My heart leapt, my lips parted…ready to say yes, to say anything he wanted…
“MatthewClayAdler,” Natalie’s voice rang out like a trumpet, cutting through the air. “Step away from our new best friend.”
Matty didn’t move. He actually growled against my lips. A low, frustrated rumble that vibrated down my spine.
“First…how do you know my middle name? And second…she’smybest friend,” he shot back, eyes still locked on mine like he was daring me to contradict him.
Ialsoknew his middle name. But I wasn’t ever going to admit that.
“Also, how do you even know her?” he added after a second, a cute, confused frown spreading across his lips.
“That was three things, Adler,” Natalie snapped.
There was a chorus of laughter and soft gasps from somewhere over Matty’s shoulder. I finally moved my headenough to see them—Natalie standing like she’d just declared war, Casey with one arched brow and a smirk, and Riley biting back a smile like this was the best entertainment she’d had all week.
“Oh, this is good,” Natalie whispered loudly, practically vibrating with glee.
Out of nowhere, Jace appeared, radiating the same energy as a fire drill during finals week. “Who’s your best friend, Riley-girl?” he demanded dramatically before scooping Riley clean off her feet. She shrieked, laughing as he spun her around in the middle of the hallway, her hair flying and her arms flailing.
“I’m your best friend!” Jace crowed, spinning faster. “Your bestest friend!”
“Put me down, you psycho!” Riley smacked his shoulder, even as she laughed harder, clearly not meaning it.
Finally, Jace set her on her feet—well, kind of. He didn’t actually let her go. Instead, he wrapped both arms around her waist and snuggled his head against her shoulder like a giant golden retriever who thought he was a lapdog.
Riley rolled her eyes but didn’t push him off, her cheeks flushed with affection.
Casey beamed, her whole face lighting up as she watched them. It was the kind of look that made me ache a little, even though I couldn’t quite place why.
“Don’t look at him anymore,” Matty muttered under his breath, almost sounding jealous as he tugged me closer like he was blocking my view of the entire Riley-and-Jace spectacle.
“Excuse you,” Jace said, dramatically affronted. “How can younotlook at this?” He made a Vanna White motion to himself, nuzzling Riley’s hair for good measure. “I’m giving you award-winning content for free.”
“You’re giving me heartburn,” Matty shot back in a voice as dry as sandpaper.
“Heartburn?” Jace gasped. “That’s just love trying to crawl out of your chest.”
Natalie clapped her hands together like she was at the theater. “Casey, see. I told you that was a thing!”
Casey elbowed her, but she was smiling, too.
Matty ignored them all, turning his gaze back to me—serious now, like he’d remembered something important. “Remember Ari Lancaster’s radius idea, Jace?”
Jace perked up. “The one with the circles?”
Matty nodded. “Yeah. We need to implement that.”
“Wait,” Natalie cut in, brows knitting. “Is this a football thing or…like, a sex thing?”
“Neither, Bennett. It’s a girlfriend rule, obviously,” Matty said with a smirk, steadying me with a hand on my waist when I nearly stumbled at the word. “Ten feet minimum around my girl. Twenty, if the guy looks like he lifts.” He glanced over at Jace. “So obviously, you would just need to abide by the ten-foot one. I’d like to inform you, though, you are violating my radiuses right now.”
Jace’s eyes widened in outrage. “How am I supposed to make new best friends with Ophelia if I’ve got to stay twenty feet away? I’m a hands-on kind of guy!”
“It’s only ten,” Matty deadpanned.
“Details,” Jace said breezily, waving his hand like it didn’t matter. “Ophelia, back me up here. Wouldn’t you prefer a Jace Thatcher bear hug over a Matty Adler sulk in the corner?”
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. There was so much going on right now, and I was pretty sure Matty had just referred to me as his girlfriend in front of almost his entire friend group.
