Page 26

Wyatt

The past few weeks have gone by in a blur—classes, shifts at Sweet Tooth, and late nights with Zane.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go inside and see your family?” I ask gently, watching Zane’s expression as we sit parked outside his childhood home. “Miles is home, and I’m sure he’d love to see you. Your mom, Myla… even your dad is here.”

His jaw tightens, but he shakes his head. “I already told them we had plans with your family and wouldn’t be joining them today.”

A knot twists in my stomach. I know how complicated his relationship with his father is—how deep the wounds run. After he got back from his meeting with Coach, he told me everything. The suspension. The argument in the parking lot. The tension that never seems to let up.

Yet I struggle with this part of things.

I know Zane has every right to be angry. The secrets, the lies, the way his father has manipulated every situation to serve his own interests—it’s a lot. But I also know what it’s like not to have my dad here anymore.

No matter how many times he frustrated me, no matter how many holidays were strained after the divorce, I’d give anything for one more Thanksgiving with him.

But Zane’s situation is different, and I remind myself it’s not fair to compare. His feelings are just as valid as mine, and the last thing he needs is me making him feel guilty for staying away.

So instead, we head to Friendsgiving.

Since fall break is short and the team has to stay close for practice leading up to the conference championship, most of the guys are still in town. To make up for it, they’re deep-frying a turkey and turning the day into a full-blown event. Later tonight, after my mom finishes her shift at the bar, we’ll head to my grandparents’ for dinner. It’s different from how I used to celebrate growing up, but this is my first Thanksgiving with Zane, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The moment we step inside, the sound of the NFL game fills the air, mixed with the occasional yell of frustration from the guys gathered in the living room. The girls are sprawled out in comfy clothes, their legs tucked under them as they lounge on the couches.

I was warned about the dress code last night and didn’t hesitate for a second.

A day spent in sweats and one of Zane’s oversized hoodies, stuffing my face while curled up next to him and surrounded by our friends? Sign me up.

Zane gives my hand a quick squeeze before releasing it, heading toward the kitchen and out the back door. I know where he’s going—straight to Colter.

Neither of them has spoken since the conversation outside the garage the other night. Colter texted me the following morning asking how Zane was doing, and I was relieved he decided to give him some space. But I also knew my brother, and if there was ever a time for that long-overdue talk, today would be it.

“How’s he holding up?” Everly asks as I sink onto the couch beside her and Tate.

Across from us, Ava and Hallyn sit cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the coffee table, their eyes locked on me.

I sigh, running my fingers over the sleeve of my hoodie. “It depends on the day. Hell, sometimes it depends on the hour. One minute, he’s fine, like nothing’s bothering him. The next, he’s pissed over a text from his dad or an article in the tabloids trying to stir up drama between him and Luca.”

Tate frowns. “The media’s still running with that crap?”

“Of course they are,” I mutter. “The fight gave them a story, and with the championship coming up, they’ll do whatever they can to add fuel to the fire. There’s even speculation that if Braysen and Keaton make the playoffs, they could face each other again.”

Hallyn groans. “Great. Because that’s exactly what he needs right now.”

I nod, my stomach twisting at the thought.

As much as Zane is trying to move forward, the weight of everything—the suspension, his father, the truth about Luca—still lingers. And no matter how much I want to protect him from it all, I know he’ll have to fight some battles on his own.

I’ve also made it known he’s not fighting them alone.

“Yeah, that’s what Beckham was telling me too,” Hallyn says, nodding.

I remember the drama when she split from Keaton’s quarterback and started dating Beckham. Her ex didn’t handle it well, and rumors swirled that the guys had stepped in, roughing him up and making it clear that if he came around again, things would get worse.

“How’s Zane handling everything with the media?” Everly asks, her voice dipping with concern.

We’ve been keeping in touch more lately. She understands better than most what it’s like to date someone in the public eye. The tabloids print their fair share of crap about all the guys, but only Hayes has truly been burned by them before.

I sigh, rolling my shoulders. “I’ve been trying to keep him off his phone. Between his dad texting him, pissed that he skipped Thanksgiving, and the media running stories about the game and the fight, it’s better if he avoids it.”

