Page 133 of Perfect Storm
“What?”
Riley laughed under his breath. “You can see it, I know you can. I can hear it in your voice. There’s no way you don’t feel it.”
“Whatisit, Ri?” Aidan demanded.
“You said you like Levi, but, bro, I gotta tell you, you don’t sound like you justlikehim. You love him. Levi’s who you love.”
“I—” Aidan didn’t know what he was going to say, because Riley was right, he shouldn’t even be surprised by it, but before he could figure it out, Riley interrupted him.
“I don’t know what you felt for Mo. Maybe you loved him too. But you’reinlove with Levi.” Riley chuckled darkly. “God help us all. Landry is gonna lose his shit.”
That was definitely a serious consideration. “In a good or a bad way?”
Riley just laughed. “I wish I could tell you. But I think it’s gonna be good.Eventually.”
“God,” Aidan groaned.
“Butonlyif you tell him. Like right away. Don’t make me keep this secret from him.”
“I don’t want to, but that means . . .I can’t tell Landry I love his brother before I tell Levi.”
“Yeah, youdefinitelyhave to tell Levi. Does he—”
“If you’re gonna ask if he feels the same,don’t. You think I know? You think I’d be this torn up if I knew how he felt? I mean, the Mo shit complicates things, sure, but you know Levi. He’s only ever hooked up. He doesn’t do relationships.”
“And it would make shit really fucking awkward if he just wanted to fuck you.”
“God, Ri.Please,” Aidan nearly begged.
But Riley just laughed. “I think you’re gonna be okay. Seriously.”
“How do youknowthat?” Aidan questioned. He was around Levi all the time, and he didn’t possess even a fraction of Riley’s confidence.
“Just a feeling.”
“A fucking feeling,” Aidan said flatly.
“You need to talk to him,” Riley chided. “Tell him everything.”
“But—”
“And if it’s awful, I’m gonna be there next weekend. Landry’s gonna be there.” Riley’s voice had gone soft. “We’re gonna be there to pick you up. And kick Levi’s ass too, while we’re around. Convince him he’s wrong.”
“Ri,” Aidan warned.
“I mean it,” Riley said firmly. “He feels like that for you. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, but I do now. He switched toleft tacklefor you, bro.”
“That’s football,” Aidan dismissed. Which . . .had heeverdismissed football? Jesus, he wasfucked.
“It’s really not, though,” Riley argued. “Levi doesn’t put his neck out like that. Landry’s been whining about it for years. Worrying about his kid brother. But then when he switched, and he was the one who wanted to make the switch? It’s practically all Landry and Logan have been talking about forweeks. And he did it because of you. He wants to protect you.”
Riley didn’t have to add the natural conclusion to that sentence.Because he cares about you, bro. Because he’s in love with you, and there’d be nothing worse than watching you get beat up every week.
“That doesn’t mean he loves me,” Aidan said, but he could hear the hesitation in his voice. The yearning that he felt for it to be true.
“You won’t know unless you ask. And it’s gotta be you, because you know he’s not going to say anything. Not when he thinks you’re still in love with Mo.”
That was fair. Levi wouldn’t. He was a good guy, thebestguy; if he thought Aidan’s heart belonged to Mo, he wouldn’t interfere. Wouldn’t push.
