Page 93 of Her Greatest Adventure

“Okay. You’re right. It’s not my place for judgment. All I want is for you to be happy, and I believe that you are.”

I smile softly at her, thanking her silently.

“Well, now that that’s sorted. We have work to do, ladies. Hair and makeup is waiting for you, Addie,” Seb says.

Excitement sparks in my chest. With one final look at the girls, I follow him out of the tent and into the next.

* * *

COOPER

Maddox finishes shaking his protein shake and sits beside me at his kitchen island. There’s a candle burning on the granite countertop, the smell of apple a bit overwhelming. Sippy cups and snack containers fill the dish rack beside the sink.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything? I know you don’t like protein shakes, but I can get you something else,” he says before taking a swig of the thick brown drink. My stomach rolls.

“I’m good.”

He chuckles, shrugging. “Suit yourself.”

“Where’s Brax? I was hoping to see her too.”

“Got called in for surgery. Golden Lab got hit on a country road.”

“Shit.” I wince, and my eyes find Hades as he lazes on the floor by Maddox’s feet. The rescue bulldog is the couple’s first baby. I don’t know what they would do if anything ever happened to him.

“Yeah, these days are always hard on her.” He frowns, glancing at the baby monitor.

“How long until I get to see my favourite godson?”

Maddox snorts. “He’s your only godson.”

“So? Still my favourite.”

“He should be up soon.”

I nod. “What are you guys going to do today?”

“Can we not do the awkward conversation bullshit? We’re not new friends on a coffee date. You’re my best friend of over twenty-five years,” he mutters, setting his shake down.

I scrape a hand down my face, a sigh stuck in my throat. “I don’t know how to act now. Are you still upset with me for being with Adalyn? Do you still want to beat my face in? What do I say here to fix what I broke?”

“You didn’t break anything, Cooper. We’ll always be best friends, even when I want to kill you. It’s taking some getting used to, but as long as my sister is happy, I guess we’re good.”

“I feel guilty for hurting you. For hurting everyone. It’s the last thing I wanted to do, and I wish I could say that I would take it back, but I wouldn’t. I’m just . . . I’m in love with her, Dox. And it really sucks not having you to talk to about this with. I’m in so far over my head that I don’t know which way is up when I’m around her. I know you don’t agree with her moving in with me, but it feels so right. Like I’ve been living my life wrong because I haven’t had her with me every day.” It all comes out in rough, vulnerable rambles, but fuck it.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

Not expecting to hear that, I ask, “You’re sorry? For what?”

“I should have been here for you. Yeah, I was allowed to be pissed for a little while, but it’s taken me too long to try and fix this with you. You were there for Braxton and me whenever we needed you, no questions asked, and I should have returned the favour.”

“Braxton wasn’t my sister, Maddox. It’s not really the same.”

“Not your sister in the real sense, but she was your best friend too. And now that I think about it, I don’t think either of us has ever asked you how you felt about our relationship. We just assumed it was okay with you. Shit, I’m sorry for that too.”

I can’t help but laugh. This isn’t at all how I expected this visit to go today. When he asked me to come over, I assumed it was to tell me off one last time, and then maybe,maybe, we could move on. I couldn’t have dreamed this conversation up.

“I knew you and Braxton would end up together since the moment you introduced her to me. Yeah, we all became best friends, but in my eyes, you two were just blind idiots who couldn’t see what was right in front of you. I’ve never had a problem with the thought of you two together, and I’m thrilled for you both. Maybe if you would have tossed me aside when you got together, I would think differently, but that never happened.”

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