Tate grins knowingly. “Well, you two are still in that honeymoon phase, so I’m sure you’ve been finding plenty of ways to distract him.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks, the image of Zane’s hands on me flashing through my mind, and the girls erupt into laughter.

“We’ve definitely been enjoying fall break,” I admit, biting my lip to fight back a knowing smile.

Hallyn sighs dramatically, stretching her legs out in front of her. “I miss those days.” She presses a hand to her chest. “Don’t get me wrong, Beckham still can’t keep his hands off me, but I remember when it was new and all-consuming.”

She wiggles her eyebrows, and the girls burst into laughter. I shake my head, warmth creeping up my neck.

Ava pushes herself up from the couch, drowning in an oversized sweatshirt that clearly belongs to Colter—it’s practically five times her size.

“We should probably head outside,” she suggests. “Colter mentioned wanting to talk to Zane at some point. Maybe we should make sure they’re all behaving.”

“Oh jeez,” Everly chirps. “You’d think we could take these guys somewhere without supervision.”

When we step outside, the crisp evening air greets us, carrying the smoky scent of the bonfire pit burning a few feet away. The guys are gathered in a loose circle around the fryer, beer bottles in hand, their conversation low and relaxed.

Zane stands next to Colter, their shoulders squared in a way that tells me their talk is already over—or at least settled. The second Zane spots me, his expression softens, and whatever conversation they were having fades into the background.

I take a seat next to Ava and Tate, stretching my legs toward the fire. Zane cracks open a beer, handing it to me before leaning over the back of my chair to press a lingering kiss against my lips.

A slow smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “So?”

His blue eyes glint with mischief as he shrugs. “What’s he gonna do? We’re two consenting adults. Whether he likes it or not, he’s just gonna have to get used to it.”

“I can hear you, you prick,” Colter grumbles from across the fire.

Zane’s grin widens as he leans in and kisses me again, his tongue teasing the seam of my lips before I open for him.

“All right, back the fuck up.” Colter’s voice cuts through the moment. “You two can save that shit for later.”

Ava rolls her eyes. “Oh, knock it off. It’s not like you weren’t doing worse with me behind Alec’s back.”

The guys laugh, and Colter groans, rubbing a hand over his face as Ava smirks in victory.

I settle deeper into my chair, Zane’s warm hand resting on my thigh, and take a sip of my beer. The night stretches ahead of us, and for the first time in weeks, it feels like things are falling into place.

As I break the kiss, a laugh bubbles out of me, partly because Colter’s grumbling is so damn predictable and partly because Ava’s right—he doesn’t have much room to talk.

Alec might be her brother, but he was also Colter’s former teammate before transferring to Keaton. I never got the full story, just the whispers about him feeling overlooked, not getting enough playing time, so he made the switch. It rubbed a lot of the guys the wrong way—Colter included. Not that they were best friends or anything, but there was a sense of loyalty among teammates, and Alec’s transfer felt like a betrayal.

Then again, considering Alec was tight with Hallyn’s ex, maybe those lines of loyalty were already blurred.

The conversation shifts as we all gather around the fire, the scent of crisp autumn air mixing with the rich aroma of frying turkey. When they first told me they were cooking two, I thought it was overkill—until I remembered we had five football players here, plus the five of us girls. Yeah, it made sense.

By the time the food is ready, we move inside to finish prepping the sides. The girls had gotten most of the dishes done earlier in the day, so it’s just a matter of putting on the finishing touches while we wait for Colter to carve the turkey.

Dinner is loud and full of laughter, the kind of easy, familiar chaos that makes it feel like home. After eating, we all migrate to the living room, the NFL game already playing in the background.

“Wyatt.” Colter’s voice carries from behind me, and when I glance at Zane, his gaze is already locked on mine.

Zane nods, silently telling me it’ll be okay. Whatever conversation he and Colter had earlier must have settled something between them because he actually looks... pleased.

“I’ll be back,” I say softly.

Zane gives me a lazy grin. “I’ll be here.”

Colter holds the door open, and I step outside, the cool night air wrapping around me. The fire is still crackling, sending sparks into the darkness. As Colter tosses a few more logs onto the flames, I grab a blanket from the back of a chair and settle into the seat beside him.

For a few seconds, he just stares into the fire, the orange glow casting sharp angles over his face. Then he exhales a quiet laugh.

