CONNOR COBALT
We reach a frozen lake on our run, which turned into more of a walk with the heavy snow. Ben, who’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 didn’t sprain an ankle. Ben was assigned to follow Lo, Ryke and me only because Brett can’t run, and Rose has latched onto Savannah, picking a favorite. I’m not surprised it was the girl.
It’s hard to ignore the guy holding the camera, especially one that has face-planted twice. But we’ve all somehow adapted these past few months.
Lo turns to Ryke and me with a focused look. “So I have some big news.”
“Please tell me Lily isn’t fucking pregnant,” Ryke immediately jumps to conclusions.
Lo sends him a patented Hale glare. “It’s about the wedding, you asshole.”
“You didn’t give me any fucking hints. Don’t be pissy.”
“Not that I don’t enjoy these brotherly spats, it’s cold. Can we get to the point?” I ask.
“My bachelor party is coming up,” Lo explains. “And I have to pick my best man…” He looks between us. “So you can see I’m at a dilemma.”
“How?” Ryke asks, his brows bunched in confusion. “I’m your fucking brother.”
“Yeah, but I’ve known Connor longer.”
“By what? A couple months.” He points accusingly at me. “He doesn’t even fucking love you.” Ryke’s voice carries, disturbing the birds as they fly from their tree branches.
“It’s nothing personal,” I defend, my voice easier and calmer than Ryke’s. “I don’t love anyone.”
“There you go,” Loren says like I make complete sense. I must have really been forgiven yesterday. “It’s a tough choice. My best guy friend…” He motions to me adding the obligatory guy since his best friend happens to be Lily. “…and my half-brother. One of you will be royally pissed at me if I make the decision.”
“Connor doesn’t get pissed,” Ryke says.
“I do,” I reply. “I just don’t let you see my anger.”
Ryke gives me an annoyed look. “You don’t even want to be his best man.”
“That’s not true. I’d love the position.” I wait for my choice of words to crawl under his skin.
“You don’t love anything,” Ryke groans in distress.
“Hey!” Lo cuts in and physically pushes Ryke back as he steps closer to my body. But I’m not afraid of getting punched. “To make it fair, you two can flip for it.”
“No,” I say quickly. “I’m not leaving this up to chance.”
Lo shrugs. “Then you’ll both just have to share it.” He puts a hand on each of our shoulders, standing between us. “Co-best man,” he says to Ryke and then looks to me. “Co-best man.”
Ryke glares at me.
And I say easily, “I’m toasting first at the wedding, just so you know.
I’m afraid you’ll scare the children.” “Fuck you.”
“My point exactly.”
He restrains himself from flipping me off. “I’m standing closest to Lo when Lily walks down the aisle.”
I don’t like losing this part. “You can stand behind me,” I tell him. Ryke glares harder.
“Or beside me. On the right side.” “Fuck off.”
“We can always tie you to the arch.” I’d actually really enjoy that. “I’ll set out a bowl of water so you don’t get thirsty.”
Lo laughs while Ryke just shakes his head.
“There isn’t going to be an arch at his wedding,” Ryke reminds me. “It’s indoors in a fucking church.”
Right. I forgot. Formal. Traditional. Lily and Lo seem more likely to be married in the middle of a comic book convention—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.
“I’ll tie you to a pew then.”
Ryke takes another step forward, and Loren puts his hand on his chest. “You should be honored,” I tell him. “I only tie up the people I really
like.”
Ryke rolls his eyes dramatically and shakes his head. “I’m not backing down from this.”
He’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 Lo’s eyes, the narrowed gaze, wondering how much I’m going to fight for this. If I care at all. He’s naturally insecure about friendships since he’s had very few.
So I look back to Ryke and say, “Let’s just flip for it.” “Really?”
“Yeah. Why not?” Because my odds are now fifty-fifty.
Lo brings a quarter out of his pocket. “Who wants to call it?” Ryke nods to me. “Go ahead, princess.”
“Stop, you’re making me blush,” I say flatly.
He actually laughs, and both Lo and I share a smile. His brother hasn’t relaxed this whole trip, not with Julian here and Scott threatening to
unhinge his brother’s life.
Hearing that sound from him lifts the whole mood of our run. “Heads,” 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 Ben’s camera as he zooms in over my shoulder.
Lo uncovers the coin.
Tails.
This is why I hate gambling. I usually lose.
