“I love her, too. I guess her brother’s okay.” Riley grinned.
Brent snorted, but squeezed Riley’s hand. “He is okay. Thanks to you.”
“You really don’t need to keep thanking me.” Riley shifted in his seat, his calf already cramping up from being stuck in the tiny space between him and the next seat.
It was still worth it to see Brent happy.
“I lost one person I thought I’d have forever this week. Circumstances aside… I don’t wanna lose you because you feel like I’m taking you for granted or something.”
“I’ve never thought that,” Riley responded.
If anything, he took Brent for granted. Brent deserved better than that.
Brent deserved a better best friend than Riley. Riley was lucky to have him, not the other way around.
“Well, good.” Brent shifted in his seat. “I can’t keep my eyes open much longer, but you can keep holding my hand if I fall asleep, okay?”
“Okay.” Riley nodded. “Sweet dreams.”
Brent made a soft, affirmative sound and closed his eyes, sinking back into his seat as far as the cheap padding would allow.
Riley’s stomach bottomed out as he realized his last few moments of getting to pretend that Brent would want someone like him were slipping away, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Hehatedflying.
