Page 70 of Rival Summer

"Until they decide otherwise," Bailey chimed in, raising his bottle to join ours. The glasses clinked together as we continued on with our night.

"Hey, Park," I nudged him. He turned to me. "Could we talk? Out back on the patio?"

"Sure thing," Parker replied with an easy grin.

We made our way over to an empty picnic table on the patio. The wooden surface was worn smooth, and beyond the railings was a view of the lake.

Parker sat down across from me. "What's going on, man?" he asked, leaning forward with genuine concern etched onto his face.

"Being around you and the boys this summer has been good for me," I started, my fingers tracing the grain of the wood. "It's helped me clear my head, not focus so much on the bullshit stuff with my mom."

"Sometimes, that's all you need, right? A little distraction, some good company." Parker nodded, understanding flickering in his gaze.

"Maybe it was." I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in.

Parker leaned back, the wooden bench creaking under his weight. He took a long swig from his beer, then turned to me with a small grin. "Missed the old Boston this year, man," hesaid, setting his bottle down. "I’m glad you’re letting yourself have some fun again."

"Yeah, I’m trying," I replied, my eyes drifting toward the still water for a moment before meeting his gaze again.

"Listen, Parker, there's something else I need to talk to you about." My voice came out more uncertain than I intended. It was now or never. "I'm not sure how to say it, so I'm just going to?—"

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

I drew in a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill my lungs. "I really like Chandler," I confessed, the name feeling like a weight off my chest. "Like, I like her a lot and?—"

"Boston, come on man, are you serious?" Parker interrupted me, sharp with disbelief. I was taken back for a moment, but I held his gaze steadily.

"Yes, I'm serious," I said firmly. "I wouldn't be talking to you about this if I wasn't serious about her."

Parker leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and he ran a hand through his hair. We sat in silence for a moment that stretched too long. Finally, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Fucking hell. We're really doing this." He glanced up at me, his expression unreadable. "Alright. I know you guys think I'm an idiot, but I knew?—"

"Knew what?" I asked, my curiosity piqued despite the anxiety knotting in my stomach. Could he have known about everything that happened between me and Chandler this weekend?

"About all the times you passed her Monopoly money under the table growing up, or you'd sneak her your draw fours in Uno." Parker shook his head, almost laughing. "I knew there was no way she could have beat me at everything. But you did it for some stupid reason, and I saw that it made you smile to see her happy... so I always let it go."

"You knew about that?" I asked, taken back by his words.

"Hey, I notice more than you give me credit for." He smirked, then his face softened. "Told you, I'm not as stupid as I look. Look, Boston," Parker leaned forward, resting his elbows on the weathered wood of the picnic table. "I know you, man. You're like a brother to me. And I've seen how you are with her—always looking out for Chandler, even when she didn't notice."

I nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude for his recognition. Parker's gaze lingered on the surface of the water before he turned back to me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing his words.

"But here's the deal," Parker continued, locking his gaze with mine, "if you take that leap, and you two decide to be together... Don't hurt her. I don’t want our friendship to be over because things go south between you two."

"I’m thinking of her first, Park, always." I tightened my jaw, narrowing my eyes. "Hurting her is the last thing I want. I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone."

Parker studied me for a moment longer, searching my eyes for the truth of my words. Finally, he gave a slow nod, a silent pact sealed between us under the night sky.

We both rose from the bench. Parker stepped in, wrapping his arms around me in a brotherly embrace. "Good talk. Love you, man," he murmured.

"Love you too, Park." I clapped him solidly on the back.

The bar was loud with laughter and the clinking of glasses as we made our way back inside. Chandler and Willow were sitting on stools at the bar drawing everyone's attention. Chandler caught my eye immediately, even in a simple tank top and shorts.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, sliding my hand around her waist as I approached. She turned, her hazel eyes lighting up, as she saw me.

"Hey you," she replied with a smile.

"I talked to Parker," I said, just loud enough for her to catch. "All good. He's not mad."

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