Page 9

CHAPTER EIGHT

RHYS

Grumpy’s is packed tonight. The music pulses in the air, practically vibrating with energy, while the scent of alcohol and fried food hangs thick in the warm, bustling space. Laughter, voices, and the clinking of glasses create a tumultuous symphony around me, but I don’t see any of it. I only see Ally.

She’s tucked into the corner booth with Yasmin and Ella, her fingers tracing the rim of her beer as she listens to their conversation. Her lips curve slightly at something Ella says, but it’s not her usual full-bodied laugh that lights up the room.

It feels strained, as if she's pretending to be okay, to convince herself everything’s alright. I feel like she is still trying to avoid me.

I’m fucking sick of it.

Five days. Five days of her slipping away, dodging my calls, ignoring my texts, and avoiding my fucking presence. Five days since she let me kiss her, then ran away like it meant nothing.

I shoulder past a group of guys loitering near the bar, barely registering their grumbled complaints. My pulse hammers in my ears as I reach their booth, planting my hands on the table as I level her with a look. “We need to talk.”

Her fingers tighten around her glass, her posture going rigid. “I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

Ella glances between us, her brows lifting slightly. “Pretty sure this conversation is happening whether you want it to or not.”

Ally sighs, but she doesn’t argue. Avoiding eye contact, she slips from the booth. I don’t give her a chance to change her mind before I grab her hand and lead her towards the side exit. She doesn’t fight me, but I can feel the tension radiating off her in waves.

The alley behind Grumpy’s is dimly lit, the distant sound of traffic humming in the background. I turn to face her, releasing her wrist. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

She scoffs, crossing her arms. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because every time we’re alone, you corner me like this?”

I drag a hand through my hair, frustration curling within my body. “You kissed me back, Ally. You can’t pretend that didn’t mean something.”

Her jaw tightens. “I know it did.”

“Then why the hell are you running from me?” It’s fucking with my head. I want to give her space and time, but I need her to talk to me. She’s one of my best friends.

She exhales sharply, shaking her head. “Because this is risky, Rhys. We can’t just... jump into something and pretend like it won’t change everything.”

I step closer, lowering my voice. “It’s already changed everything.” All I think about is her. She is consuming me from the inside out.

Swallowing hard, she glances at my lips, then quickly looks away. “We’ve spent years dancing around this, and now it’s real. And if we screw it up, it’s not just us who’ll feel it. Our friends, our entire dynamic—it could all fall apart.”

I let her words settle between us, the weight of them pressing against my chest.

I get it.

I do.

But that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t keep pretending I don’t want her.

That I haven’t wanted her since the moment I met her.

I reach out, cupping her cheek, my thumb brushing against her skin. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, Ally.”

Her breath catches, her lashes fluttering. “Rhys...”

“I was just a kid when I fell for you,” I continue, my voice rough. “And I told myself I had to bury it. That you were my best friend and that had to be enough. But it wasn’t. It never was.” I let my walls down so she can see the honesty in my words.

She blinks up at me, and for a moment, I think she’s going to say something. Maybe tell me she feels the same. But instead, she takes a step back, breaking my touch. “If we do this… we have to be careful.”

My heart pounds. “What are you saying?”

She looks up at me, uncertainty flickering in her green eyes. “I’m saying I want this too. But we need to take this slow. And we need to keep it quiet for now.”

I study her, searching for any sign of hesitation. But all I see is fear—the same fear that’s been clawing at my chest since the moment I kissed her. Fear that this could be the best thing that’s ever happened to us… or the one thing that ruins everything.

I nod. “Okay.”

Her lips part slightly, like she wasn’t expecting me to agree so easily. “Okay?”

I step forward, closing the distance between us. “But I need you to promise me something.”

She tilts her chin up. “What?”

I slide a hand into her hair, my fingers tangling at the nape of her neck. “Promise me you won’t push me away again.”

Her breath hitches, but she nods. “I promise.”

That’s all I need.

I crush my lips against hers, pouring every ounce of longing, frustration, and love into the kiss. She melts against me instantly, her hands gripping my shirt, pulling me closer. I slide an arm around her waist, pressing her against me, swallowing the soft sound she makes when I deepen the kiss.

