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Chapter no 29

Kiss the Sky

CONNOR COBALT

We reach a frozen lake on our run, which turned into more of a walk with the heavy snow. Ben, whoโ€™s proven to be clumsy, has tripped over his gangly legs three times, even stumbling over a root buried beneath thick white powder. Ryke helped him up after the second and third fall to make

sure he didnโ€™t sprain an ankle. Ben was assigned to follow Lo, Ryke and me only because Brett canโ€™t run, and Rose has latched onto Savannah, picking a favorite. Iโ€™m not surprised it was the girl.

Itโ€™s hard to ignore the guy holding the camera, especially one that has face-planted twice. But weโ€™ve all somehow adapted these past few months.

Lo turns to Ryke and me with a focused look. โ€œSo I have some big news.โ€

โ€œPlease tell me Lily isnโ€™t fucking pregnant,โ€ Ryke immediately jumps to conclusions.

Lo sends him a patented Hale glare. โ€œItโ€™s about the wedding, you asshole.โ€

โ€œYou didnโ€™t give me any fucking hints. Donโ€™t be pissy.โ€

โ€œNot that I donโ€™t enjoy these brotherly spats, itโ€™s cold. Can we get to the point?โ€ I ask.

โ€œMy bachelor party is coming up,โ€ Lo explains. โ€œAnd I have to pick my best manโ€ฆโ€ He looks between us. โ€œSo you can see Iโ€™m at a dilemma.โ€

โ€œHow?โ€ Ryke asks, his brows bunched in confusion. โ€œIโ€™m your fucking brother.โ€

โ€œYeah, but Iโ€™ve known Connor longer.โ€

โ€œBy what? A couple months.โ€ He points accusingly at me. โ€œHe doesnโ€™t even fuckingย loveย you.โ€ Rykeโ€™s voice carries, disturbing the birds as they fly from their tree branches.

โ€œItโ€™s nothing personal,โ€ I defend, my voice easier and calmer than Rykeโ€™s. โ€œI donโ€™t love anyone.โ€

โ€œThere you go,โ€ Loren says like I make complete sense. I must have really been forgiven yesterday. โ€œItโ€™s a tough choice. My best guy friendโ€ฆโ€ He motions to me adding the obligatoryย guyย since his best friend happens to be Lily. โ€œโ€ฆand my half-brother. One of you will be royally pissed at me if I make the decision.โ€

โ€œConnor doesnโ€™t get pissed,โ€ Ryke says.

โ€œI do,โ€ I reply. โ€œI just donโ€™t let you see my anger.โ€

Ryke gives me an annoyed look. โ€œYou donโ€™t even want to be his best man.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s not true. Iโ€™d love the position.โ€ I wait for my choice of words to crawl under his skin.

โ€œYou donโ€™t love anything,โ€ Ryke groans in distress.

โ€œHey!โ€ Lo cuts in and physically pushes Ryke back as he steps closer to my body. But Iโ€™m not afraid of getting punched. โ€œTo make it fair, you two can flip for it.โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ I say quickly. โ€œIโ€™m not leaving this up to chance.โ€

Lo shrugs. โ€œThen youโ€™ll both just have to share it.โ€ He puts a hand on each of our shoulders, standing between us. โ€œCo-best man,โ€ he says to Ryke and then looks to me. โ€œCo-best man.โ€

Ryke glares at me.

And I say easily, โ€œIโ€™m toasting first at the wedding, just so you know.

Iโ€™m afraid youโ€™ll scare the children.โ€ โ€œFuck you.โ€

โ€œMy point exactly.โ€

He restrains himself from flipping me off. โ€œIโ€™m standing closest to Lo when Lily walks down the aisle.โ€

I donโ€™t like losing this part. โ€œYou can stand behind me,โ€ I tell him. Ryke glares harder.

โ€œOr beside me. On the right side.โ€ โ€œFuck off.โ€

โ€œWe can always tie you to the arch.โ€ Iโ€™d actually really enjoy that. โ€œIโ€™ll set out a bowl of water so you donโ€™t get thirsty.โ€

Lo laughs while Ryke just shakes his head.

โ€œThere isnโ€™t going to be an arch at his wedding,โ€ Ryke reminds me. โ€œItโ€™s indoors in a fucking church.โ€

Right. I forgot. Formal. Traditional. Lily and Lo seem more likely to be married in the middle of a comic book conventionโ€”or something else far from the norm. When Rose proposed an outdoor wedding to her mother, she quickly rejected it. Three times. In text, phone and email. That was not a good day for anyone.

โ€œIโ€™ll tie you to a pew then.โ€

Ryke takes another step forward, and Loren puts his hand on his chest. โ€œYou should be honored,โ€ I tell him. โ€œI only tie up the people I really

like.โ€

Ryke rolls his eyes dramatically and shakes his head. โ€œIโ€™m not backing down from this.โ€

Heโ€™s his brother. He should be his best man. The loss is going to sting, but I can manage. Just as I go to relinquish the title, I notice the questioning in Loโ€™s eyes, the narrowed gaze, wondering how much Iโ€™m going to fight for this. If I care at all. Heโ€™s naturally insecure about friendships since heโ€™s had very few.

So I look back to Ryke and say, โ€œLetโ€™s just flip for it.โ€ โ€œReally?โ€

โ€œYeah. Why not?โ€ย Because my odds are now fifty-fifty.

Lo brings a quarter out of his pocket. โ€œWho wants to call it?โ€ Ryke nods to me. โ€œGo ahead, princess.โ€

โ€œStop, youโ€™re making me blush,โ€ I say flatly.

He actually laughs, and both Lo and I share a smile. His brother hasnโ€™t relaxed this whole trip, not with Julian here and Scott threatening to

unhinge his brotherโ€™s life.

Hearing that sound from him lifts the whole mood of our run. โ€œHeads,โ€ I tell Lo.

He tosses the coin in the air, and it comes down into his palm. He cups his hand over the quarter, and I hear the mechanical groan of Benโ€™s camera as he zooms in over my shoulder.

Lo uncovers the coin.

Tails.

This is why I hate gambling. I usually lose.

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