Page 241 of Staying Selfless

“You gonna make it work with our girl, or what?”

“She hates me,” Marc sighs.

“She doesn’t hate you. But you did sleep with her sister.”

“I didn’t know!” Marc protests in frustration, causing me to laugh. The further we get from the situation that happened the night before graduation last year, the funnier it becomes. Marc held out, not sleeping with anyone else. Then when he finally gives in, he unknowingly does so with Ali’s sister.

Those two have the worst timing and luck when it comes to their friendship, relationship, or whatever you want to call it.

“I see the way Ali looks at you, and I see the way you look at her. I want you guys to be happy, and I’m only saying this because I think you’re happier together. Even if you’re just friends, you belong in each other’s lives.”

“She can barely look at me.”

“She’s sad, Marc. But she doesn’t hate you. Far from it. And you haven’t dated anyone seriously since she moved back to New York.”

“Well yeah,” Marc hesitates. “Kind of hard to get into a new relationship when there’s only one girl I can think about.”

A knowing smile forms on my lips as I rest my head on my best friend’s shoulder.

“Why don’t you just tell her the truth about that night?”

“What? That I was heartbroken because she was about to move back to New York, so I decided to get blacked out drunk to not feel it? Then when a girl who looked a lot like the one I was missing continually threw herself at me all night, I made the biggest mistake of my life?”

“Sounds pretty good to me.”

Marc lowers his voice to a whisper. “I don’t even remember sleeping with her sister,” he says sheepishly. “I physically don’t know how I would’ve done that, if you know what I mean. Not with how much alcohol I had that night. But Amanda said we had sex, so I guess we did.”

“I just want you to be happy, Marc. In the same way, you wanted my happiness. That’s all I want for you.” I squeeze him a little tighter. “You guys make each other happy.”

“Can’t do much about it right now, anyway. I’m in Indiana, and Ali’s based in New York.”

“You guys should both be in Chicago,” I remind him. “Marc, I miss you. I need you there.”

“I miss you, too.”

“Eli is signing his contract right now. It’s seven years. We are going to be there for at least that long. Your reasoning for not moving last year was that you wanted Eli to be long-term with one team. Well, he is.”

“I don’t know, Logan. I’m working for my dad. That’s in Indiana.”

“I’m going to be working for your dad starting in the fall, and I’ll be doing that remotely from Chicago. There’s no reason you couldn’t do that too.”

I pull back to look at him as we continue to move across the dance floor.

“Please, Marc. I need my best friend.”

“I’ll tell you what.” He gives me an apologetic grin. “How about when you get knocked up, I’ll make the move?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Fine,” I concede, leaning my head on his shoulder once again.

I take in the moment, dancing on my wedding day with my best friend, Man of Honor, and new brother.

“You should probably start packing then,” I quietly add.

Marc’s body completely stiffens as we freeze in place on the dance floor. I lift my head from his shoulder, my eyes meeting his, the most knowing grin covering my face.

“What?”

I can’t answer because if I do, the happy tears will start flowing. So, I just smile and nod repeatedly.

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