Silence, ice-cold, settles between the three of us.
CHAPTER 24
Mistakes Were Made
RYDER
“Together.”Colt spits out the word. “As in?—”
“We’re dating.” Billie grabs my hand, and my heart turns over. “I wanted—wewanted to tell you sooner, but you’ve been kinda hard to track down these days.” Her voice shakes. “I’m sorry we didn’t have this conversation before, but we wanted you to know because we’re happy, Colton. Really happy. And we’ve having a good time together?—”
“A great time.” It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to look away when Colt glares at me. “Billie—she’s brought out a side of me I thought died when my parents did. Neither of us were expecting this to happen, Colt. But it did, and we hope you can be happy for us.”
I’ve practiced my speech about a hundred thousand times over the past couple weeks. Now that the moment is here, however, I can’t seem to find the right words.
The air vibrates with emotion as Colt’s eyes dart between Billie and me.
“How long?” The words come out as a grunt.
Billie glances at me. “I don’t think it’s any secret that I’ve had a crush on Ryder for a while?—”
“But you never talked to me about it. Not openly.” Colt’s expression contracts, and it hits me that he’s more hurt than angry.
My heart sinks. Anger, I can deal with. But hurt? Disappointment? Knowing that I let my friend down this way is like a knife to the chest.
Billie’s face is red. “I was embarrassed, Colt. What do you think you would’ve said if I told you?”
“I don’t know! But I would’ve appreciated the fact that you were honest with me. After everything that happened with Abby…”
“I know.” She blinks, fighting tears, and I give her hand a squeeze. “And I’m sorry. But I’m not Abby. This is different.”
“Is it?”
“Yes, Colt, it is,” she replies thickly. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier. But you have to understand where I was coming from. I didn’t think I had a chance in hell of ever getting Ry’s attention.” She glances at me. “Seemed silly to confess a crush when the person you’re crushing on is so far out of your league it’s laughable.”
Colt chuckles, the sound mirthless. “You ask me, you’re the one who’s out of his league.”
“Agreed,” I say.
“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” Billie asks. “We’re together, and we make each other happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you and our brothers, Colt—for y’all to be happy. I hope you want the same for me.”
“Forgive me, but I was under the impression that Ryder was out to makehimselfhappy. Which is fine, so long as he’s not hurtin’ anyone.” Colt’s eyes are hard when they flick to my face. “I think we can all agree, Ry, that you’ve never taken someone else’s happiness and well-being into consideration.”
I feel the bite of anger, sudden and unexpected. “Are you kidding? I’ve spent my whole life thinking about everyone else’s well-being. My family is everything to me, same as yours is to you. Christ, for years now I’ve put my own needs aside so everyone could have the spacetheyneeded. And don’t get me started on how much I’ve done to help you and Dean.”
“I’m talking about women,” Colt replies steadily. “You can’t tell me you ever cared about a girl like that.”
More anger. Probably because Colt is right.
“I know I don’t have experience being someone’s boyfriend, and I have no idea what kind of partner I’m going to turn out to be, but?—”
“Exactly.” Colt steps forward. “That’s exactly why I don’t like this. The two of you bein’ together. Because Billie, you deserve?—”
“The kind of man standing right in front of you,” she answers, and my pulse skips at her ability to think this quickly on her feet. “Of course Ryder’s a good man. No way you’d be such good friends with him if he wasn’t. You and I both know he’s going to be a great boyfriend.”
Colt’s chest barrels out on an inhale. “He can be a good man, but that don’t mean he’s gonna be good to you.”
“He’s been better to me than anyone else I’ve ever been with.” She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “He’s always been a good friend to me. Now we’re more than friends, and it’s… Colt, I’m happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long, long time. I won’t speak for Ryder?—”
