“So you guys can badger me for details about yesterday?”
“Obviously.” Tate doesn’t even let Ember respond; she grabs her arm and pulls her toward the front door. “Bye! See you guys later.”
I smile at the closed door until I hear Declan cough and realize he’s still standing there.
“Aside from Cam finding out, I take it you guys had a good Valentine’s Day?”
“It was perfect.” His smile is so bright it reaches his eyes. “What about you? What’d you get up to?”
“Nothing crazy,” I respond and sip my coffee.
I don’t tell him it was a perfect day for me, too.
But it was.
Honestly, it was better than perfect.
And I didn’t know that was possible.
thirty-one
Tate
I’m sorry,” Brinley slams her hand into the table, her mouth falling open, “are you telling me that your brother walked in on you having sex with my brother, and because of that, you moved out and now live with my brother in a house full of hockey players?”
“First of all, he didn’t catch us having sex; we were done.”
“Gross.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “And I could’ve stayed at my apartment, but Declan told me I should stay with him until things cooled off.”
“You do realize he’s a guy, right? Obviously, he said that! He wants to get laid.”
“He’s not like that, and we both know it. Honestly, he’s right. I need to go pick up more of my belongings today, and I’m trying to do so when Cam’s not around. I know it will be bad.”
“Maybe he’ll surprise you. He’s had time to think about it and realize it’s not that big of a deal.” I shrug.
“But it is. I see where Cam’s coming from. I should’ve told him. I’ve had so much time to tell him, but instead, I’ve been keeping things from him. I mean, it’s bad enough having to hide that my best friend is here, but also hiding my boyfriend from him.”
Maia wraps an arm around Ember.
“Cam and I were so much closer than this. He’s been there with me through so much and stood by my side, and I couldn't even give him the decency of telling him the truth?”
“You were scared, Ember. The second people find out, it becomes more real, and that makes it scarier. You also didn’t want his judgment if that was the route he was going to take. You had every right to wait until you felt comfortable sharing.” I reach my hand out and squeeze her arm.
I think I’m saying this more to myself than I am, Ember. I want to tell the girls about last night so badly, but I also want Fletcher and me to have the time to find our footing as a couple before we become some kind of spectacle.
“Maybe. I guess I’ll never know. I can’t go back and change things. I can’t go back and tell him sooner.”
“Honestly,” Brin interrupts, “your brother is a fucking idiot. You two weren’t exactly subtle with your goo-goo eyes at Christmas. Or the fact that my brother had no logical reason to interrupt your dance with Zeke at the banquet.”
She’s not wrong with that one. If there was any moment that would’ve given away their whole relationship, it was the night at the banquet. I think Cam was trying to tune out the night because he just wanted it to be over, so maybe he didn’t see the way Declan’s jaw locked up when he saw Ember dancing with Zeke.
But he did see him go and interrupt, which led to us having to come up with an excuse.
So, at the end of the day, it’s really Cam’s fault for being so clueless.
“To be fair,” Maia begins, “I only get to see you and Declan when you guys don’t need to hide the fact that you’re together, and honestly, I’ve always wondered how you tune that down around him.”
