“We figured you two had either made up or killed each other by now.”
“Is the party over?” I asked.
Cole raised his eyebrow and grinned as he looked at me. “Do you hear music?”
Brady elbowed him. “Yes, it’s over. It’s about four a.m. Oh, here’s your phone back.” He tossed it my way but it bounced off my leg and onto the couch. My reflexes apparently weren’t operational yet.
Cole tossed Gideon his phone, and he managed to catch it.
“We’re pissed at you two,” I said.
Brady shrugged. “So, we’ll wait a week and then lock ourselves in the basement and yell at each other until we kiss and make up.”
“Which I’m assuming is what happened?” Cole asked.
“We didn’t get to the kissing part,” Gideon said stiffly. Or maybe I interpreted it that way because every muscle in my body felt stiff.
The cousins looked at me. “It’s going to take some time,” I said. “But yeah, we kind of… cleared the air.” I looked over at Gideon, and he nodded.
“Maybe sometime you can fill us in,” Cole said.
“How is it your business?” Gideon said, apparently still mad at being locked in. I put my hand on his arm and stroked softly, wanting to calm him down.
“It kind of is our business if the four of us are going to be in a relationship together,” Brady said. “If that’s what you still want.”
I thought it over even though I was already nodding. “Yeah. I do.”
“Me too,” Brady said, and Cole nodded. Then we all looked at Gideon.
“Me too,” he said, and I wrapped my arm around his and squeezed.
“Then it looks like we have some things to work out,” Cole said.
“Now?” I said with a gulp.
“Yes,” Brady insisted. “Because Cole and I have been working on a solution while the two of you were off nursing your wounds.”
“Which is?” Gideon asked.
Nerves hit me, and I spoke before anyone could answer. “Can I just say something?”
Cole grinned. “Of course. You’re a rather pivotal part of this dynamic.”
What I had to say was too important to me to laugh. “The thing is… I like you guys. A lot. I think I’m even falling in love with you.” I held my breath, not meeting anyone’s eye.
“You’re not the only one feeling that,” Brady said at last.
“What the problem, then?” Cole asked, correctly reading my tone.
“As I said, I have feelings for you…”
“You actually used the L word, but who’s keeping score,” Brady quipped.
“Let her talk,” Gideon scolded.
I nodded at him before continuing. “The thing is… as much as I like you, and as much as I want to be with you, I can’t do that whole Hallmark movie thing where the big city girl falls in love with the small-town boy and gives up her apartment and her career for him. For them.” Tears threatened to spill again as I stared down at the floor, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
Then a hand touched my knee. “No one’s asking you to,” Brady said gently, and the others nodded.