“I think I always knew this day would come.”

My head jerks toward him. “What do you mean?”

His smirk is infuriatingly smug. “The day you and Zane finally pulled your heads out of your asses and realized you’ve been in love with each other for years.”

I suck in a breath—big mistake. It sends me into a coughing fit, and Colter outright laughs, his shoulders shaking as I slap a hand over my mouth, trying to catch my breath. I slug his arm, but it only makes him laugh harder.

“Give it a rest already, you asshole.”

“I mean, I think your reaction just proved my point.” He grins, shaking his head.

I narrow my eyes. “So what? You knew this whole time?”

“That you two were sneaking around?” He shrugs. “No. But I’ve known you both had feelings for each other for a long time. You think I didn’t notice the way you used to track his every move when he was at our house? Or the way he’d watch you when he thought no one else was looking?”

My stomach flips. “You caught that?”

Colter nods, his expression softer now. “Anyone who’s spent more than five minutes around you two could see it. You’ve been in love with him since we were practically kids. Although…” He tilts his head, studying me. “I don’t know if you knew it the way you feel it now.”

I let out a slow breath. “He was there for me through a lot of hard times.”

Colter nods, his gaze thoughtful. “He said the same thing. I didn’t realize just how much you two were leaning on each other. I always worried you were bottling things up, keeping everything locked away. But knowing you had someone—him—puts my mind at ease. It tells me a lot more about how deep your bond really is.”

A small smile tugs at my lips. “It wasn’t always easy. We fought plenty, but we’ve moved past those times.”

Colter watches me carefully, his expression unreadable. “Have you told him how you feel?”

My head snaps toward him, my heart kicking up speed. He smirks. “I take it that’s a no?”

I let out a shaky laugh, rubbing my hands over my thighs. “I guess I’ve been waiting for the right time. He’s had so much on his plate, and he pushed me away the last time we got close. What if…”

“I don’t think he’s going to do that again.”

I blink, my throat suddenly dry. “What makes you so sure?”

Colter leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Because he told me he made the mistake of letting you go once before, and he sure as hell isn’t going to make it again. He warned me not to try pushing him away because he’s not going anywhere.”

My breath catches. “He… he told you that?”

Colter nods.

“Today?”

Another nod.

My stomach does a slow, weightless flip.

“I told him if he hurt you, I’d beat his ass.” Colter smirks. “Said that fight with Luca would look like a damn warm-up compared to what I’d do to him.”

I groan, dropping my face into my hands. “Seriously?”

“What do you expect? I’m still your big brother. It’s my job to make sure no one screws with you.”

I peek up at him. “I can take care of myself, Colter.”

“I know you can. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be there to back you up.”

There’s an unspoken meaning behind his words. He’s my brother, and in a way, he’s taken on the role our dad would’ve played—being the one to look out for me, to protect me, even when I don’t ask for it.

“As your older brother, I’m also telling you—you should tell him how you feel. I think you might be surprised by what he says back.”

I swallow hard, my emotions tangled between hope and nerves. But before I can talk myself out of it, I stand and lean down toward Colter, wrapping my arms around his seated frame. He pulls me in without a moment’s pause, surrounding me in that familiar warmth that makes my chest ache.

“I’m happy for you, sis.” His voice is rough but genuine. “If I could handpick anyone for you, it would be Zane. I trust he knows how damn lucky he is to have you. And he’s promised to take good care of you.”

My throat burns. “I love you,” I mumble against his shoulder.

“Love you too.”

“All right, all right, get off my girl.”

Zane’s voice is all playfulness and possessiveness, cutting through the moment as he steps onto the back porch.

I turn, grinning as he watches us with mock irritation.

He flicks his eyes toward the garage, silently telling me what he wants. I drag my lip between my teeth, shaking my head, amused.

Colter chuckles. “Don’t make me kick your ass already. Just because I gave my blessing doesn’t mean I won’t knock you out. It’s Thanksgiving, after all. I’m trying to be grateful.”

Zane doesn’t even look at him. He just reaches for me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulls me tight against his side.

His voice is low, meant only for me. “I’m feeling extra thankful for you, baby.”

Then he kisses me, slow and deep, and I know without a doubt—I don’t need to wait anymore.