Page 47

“ Why?” I ask again. He’s going to make me work for it. Prick.

“Boss,” Dec pleads again, and now I’m internally panicking. What the hell am I missing?

“Because I got asked to be a groomsman in Lowesy’s wedding, at the poker night he planned for us weeks ago,” Boston growls, his long, dark hair falling in front of his eyes. He rarely gets mad. Scary dude, but not a yeller. “Did you ?”

It feels like ice water has been poured over my head.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

“Boss,” Lowesy hisses.

No.

I couldn’t have…

Oh my god.

I whirl around, meeting Declan’s eyes. He has a look on his face that is deeply sympathetic, but it doesn’t cover all the hurt that’s sitting there.

Hurt that I haven’t noticed until now. I am his guy in Pittsburgh.

We met, we clicked, and he became my brother.

I’ve picked him up off the ground when he wouldn’t let anyone else, and he’s been backing me in my corner when nobody in their right mind would defend me.

He invited me to poker night the night of his engagement.

We’ve talked about it every couple of days since. All of us.

I didn’t know what it was for, but he made sure we were all going to be there multiple times, which clearly highlighted how important it was to him.

And I missed it.

Because I fucked shit up in my pretend relationship and let it ruin my day.

“Lowesy,” I say, a bit stunned. I step toward him, hands outward.

“It’s fine.” He forces a smile, but it’s strained.

“No, it’s not,” Boss bites out, and I want to tell him to fuck off so badly, but he’s right. “It’s not, Forker. Get your head out of your ass and either address your fucking feelings or end this stupid game your playing.”

“Boston,” Dec says, more stern now.

“Forker,” Boston snaps back at me instead. His voice roars for my attention. I give it to him.

Those green eyes are on fire with fury. He breathes heavily through his nose, hauls his bag over his shoulder, and storms forward to slam a finger into my chest. Hard.

“You’re lucky he has Seth,” he tells me, his voice calm but sharp. It slices right through my chest and into my back. “Because if he didn’t, you’d probably be next in line, and the best man is expected to show up.”

“God damnit,” Declan mutters behind me. “Boss, just head out, alright? If the girls are out there, tell them we’ll be there in a minute.”

Boston pulls his hat on top of his long, black hair and leaves with one more glare in my direction .

When we’re alone, I turn to Declan, shame smacking onto my shoulders like a four- hundred-pound weight.

“ Lowesy .”

He raises a hand, silencing me. I swallow, but nod for him to go on. It’s a promise to keep my mouth shut. He deserves to say whatever he has to say.

“I don’t think Arden is the problem,” he says calmly. “I am with Boss on that. I think she’s great. I think she brings out a side of you I’ve never seen. I like her, and god, Penny loves her.”

Arden loves Sweets just as much.

“It’s been the blessing of my life getting to watch Penny find a friend in Pittsburgh, Fork.

I spent months watching her flounder, watching her pretend to connect with people for my benefit, knowing she’s yearning for the home that I pulled her from.

” His throat bobs. “Arden isn’t Avery, but she’s the closest fucking thing to her, and if I could thank her for being that person for Lucky one thousand times over, it still wouldn’t be enough. ”

I don’t know what to say to that. Don’t know what he wants me to say.

“But if this is hurting you more than it’s helping you,” Declan says, his voice even now, eyes burning into mine. “It’s not worth it anymore. I don’t know what happened, but I see the way you look at her. If she can’t reciprocate that, you need to let her go.”

“It’s not like that,” I say, even though I’ve been scaring myself lately with the same realizations. “We’ve mutually agreed to this. To the way this works.”

“Okay,” Declan says with a shrug. “Then keep at it. But this isn’t like you.”

“Yeah, clearly,” I grunt. “I missed your poker night.”

“You did.”

“Fuck.” I run a hand over my short hair. I’ve never felt this bad about something in my life. Not even after a fight. “I’m so fucking sorry man. What the fuck? How did I ? —”

“I have lost my head many times over Lucky,” he tells me, saying so much without saying anything at all. “That’s what happens, Fork. It just is what it is.”

I scoff. “It’s not the same as with you and Sweets.”

The big, mega love story. The happy ending. The yearning. The pain. The fight to get there. It isn’t what’s happening between Red and me, even though I’d love for it to be.

“Okay.” He nods slowly. His eyes search my face. “Why’d you miss it then?”

I don’t have a good answer. I don’t have an answer that matters.

“I forgot,” I say softly. I feel awful. Fucking awful. “Shit happened the night before and it completely slipped my mind.”

“Shit that you want to talk about?”

I shrug. “I made a fool of myself and she’s been acting differently ever since. I was wallowing. Hard.”

“Been there,” he grunts.

“It’s a mess, but she came tonight. With Sweets.”

“Yeah, she was over at my house today.”

I blink. “What?”

“They took the dogs for a walk and were having wine when I left.”

“Oh.” I was physically dying because we weren’t speaking and she was just…having wine and walking dogs with her friend?

“You cared enough that you just forgot about a boys night?” he asks, cocking a brow. Definitely out of character for me.

Nosy little fucker. I hate being on the receiving end of this; I much like being the one who probes into his life instead.

“She’s my friend. ”

“Ah.” He nods, but then he barks a deep laugh that seems to come from his heart. He points at me, brows raised. “Been there, too.”

“It’s not like you and Sweets.”

“Whatever you say.”

He pulls his bag onto his shoulder and I start to panic. This conversation can’t end. I just put my foot in my mouth, all the way out my own ass, here. I hold out a hand to prevent him from going any further toward the door, and remarkably, he stops.

“I’m so fucking sorry, man.”

Dec smiles tightly, dimples and all. He opens his arms and I walk right into him, letting him smack me on the back to console me, as if I’m not the one in the wrong.

I’m a big, heartless loser.

“It’s all good.”

“It’s not,” I mutter, squeezing him tighter. “I fucked up.”

“Eventually, I’ll probably consider asking you again.”

I go rigid. Jolt back and stare at him. “I’m not a groomsman?”

He shakes his head, an evil grin on his mouth. “Not right now, no. You should have shown up.”

“Lowsey,” I balk, but he just shrugs, reaching over to grab the handle of my bag to pass it to me.

“Maybe if you come to the engagement party in December, I’ll reconsider.”

“Engagement party?” I ask. Didn’t he already have one at the house? “What date?”

He shoots me a look, amusement in his eyes. He’s loving this. “You should have been at poker night. I laid this all out for you.”

I throw my head back and groan.