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“It’s just sex. We’re two consenting adults who happen to be attracted to one another. It’s nothing serious.”

“Nothing serious.” He grimaces like the words taste bitter on his tongue. “You let the girls talk to her, Riv. That doesn’t sound like just sex to me.”

“Because you can’t talk on the phone with a person you’re having casual sex with?”

“Because if it were just sex, you wouldn’t care enough to.”

He has a point, not that I would ever admit that to him.

“You can’t tell Lyric.”

“Do I have idiot written on my forehead?” He gestures to his face. “I’m not telling her shit. You are.”

“Dalton...”

“I’m serious, River. After everything that girl has been through. After all the lies and deception she endured last year, you’d think you’d understand more than most how hurt she’ll be by yet another person she loves lying to her.”

“What would you have me do?”

“Come clean. Tell her the truth. And then grovel like hell and hope she can forgive her ownbrotherfor lying to her.”

“You say that like it’s so simple.”

“It is.” He clasps me on the shoulder. “It really is.” He turns to go back inside. “And, Riv... Do us both a favor and do it sooner rather than later. You know firsthand the longer the lie, the more deeply the deception cuts.”

He doesn’t have to say he’s talking about Annie. I already know he is. And fuck him for even bringing that shit up.

“I will tell her,” I say to his back. “When the time is right.”

“There won’t be a right time, Riv. You and I both know that. Tell her, and tell her soon, before it ruins your relationship with her entirely.” With that, he disappears inside.

Chapter Thirteen

Charlotte

“I’ve missed this,” Lyric announces, fluffing the pillow under her head, the three of us sprawled out on a pile of blankets with Maisie’s laptop on a chair at our feet playing a movie I’ve never seen before—Something Borrowed.

Basically, it’s about a girl who’s in love with her best friend’s fiancé and then the two start sleeping together behind her back. The entire concept of the movie makes me kinda nauseous, if I’m being honest. I hate cheaters.

Even still, there’s a hint of familiarity in the story.

A woman lying to her best friend, hiding a relationship she knows will hurt her. It’s not the same, of course, as me and River. He’s not her fiancé but her brother, but the lying part, yeah, that I can relate to more than I like.

“Me too,” Maisie agrees, popping a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth.

“We should make this a weekly tradition. We get together and just hang out like this. In our jammies. Totally low-key.”

“I’m game.” I smile when Lyric’s head lulls in my direction.

“Me too,” Maisie says again, this time around a mouthful of popcorn.

We fall silent again, spending the next thirty minutes watching the end of the movie. While I still hate the premise, I feel a little more satisfied with the overall movie when everyoneinvolved gets a happily ever after. Well, everyone except the friendship that ends up shattered to pieces.

“Is it just me or was that ending sad?” Lyric huffs, sitting up to shut the movie off.

“At least the right girl ended up with the guy,” Maisie says.

“Yeah, but the whole best friend aspect. Her sleeping with the other girl’s fiancé.” Lyric shakes her head. “And then for their lifelong friendship to just end over some guy.”