He glances away, hurt and betrayal smacking him around the face.Pain that I have caused.
“Jessie loves me, Jay.This isn’t a crush.It might have been when we were younger, but it's much deeper than that.”
“I know.”He nods, then shakes his head.“I fucking know.I knew when she was five years old.The way the two of you were together.”
That shocks me.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because you were my friend!Judge that however you fucking want, but you weremyfriend.I love Jessie, God I’d kill for her, but I always felt I was on the edge of losing you.”
I wipe my face again.
“Jay...”
“Fuck, that makes me sound like a goddamn idiot.”
It doesn’t.The two of us grew up together like brothers.Deeper than just a friendship.If I thought I could lose him when we were younger, it would have shocked me to my core.
In fact, it was the reason I stayed so loyal and ignored my feelings for Jessie.
“I get it.And no, it doesn’t.Ask me how sick I feel right now, thinking our friendship is over.”
Our eyes meet and emotion boils up.
“Fuck that,” he spits out.
I’m confused for a moment, blinking, hoping I don’t goddamn cry or some other unmasculine thing.
“What?”
“I said fuck that.”Jayden shakes his head, widens his legs, and pushes a fist into his thigh.“We are brothers, not friends.We’ll work this out.”
Jesus.I nearly blow out another breath and cry like a baby.
“Yeah.”
It’s all I’m capable of saying.My throat is tight and thick.
“Clearly, you need to marry her.”He nods.
Wait, what now?
“Ah...”
“Well, you slept with her.”
I hold up a hand.“No, I...er, well, no, I haven’t.Yes, okay, this is fucking awkward.We haven’t fully—”
“Stop talking.”
“Okay, yeah.”
Jesus, thank Christ.
I sit down.Then look up again.“I am going to marry her.If she agrees.”
“Oh, I think we all know that girl already has her wedding planner mapped out with your face on it.”
