“How?”
He sighs and presses his fingers to his forehead. “If I knew you brought me here to give you relationship advice, I would have charged you. I’ve got my own problems, you know.”
“Like what?” I ask him. He hasn’t told me anything.
He waves me off. “Another time,” he says. “For now, you need to tell her how you feel.”
“How?” I ask. “How do I make her see that I want her? Not just for tonight or while this fake relationship thing goes on, but forever.”
He smirks. “It wasn’t long ago that you were singing a different tune.”
I breathe out a laugh. “Because she aggravated me.” We might have started off on the wrong foot, but somehow, along the way, she’s become the only thing I look forward to. These events used to be a drag, but I couldn’t wait to come to this one just to be near her.
“And that’s changed?” my best friend asks me.
I smirk, rubbing my thumb over my bottom lip as I look toward her again. “Nah,” I tell him. “She still does. But I like it.”
“I can’t believe it.” He shakes his head, a playful smirk on his lips. “I never thought I’d see you like this over a girl.”
“Shut up.” I glare at him. She might be across the room, but I don’t want to take any chances.
“It’s about time,” he says. “I never thought I’d see the day where you stop thinking of everyone else and actually focus on yourself for once.”
My brows furrow as I take in what he’s telling me. “I do focus on myself.”
He pulls his eyebrows together. “Lucas, you got accepted into Stanford,” he says. “And you didn’t go because you wanted to be here for your mom.” He shakes his head, letting out a scoff. “You gave up New York and moved back here to take care of me.”
“You needed me,” I tell him with a frown. “Adrianna needed me. You all did.”
“No, we didn’t. Your mom is a grown woman, Lucas. Believe it or not, she can take care of herself. And Adrianna had me, she had your mom, she had Leila, and she had you.You didn’t need to move back because of it. And as for me, I’m fine.”
“You were not fine,” I say, narrowing my eyes at him. “James, you almost died.” He turns his head, his jaw clenching. “I wasn’t here, and you went through one of the hardest things someone could go through. Tell me how that’s fine.”
When he turns to look at me, his eyes are brimmed with tears, and I feel like an asshole for bringing it up when he tries to shove it out of the way, but I need him to know that I didn’t move back for nothing. I moved back because I was needed.
“Look at me,” he says. I turn my head to my best friend. “I’m fine,” he reiterates. “I’m walking again, and I’m alive. I love you, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. You and your family.” He swallows, his voice cracking with emotion. “You have been the best thing I could have asked for, but if anything had happened to me, it wouldn’t have been your fault.” He shoots me a smile. “And your mom… she loves you, Lucas. All she wants is for you to be happy. You don’t need to give up your dream for her, for us. We don’t want that.”
I swallow harshly, shaking my head. “Even if I wanted to go back to school… I’m twenty-three. It’s too late now.”
“It’s not too late,” he says. “And it’s not too late to start over with Madi, either.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Since when do you call her Madi?”
He grins. “Don’t be jealous I’m befriending her. You’re still my best friend.”
I snicker, but when I look over at Madeline, she’s still talking to that guy, and I hate it. Hate that I can’t stake my claim because she’s not mine.
“She likes some other guy,” I tell him with a sigh.
“Who?”
I shake my head. “Some asshole from her school. And he’s into her too. I can see it from a mile away.”
“As much as you?” he asks.
I let out a shrug. “I don’t fucking know. But I doubt it.”
“Then go for it,” he encourages.
