“I don’t either,” he drawls. “But you’re my best friend,Hollis, you’re my family, and I want you to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You’ve sworn off dating and relationships for so long… I guess the idea of seeing you in love makes it kinda hard for me to be mad at you.”
I’m already shaking my head, even as my stomach flips. “I’mnotin love.”
He snorts. “Yeah, okay, buddy. Denial isn’t only a river in Egypt.”
“Oh, fuck off.” I chuckle. “That’s not what?—”
“This is,” he finishes for me. “Yeah, I heard you.”
I stare at him for a moment, at a loss for words. Remi knows… My best friend knows I’ve been sleeping with his boss. He knows, and he’s not mad.
Wow.
Not how I saw today going, but okay.
“How’d you figure it out?” I ask, needing to know.
“Dude…” He huffs out a breath. “You left your hat on his desk.”
“Oh, shit.” I wince. “I did, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.” Chuckling, he says, “Pretty easy to put two and two together.”
“Damn…”
That’s all that’s said about it for the rest of the day. We end up walking closer to the waterfall, and Remi snaps some pictures, then we hop on our bikes and head back to town. Stopping at a diner on the way, I’m surprised hownotawkward things feel between us. It’s like the conversation back at Bay Ridge never even happened. But there’s one thing I can’t get out of my mind…
I’m not in love with Ford.
Yeah, okay, maybe I was completely oblivious to the feelings I have for him, butloveis different. I wouldknowif I was in love with somebody… Right? I haven’t been in love before, but surely, that’s something someone would know, even if they had no experience in that situation.
This is feelings… Not love.
He might’ve been right about one thing, but Remi’s wrong about this.
He is.
I think.
Twenty-Five
Ford
Thunder claps, shaking the windows from its force. It’s nasty outside. It’s been like this for the last half an hour, and it came out of nowhere too. It’s been sunny and clear skies all day, and now it’s downpouring. Can’t imagine things will stay quiet with the weather the way it is.
I’m finishing up the dishes from lunch when footsteps pull my attention over my shoulder. Remi saunters in, lifting his chin when he meets my gaze. “Hey, Cap. Can we talk?”
“Sure.” My heart squeezes as I switch the water off and grab a towel to dry my hands. I knew this was coming since Hollis told me that Remi knows about us. It was through text, and we haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet since it was late, and I had an early morning. I don’t know how Remi knows, or how the conversation went, but I’ve been on edge all day because of it. “In here, or my office?” I ask, tossing the towel on the counter.
“Let’s go to your office.”
Oh boy.
Walking through the station, I see some of my team in the rec room, watching the news. Chandler being one of them. She catches my eye, then drags her gaze over to Remi, mock saluting me, as if she knows what’s going on. Hell, maybe she does. Remi could’ve talked to the team about this before even coming to me.
In my office, I take a seat at my desk, gesturing for Remi to do the same. “So…” I clear my throat. “What’s up?”
Remi breathes out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Happen to talk to Hollis lately?” he asks.
