Page 15 of Fragile Lives

“Alright, alright,” Keith says, subtly wiping his pink nose. “Congratulations, son. You finally grew some balls.”

Everyone at the table freezes, expecting Alex to go ballistic. My old muscle memory works, and my body tightens, preparing to drag him away if needed. There were too many stories from when Alex couldn’t control himself, and shit hit the fan. But it looks like he managed it, since he lets out a loud chuckle, throwing his arm over Freya’s shoulders.

“It was about time,” he says.

I feel Kenneth and Leila relax next to me. Kenneth leans back in his chair, letting out a relieved sigh, and Leila wipes her palms on her jeans.

“That’s right, bro.” Kenneth cackles. “Can’t say I don’t agree with Aiden.”

“You’re older than me, idiot.” Alex flips him off with a smile.

A cloud rolls over Kenneth as he thinks. “Oh shit, I’m not twenty anymore.”

“And it’s been like that for a long time, honey.” Stella pats his hand on the table. “When will you find a nice girl and settle down too? I want grandchildren.” Her face is twisted in a silent plea, focused on Kenneth while he manically looks around the table for support. None is offered. Instead, they’re all happy he’s at the center of the roast, so he clears his throat.

“So, when is the date?” he asks Alex.

I send Kenneth an appreciative glance—sleek move, man.

“Next Saturday,” Freya spits out as fast as she can, blinking rapidly.

“What?” comes a chorus of voices, followed by “Why?”

“Well,” Freya exchanges a happy look with Alex, “we’re expecting.”

“What?” exclaims another round of excited voices. Everyone seems surprised, but not Leila. She’s sitting back in her chair silently with a knowing smirk plastered on her face as she sips her water. She’s quiet again. In fact, I’ve never seen a woman so quiet. It’s funny, considering she had so much to tell me on the bridge.

“Did you know?” I can’t resist asking her, bothered by her ignoring me the whole evening.

She finally turns to me slowly, with a lifted brow. “I had my suspicions.”

“Don’t you always?” I whisper, a little more flirtatious than I intended, but it comes naturally.

Her brows stay arched. “Do you really wanna go there?” She licks her lips. “Archie.”

An inappropriate ping of excitement in my dick makes me clench my jaw, but she takes it as an act of aggression. “Yeah, didn’t think so,” she says, turning away.

Everyone is talking around the table, but my mind is far away. I’m fucking happy for Alex, but he was the last straw that connected me to the past. The last thread. The more I’m aroundhim, the more I understand how much he’s changed, and I can’t use him as a crutch. I’ll only drag him down because that’s where I’m headed. It’s time to check out from Little Hope.

I keep stirring in my unhappy thoughts until my name is called.

“…with Archie. What do you think?”

I lift my eyes and find everyone watching me. I clear my throat, “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked,” Alex repeats, “if you would be my best man?”

My throat contracts and I look around the table, searching for any indication that I’m being pranked. “Me?”

“Yeah.”

I find Alex’s eyes, and he gives me a subtle nod.

“I thought…” I blink. “I mean, I thought Justin or Kenneth would be your best man.”

“They’ll be in the groom’s flock. But I want you by my side,” Alex states firmly.

I can’t breathe. That’s not what I expected. I’ll fuck it up somehow; I just know it. I want to refuse, but instead, I find myself saying, “Yeah, sure. I’ll be happy to.”