Chapter 37
CHAPTER 37
Charlee
“So, you and Drew, huh?” Riley asks.
I wince. “We’re being that obvious?”
“Take a look at your brother.” He leads me in a circle until I can see Brody over his shoulder.
“Shit,” I mutter.
He laughs. “You know, if you’re serious about this thing with Drew, Brody will understand. Eventually.”
I sigh. “His current expression says otherwise.”
“That’s because he knows you’re hiding something. I hate to break this to you, Charlee, but you guys aren’t exactly being discreet. Drew looked like he was about two seconds away from ripping your clothes off before I cut in. Which is why I cut in. My wife would not be very happy if our reception turned into a brawl.”
I smile. “You’re a good man, Riley. Being married looks good on you.”
He beams as he looks across the dance floor and spots his bride. “I’m a lucky guy.”
I smooth my hand down his lapel. “You’ve come a long way from the player I met in Boston.”
Riley gets a wistful expression on his face. “Yeah, I suppose I have. She makes me want to be a better man, ya know?”
“It’s sweet. Hashtag relationship goals.”
He laughs. “Did you really just hashtag me?”
“Couldn’t resist,” I say with a shrug. “In all seriousness, I’m happy for you guys. Really happy.”
“Thank you. Can I just say one more thing before we drop the subject?”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve been around Drew long enough to know that he’s never looked at someone the way he looks at you. Devyn agrees with that, and she knows him better than anyone. If you want to be together—in a serious relationship—stop hiding it. If this is just physical, you have to stop. It’s not worth putting a wedge in their friendship.”
“It’s not just physical,” I admit.
Riley smiles. “I didn’t think so.”
“Don’t you think it’s too soon to be so serious though?”
“Not at all.” He shakes his head. “I knew Devyn was the girl I wanted to spend my life with on the first day we met. I can’t explain why. it was a gut feeling. We were watching football together, drinking beers, and all I could think about was that I could happily spend the rest of my days with her. I was too stupid to act on it at the time, and I did a lot of things that I’ll regret for the rest of my life because of that. Don’t be the dumbass that I was.” He jerks his head in Devyn’s direction. “It took me almost ten years to make her mine. That’s ten years that I fucking wasted because I was too scared to admit the truth. If you get nothing else from this conversation, learn from that.”
I hug him as the song ends. “Thanks, Rye. Now, get back to your gorgeous wife.”
He squeezes me back. “You don’t need to tell me twice.”
Riley practically sprints across the dance floor to take Devyn into his arms. I meet Drew’s eyes across the room and nod in silent understanding before I step away. We’re on the same page about this thing between us. That much is obvious. Now, we just need to figure out how to make it happen with the least amount of collateral damage.