Morgan:I’m not screwing your idiot brother.
I smiled, despite everything. Morgan had a way of being sodirect, and it was one of the things I loved most about him.
Shame we couldn’t have fallen for each other, really. Would’ve been a whole lot simpler.
I’ll only lose him if I tell him and I’m not ready to lose him
That was the thing, wasn’t it? I’d lose him if I told him, but I’d lose him anyway if I didn’t.
Except if Ididn’t, at least we could stay friends. At least things wouldn’t be weird and awkward forever.
At least maybe I could come tohiswedding, and dance with him one last time after my own brother stood up next to him and handed him a ring for someone else. Not that I was necessarily all that attached to the concept of marriage, but…
The thought of watching Carter do it with someone elsehurt.
So maybe I wouldn’t go to his wedding, after all.
Morgan:you’re the only one who can figure out whether it matters more that he knows he’s loved or whether he thinks you’ve developed exactly no feelings after sleeping with him for a week. But the second one will make you look like an asshole
You never tell any of your boyfriends you’re in love with them
Morgan:because I’m not. And I am an asshole
No. No, you’re not. You’re a sweetheart who wears asshole like a costume to stop people hurting you.
Wow. This sure was getting deep for being before ten o’clock.
I love you
Morgan needed to hear that. He needed to hear it a lot more often than he did.
Morgan:stop psychoanalyzing me and go tell Carter how you feel. I’m going to sleep.
Night, Morgan
Morgan:night, Aiden. Love you too
I brushed my thumb over the words on my phone screen. Turned outIneeded to hear that more often, too.
Movement beside me caught my attention, and I turned to see Hallie making herself comfortable in the empty seat Carter had been occupying earlier.
He wasstilldancing with Mandi, and I couldn’t bring myself to look anymore.
“So, Carter told me everything,” Hallie said. “About, y’know, the two of you.”
I blinked. Exactly whateverythinghad he told her?
“That he begged you to come here as his date,” Hallie clarified. “That you’re not really dating. Which means I owe you an even bigger thank you for everything you’ve done to keep this wedding together.”
I raised an eyebrow. Justbeinghere had nearly been enough to tear it apart, and I didn’t feel like I’d done a whole lot to make up for that. If anything, Hallie should have been banning me from future family events.
“I wanted Carter here,” Hallie said. “And he would’ve left early without you. I wanted my dad here, and he’s here with hisboyfriend, who’s adorable by the way, because you’re here. And mom just texted me toapologizefor the first time in her life, and that’s because of you, too.”
“I…”
What was I supposed to say to that? I hadn’t really done any of those things, they were just because Iexisted.
“Don’t deflect,” Hallie said, apparently reading my mind.
