Page 4 of The Golden Boys

He’s closer now, just on the other side of the bonfire. But before he can even round the flames…

Intercepted.

Hardcore.

By a busty cheerleader-type, no less, with brown hair stretching to her waist. I stare as she bounces into the picture, blocking my view. At first, she’s not much of a threat, because there are only whispers exchanged between them, but my heart sinks when she slides her tiny, manicured fingers down his stomach. They don’t stop until they reach the front of his jeans. And I’m not just talking some casual caress, either. I mean, this chick grabs a wholehandfulof him. Like there’s no one else around.

It’s then that his gaze leaves me, slowly tearing his eyes from mine down to hers. She whispers something else and it brings a telling smile to his fleshy lips. At this point, I realize there’s no chance of stealing his attention back from her. No guy would ever pass up a sure thing for a maybe.

He doesn’t resist whenDo-Me-Barbietakes his hand to lead him off toward the main house, and likely toward a bedroom.

I realize my stare still lingers in the direction where they’ve just disappeared, and I probably look like a helpless puppy. But that’s what I feel like. A puppy who’s just been shoved backwards off the porch, into the freezing snow.

“Oof,” Jules sighs. “Well,thatsucks a little. Talk about anticlimactic.”

Despite disappointment twisting in my chest like a knife, I laugh. “Story of my life.”

She turns abruptly when my comment seems to register.

“Wait a freakin’ minute!” she says, drawing the syllables out for dramatic effect. “You… the ice queen herself … were interested in him?”

A sigh rushes from my lips. “Don’t get too excited. The moment didn’t exactly end with a bang.”

“Maybe not, but this breakthroughstilldeserves a moment of recognition. Has there even been anyone since—”

“Don’t… say his name,” I warn sharply, which has her hands shooting toward the sky in surrender.

“Okay, okay,” she concedes. “Well, as fun as this is, I think I’m over this little soiree,” she announces. I’m surprised, but too happy at the prospect of leaving to question what changed her mind.

“I should get home to check on Scar anyway. She’s always trying to sneak Shane in when I leave my post.”

Clutching my arm as we cross the lawn, Jules laughs. “Lighten up, BJ! They’re just friends. Despite being brothers, Shane’s nothing like—”

“Don’t … say his name!” I interject again. “If you say his name, you’ll summon him like some kind of … I don’t know … wickedly persistent demon.”

“Wickedlyhotdemon,” she mumbles, which prompts me to nudge her ribs.

She rolls her eyes with a smile. “Fine. Whatever you say. I won’t say his name.”

My heart relaxes a bit as we stumble through the grass arm-in-arm. “Thank you.”

She’s eyeing me, and it’s when she bites the side of her lip that I know what she’s about to do. I’m too late to stop her.

“Ricky Ruiz!” She blurts it out to the universe and there’s no taking it back. Not even when she clamps a hand over her own lips. The big, dumb grin she’s hiding behind it makes me want to arrange a meeting between my fist and her nose.

“See?” she beams. “I said it, and nothing happened.”

I hear her loud and clear, but she knows why I keep distance between Ricky and me. Because rules equal order—no unsolicited visits, no casual phone calls.

Not that he’s respected either boundary in recent months.

I’m hit with a barrage of memories, reminders of how he morphed from being my big brother’s best friend, into… it honestly doesn’t even matter.

Water under the bridge.

“The sky didn’t fall,” Jules’ continues, trying to push her agenda. “The Earth didn’t open up and swallow us whole. You were worried for absolutely—”

The phone sounds off and I’m speechless for a few seconds, in shock by how accurately I called it.

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