Page 48 of Raised On It

“I’m happy for you, man. I always wondered if you’d find love, and I’m glad to be here to witness it. I feel like I miss everything these days, and I’m glad I got to meet her,” Reece replies while Josh stands back examining me.

His reaction to the possibility of me finding love reminds me why I started this conversation in the first place.

“Well, you must know how I feel, Josh. You and Emmett are engaged after all.”

Clearing his throat, he gives me what feels like a well-rehearsed answer. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. I’ve loved her my entire life, so there isn’t that whole new exciting thing like you have with Mason. What Emmett and I have has grown over time. She’s one of my best friends. No, she is my best friend.”

“You, and Parker, and Reece are my best friends, but you don’t see me asking any of you to marry me. What’s really going on, Josh? I can’t help but think there’s more to this engagement than meets the eye. Please tell me this isn’t something your ‘people’ said would be good for your image? Because I may love you like a brother, but I will also rip your balls off if you hurt her for some sort of publicity stunt. You know that, right?”

“Miles, you know I love her. I would never marry her if I thought I was going to hurt her. Besides, all that matters is that Emmett and I are on the same page. She knows what she’s getting into.”

Reece’s forehead creases as he shakes his head and takes a step back. I’ve only seen him do this a hand full of times. He’s angry. Really angry when he whispers his rage so the girls don’t overhear, “She’s knows what she’s getting into? What the fuck does that mean?”

Trying to calm the situation I had no intention of starting, I jump in. “I know you love her like a sister, like family, but it’s not the same as being in love with her, dude. I know I’m new to all this love stuff, but I could have told you that before Mason O’Brien walked into The Verdict and planted her ass on a stool at the bar.”

“Listen, all relationships are different, and we can’t all be as perfectly in love as you are. You don’t need to worry about Emmett. I’ll take good care of her. I promise.”

This is not the answer I want to hear, but I know I’m not going to get the answer I’m looking for tonight because I can feel a different kind of fiery energy coming up behind me like a damn crackle in the air, and when the warmth of her hand clasps mine, I’m officially done talking to Josh. But we will continue this conversation before anyone walks down any aisles.

“Hey, babe, you and the girls all set?”

It may be dark out here, but the smile beaming up at me fills this man-whore’s heart full to the brim.

“Yep. All set,babe.”

Ah, so that’s what has her smiling like a beacon in the night. She liked me calling her babe, and I like that she liked it.

Luckily, Rachel wraps herself around Reece, tampering down his rage, if only momentarily. Even though they were together as kids, the decade apart finds them working in sync together again like they were never apart. Watching them complete each other again balances out the group. If only we all felt the same about Josh and Emmett.

Mason tugs on my arm, and I lean down as commanded. She whispers in my ear, “Miles, please take me home.”

When she pulls back, it’s clear she doesn’t mean she wants to go home because she’s bored. No, she wants me to take her home in the biblical sense.

“Hey, man, you got this?” I say, looking over my shoulder atReece as I pull a giggling Mason behind me on the way to my truck.

He laughs and waves me off.

Lou is loaded in the back seat, and the truck is bouncing over the rough terrain of the field, but it’s nowhere as erratic as my warring feelings.

Feelings that are new and confusing as hell.

I never thought I would tell myself I wasn’t ready to sleep with a woman, but I don’t want to fuck this up by moving too fast.

Even if I want her so bad my dick is about to rip through the seam of my jeans I have to use my other head this time around. It’s not worth the risk of making a misstep and ruining things before they’ve officially begun.

Once we’ve passed Reece’s grandparents’ house that we learned in Vegas now belongs to him, we finally hit the pavement and the drive levels out. However, my brain is still moving a million miles a minute. When she finally speaks, her voice calms me.

“Thank you for a wonderful day. Your friends are really great.”

“They think you’re pretty spectacular, too. You know that, right? I think they like you better than me. Correction. I know they like you better than me.”

She laughs. “I’m just the new kid in town. The newness will wear off, and you’ll all tire of me eventually. They’ll forget all about me once I’m back in New York.”

“Not a chance,” I say, ignoring the gut punch of her reminder that she won’t be staying here forever.

“Trust me. You haven’t seen the truly annoying side of me yet.”

“Mason, you can try your best, but I promise you, I will never tire of you.”

---