Page 37 of Rivals Next Door

Alex finally pulled back to cup my face. He stared at me for a moment before he said, “I love you, Olivia Brentwood.”

My heart tripped, dipped, and twirled. I knew he did because he showed me all the time, and he alluded to it often. However, he’d never said the words out loud.

“I love you too.” I smiled. “We should totally get married when we graduate.” I snapped my lips together, and my eyes widened.

Oh, God. That slipped out. I was still drunk on pleasure… not that I didn’t mean it. I’d marry him in a heartbeat, but maybe he didn’t want to hear that. We were still teenagers, for goodness’ sake. I stared at him, horrified.

However, in true Alex fashion, he grinned. “Fuck yeah, we should.”

I blew out a breath and then giggled. Alex was a little reckless. He plunged head first into most things but that was what made him fun. Plus, when he loved you, he did with everything he had. I’d have a blast spending the rest of my life with him…

13

ALEX

Present…

“I only have eyes for you…”

I sat in a corner of Jamie’s living room, listening to the song I now hated filter through the air. Each word pissed me off more by the second. My eyebrows knitted into a scowl as I watched Jamie and his fiancée, Charlotte, dance in the middle of the room. I wasn’t scowling at them. I was delighted that Jamie popped the question and Charlotte said yes.

Those crazy kids were meant for each other… freaking soul mates. When Jamie called and invited me to their small family-only engagement announcement party, I reached Manhattan so fast that I probably left a cloud of smoke back in Boston. I was happy for my friends. It was just this fucking song…

“Jesus, man, sitting beside you is like being next to a rain cloud.” Lincoln’s voice pulled me from the emotional haze I got caught up in.

Michael and Spencer had walked over too. They all took their seats and proceeded to stare at me.

“I know I’m the prettiest of the group, but can you all stop staring at me?” I growled.

Spencer chuckled. “At least he’s still got jokes. Nothing is pretty about you right now, mate. You look bloody terrifying,” he muttered, his accent more pronounced.

“Fix your face,” Michael said. “This is a happy occasion.”

“I know it is,” I snapped and scowled harder.

“What’s your problem?” Spencer asked.

“Nothing.”

“Then why have you been?—?”

“Will somebody just change the fucking song?” I bellowed.

Spencer snapped his mouth shut while the others gawked at me. Charlotte’s mother and sister, who were over by the window admiring the view, turned to stare at me with wide eyes. Charlotte and Jamie stopped dancing to look at me as well. Jamie held me in a seething glare that told me he was going to kick my ass later for dropping an f-bomb in front of his future in-laws.

Pursing my lips and embracing the heat of my embarrassment, I cleared my throat. “I mean… We’ve been listening to this one for so long. Let’s shake up the playlist a little, huh?” My nervous chuckle made Jamie raise his eyebrows.

After the party resumed, I saw Spencer’s shoulders shake with restrained amusement. “You poor sod. Olivia got your knickers in a twist?”

“I will deck you in the face, Spencer,” I said. “Don’t test me.”

He only smirked because he knew I wouldn’t really hit him.

“No one else better mention the O-word,” Lincoln warned.

I rolled my eyes.

Finally, another song blasted from the speakers, and I let out a relieved breath.

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