This is it. This is everything.

Years of fear are finally gone.

When we finally pull apart, her eyes are glazed, her lips swollen. She exhales shakily, resting her forehead against mine. “This is insane.”

I chuckle, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Yeah. But it’s our kind of insane.”

She laughs softly, but then her smile falters. “I still don’t know how this ends, Rhys.”

I press a kiss to her forehead. “Then let’s not think about the ending yet.”

She nods, but there’s still hesitation in her eyes. And as we step back inside, blending into the noise of Grumpy’s, I can’t shake the feeling that no matter how much I want her, how much I need her—there’s still a part of her that’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Ella and Yasmin watch us emerge from the back hallway; their eyes lingering as we return to the booth. I shove my hands into my pockets, painfully aware of how awkward this is about to be.

“Have a nice chat, you two?” Ella’s voice cuts through the noise, sharp with implication as we rejoin them.

Ally sits down across from her, playing with her hair with shaky fingers. “It was fine,” she says, but the tightness in her voice gives her away.

Yasmin arches an eyebrow, looking between us with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “So, are we going to pretend like that didn’t just happen?”

I slump into the seat beside Ally, trying to act casual as I grab a discarded menu. “We were just talking,” I mutter, though I know it’s useless to pretend with these two.

“Talking,” Ella repeats, drawing out the word like it’s some kind of joke. She leans back, folding her arms with a knowing grin. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

Ally nudges me under the table, a silent plea for backup. But I’m too busy watching the colour rise in her cheeks, that same mix of boldness and hesitation that drove me crazy enough to drag her out of here in the first place.

Yasmin shakes her head, her expression more sympathetic. “Whatever it was, you guys looked intense. Are you okay?”

Ally hesitates, and for a moment, I think she’s going to crumble under the weight of their questions. But then she squares her shoulders, drawing in a breath like she’s gearing up for a fight.

“We’re okay,” she insists, a little too firmly, like she’s trying to convince herself. Her eyes flick to mine, that stubborn fire still burning bright. “Seriously, we are.”

Ella exchanges a look with Yasmin, but whatever silent conversation they’re having, they don’t push any further.

Yet.

I let the silence settle in, feeling the tension start to ease now that they’ve decided not to interrogate us into oblivion. But it’s not entirely gone. I know these girls well enough to realise that they’re just biding their time, waiting for the right moment to press for more.

The only question is how long we’ll be able to play it cool before everything comes out.

Ally shifts next to me, the warmth of her thigh brushing against mine. I see the way she glances at Ella and Yasmin, trying to gauge how much they’ve figured out already.

My phone vibrates with a text message in our group chat.

Ella

It’s safe to be at home now. It seems Rhys and Ally have sorted out their crap.

Arden

Thank God for that. Where are you?

Ally sees the messages as well. I lean in, my voice low enough that only she can hear. “You don’t have to worry,” I say. “I’m not going to let this blow up in our faces.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a second, there’s something like relief in them. But then she looks away, staring at the table like it holds all the answers she can’t quite find.

I didn’t realise how obvious this was to everyone around us. I knew Ally was avoiding me, but I didn’t think our friends had seen it too.

Another message comes through, and I glare at Ella as I read it.

Ella

Grumpy’s. We’re about to order margaritas.

Ella and margs mean one thing.

Tonight’s about to get loud.

I reach for the jug of beer and pour myself a drink, trying to focus on anything but the heaviness I feel. On anything but the feel of Ally’s lips on mine, the way she pulled away like she was afraid of what it meant.

This is harder than I thought it would be. Having her so close without being able to be with her the way I want. But I have to believe it’s worth it. That we’re worth it.

I hand her a glass, watching as she takes it with a small, grateful smile.

And then we just sit there, trying to act normal while the rest of the night spins around us, pretending everything’s the same, even though we both know it’s not.

Until finally, Ally releases a shaky breath, like she can’t stand the pressure of it all. She lowers her voice so only I can hear. “This... this isn’t going to be easy, is it?”

I take a long sip from my drink, the burn of it grounding me as I meet her gaze. “No,” I admit, feeling the truth of it sink in. “But it’ll be worth it.”