Page 80 of The Winning Ticket

“I woke up, and you weren’t there. I was worried I’d slept too late and you’d left.”

I tighten my arms around her, realising she’s forgotten I’d taken tomorrow off work. “I’d never leave without saying goodbye, Little B. How are you feeling?”

“Crappy. Morgan sent me a load of messages. I’m going to have to talk to her at some point today. She’s pretty angry.” Her words are muffled against my chest, and I grit my teeth when I hear the sadness in her voice.

I love my friends, but right now, I’m pretty fucking angry with the pair of them. Why the hell didn’t they just knock last night?

I make a mental note to get the keys back from everyone.

“What time are you leaving?” Bri asks, and I step back a little to look at her face.

She looks so vulnerable in a way I’ve never seen before, and I’d pay good money never to see that look on her face again.

“I’m here til tomorrow, remember? Besides, I couldn’t leave you to deal with this alone.”

She attempts a smile. “It’s me they’re mad at.”

I shake my head. “Believe me, it’s not just you. And like I said, the only people whose opinions matter in all this is us, right?”

She nods, but I can tell she doesn’t really agree. I’m not sure I do either, but I need her to feel confident about our relationship. I can’t ignore the fear that they will get in her head and she’ll end what has been growing between us.

“Come on, let’s try and get a bit more sleep.” I guide her back into her bedroom, and Maddie follows close behind, settling herself at our feet while I pull Bri into my arms, spooning my body around hers.

We manage a few more hours of sleep, and it’s mid-afternoon by the time I’ve showered and am ready to meet Chris. Bri is in the kitchen, and it's the hardest it’s ever been to leave her, even if it’s just for an hour. All I can do is kiss her and hope that her sister will back off after my conversation with Chris.

“I’ll just be a few hours, okay?” I haven’t told her I’m seeing Chris, not wanting to worry her.

She nods, lifting onto her tip toes to kiss me softly, and I push my concerns aside and deepen the kiss. It feels too much like we’re teetering on a ledge, and I’m scared that if I walk away now, she will topple off at the slightest breeze.

I turn to look at her, the words I’m so desperate to say on the tip of my tongue, but now isn’t the time for confessions. Instead, I smile and let myself out, praying I’m doing the right thing.

I meet Chris at the pub down the road, sliding onto the stool across from him at the high table where he is already sitting with a beer in front of him. I’ve ordered a coffee, hoping the caffeine will help with how shit I’m feeling.

“So…” He looks at me across the table, and I hold his gaze while I bring the takeaway coffee cup to my lips.

“Go on, then. Get it off your chest.” I say, putting the cup down and crossing my arms.

A nerve in his jaw ticks. In all of our years of friendship, almost twenty years, I have never seen him look at me like this. But I’m just as angry and refuse to feel like I’ve done anything wrong.

“What the hell was that last night?” he asks finally.

“I’m sure you’re familiar with foreplay. Otherwise, poor Morgan.”

It looks like it takes all his self-control not to leap across the table and hit me right now. “Fuck you, Jake. How long has this been going on?”

“About two months.” I take another mouthful of coffee.

His eyebrows raise. “You guys have been sneaking around behind everyone’s backs, keeping this secret from everyone, for two months?”

“We made the decision, together, as two consenting adults, to enter into a sexual relationship that was no one else’s business.”

There goes that ticking in his jaw again. “And the fact that I asked you, flat out, if something was going on between you, and you said no, doesn’t even factor into this?”

“Nothing was going on then. We didn’t start sleeping together until a few weeks later.” I fight the urge to shrug, knowing that would just escalate the situation even further.

“So, what, you guys are just fucking?” he spits out.

“I’m in love with her, actually.”

---