Page 14 of Perfect Storm
Landry didn’t operate on the same unhinged overprotective-older-brother frequency that Aidan did, but he wouldnotbe happy about Aidan being in love with someone else and agreeing to fuck his younger brother. Even if the younger brother had been the one to suggest it.
“I hope so,” Aidan said instead. And he did. He wanted to not feel like this, not anymore.
“You’re gonna get past this, I promise,” Riley said, squeezing him tighter into his side. “I’m gonna be there for you.”
“Thanks, Ri.” It was a little jarring for Riley to be acting this way. But, Aidan supposed, this was all he’d really wanted for his younger brother. To be so happy and secure and mature that he could comfort others, when they needed it. Even if the person who needed it the most was Aidan.
“Landry, too,” Riley added.
Aidan groaned.
“What? Of course he knows. He might’ve put it all together before I did,” Riley said. “But I think he might like it if youtoldhim. He’s your best friend, was your best friend long before you met Morris. You were friends when things were shit, back then, with our parents. And he’s still your friend, even when things are shit, now.”
Aidan knew Riley was right. “Yeah. Alright. I’ll talk to him.”
Riley smiled. “Good.”
It was impossible to hold his long resigned sigh in. “How did you get like this?”
“Like . . .emotionally mature and shit?” Riley grinned. “You, bro. All you. And not the way you think.”
“How do I think?” Aidan asked dryly.
“I mean, you think it was because you babied the shit out of me and protected my ass and somehow kicked it at the same time, never letting me settle. But here’s the thing, that was brave as shit, being all those things when you were too young considering Mom and Dad were . . .well, like they are.” Riley didn’t say what their parents were like, but Aidan knew all too well. Too caught up in their own petty hatreds and rivalries after their divorce to remember they had two sons. “But the bravest thing you ever did was to take a step back and let me sink or swim.”
“You’d have killed me if I didn’t,” Aidan said, swallowing hard. It had been tough. One of the toughest things he’d ever done. Every molecule of his body had been screaming at him to do anything else. But he’d known if he did, Riley would never forgive him.
He’d had to give Riley the space to figure his own shit out. Even if he failed in the process.
And he hadn’t.
“Yeah, and it was scary as shit, no lie. I was afraid I’d fuck it all up, but I didn’t, because you raised me right, bro.”
Aidan didn’t say anything, staring out at the gentle waves, listening to them lapping at the side of the boat. Thinking about everything Riley had said. About that time, three years ago,when everything had been in upheaval. When he’d been terrified of losing RileyandLandryandMo. But he hadn’t. Things hadn’t turned out like he’d expected, like he’dwanted, but in all the ways that counted, he still had all of them.
Even Morris, who’d told him unequivocably that they were still friends. That they’d always be friends. No matter what.
“You’re really fucking smart, you know that?” Aidan finally said.
Riley beamed. Like his older brother’s approval was all he’d ever wanted. And maybe that was true. He patted Aidan on the knee. “You’re gonna get through this,” he said.
And between what Riley said, and Levi last night, Aidan was beginning to believe that was really true.
Chapter 3
Thesunwasfallingbehind the tree line when they piled back into the boat and headed back to the house.
Levi was warm and toasty around the edges, pleasantly relaxed, except for the buzzing under his skin.
He’d spent the afternoon trying not to watch Aidan and mostly failing.
Aidan had always been attractive, but Levi had never been particularly interested in doing anything about it before. Of course, he hadn’t thought hecoulddo anything about it before.
And you still can’t, Levi reminded himself.Not til next year.
When Aidan pulled the boat back to the dock, Riley was already complaining about how hungry he was, even though they’d decimated the enormous amount of food they’d brought out.
“We should order pizza,” Landry suggested, and Aidan sighed.
