh. So what’s up with you and him?” I ask her.
She flips her hair from one shoulder to the other as she vigorously shakes her head. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit,” I say. “The sparks between you two should be illegal.”
Bella’s lips quirk up, but she just shrugs. “Ayden and I don’t go there.”
“Go where?”
“Past best friends.”
“Why not? You look perfect together.”
“Because.” She gives me a look like I’ve missed the memo. “Ayden and I are best friends. You know what happens when best friends try to be more and it doesn’t work out?”
“You’ve lost me.”
She pats my arm. “Because you don’t have an Ayden, someone who’s been there for you through everything. I know how lucky I am, Jasalie. I would never risk losing that.”
“Oh.” I get it now. I still don’t agree with her, but I’m not going to argue the point. I’m no one to give relationship advice.
“So.” She tilts her head in the direction of Dylan. “Spill.”
I give her a brief overview, finishing with, “I have a weird feeling something’s about to screw it all up.”
She slaps her hand to her forehead and groans. “Oh no. Don’t do this ‘other shoe’s going to drop’ thing. Not everyone is a leaver.”
I sneak a peek at Dylan, who’s laughing with Brayden. He catches me looking, and he winks. His gesture is so sweet, so focused on me that my chest constricts painfully.
“I know. I’ve just been having this bad feeling…”
“You and Dylan may have some bumps ahead of you,” she says. “But you’re not going to be over. No way. You didn’t come this far to have it all fall apart.”
Looking back at tonight, I wish I’d been wrong. And if I’d known now what was truly about to happen, I would’ve kept my mouth shut. Because things were about to detonate, and nothing I said to try to prepare myself was going to help.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Dylan’s pretty buzzed, and I’m completely sober when we finally leave the bar. I drive us back to the V Motel, and he rambles on during the ride, mostly about the guys who grabbed him on our way out the door, the ones he hasn’t kept up with.
“Can’t believe Dirk’s wife left him. And Carl—another baby, and he got fired again? I don’t know how to help more. I always offer, but he won’t ever take money. I understand; I’ve never liked taking hand-outs, either, but I’ve known him my whole life. We’ve never been close, but still.”
I look over at Dylan. “You okay?” I ask as I touch his leg.
He starts as if he’d almost forgotten I was there. “Yeah.” He shakes his head. “Sorry. That bar brings back old memories. I love seeing my cousins, but most of them aren’t even from here, and Brayden doesn’t live in our hometown anymore. But all the guys who stayed…”
“I get it. It’s like you’re stuck in the past with them temporarily.” We pull into a parking space at the motel. Hardly anyone’s here, and I appreciate the quiet as we walk through the empty parking lot and back to our room.
