Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“You can always have my ass, A. You know that.”
“That was the correct answer,” I joke, earning a chuckle from him.
We go to the ticket booth, and I buy us wristbands for the rides and tickets for the games.
Troy says, “I see you’re serious about this date thing.”
“I know. You’ve broken me.” And I don’t want to be fixed.
“Who knew you were a closet sweetheart?”
“Hey, take that back. I’m—”
“Troy! Hey!” We turn at the sound of Colin’s voice. For a moment, I think I feel Troy tense up, but I can’t be sure. Colin approaches us with Ash, Marty, Jesse, and Lance, and Ash is the first one to notice our linked hands. His eyes shoot to Troy’s.
That’s right, motherfucker. He’s mine.
“I’m confused,” Colin says, forehead wrinkled.
“Dude, why are you holding your brother’s hand?” Marty asks.
“Stepbrother,” Troy corrects, but I don’t say shit because again, I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks. We know the truth, and there’s nothing wrong with what we’re doing, so anyone who tries to make it into something it’s not can kiss my ass.
“Same thing,” Marty scoffs.
“No, it’s not,” Ash bites back, and okay, so maybe he’s not as bad as I thought. Definitely don’t see us being BFFs, but the kid’s all right. “They’re not related. It’s not the same thing at all.”
“Don’t be a dick,” Troy tells Marty.
Marty opens his mouth to reply, and before he can say something he’ll regret, I add, “Be real careful, man.”
Marty holds up his hands in surrender. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, but you have to admit it’s a little shocking. Not even as much the fact that you’re stepbrothers, but…it’s you. You’re kind of a dick.”
I grin. “Thank you. So are you.”
“Atlas,” Troy says, and I know he’s rolling his eyes at me, but that he also thinks I’m cute as fuck.
Colin hasn’t said anything. I’m pretty sure Troy realizes it at the same time I do because the air around us thickens. Colin is his best friend, has been for years. It’ll suck if he’s the one out of all of them who can’t accept this.
“Colin?”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I’m your best friend.”
“Aw, did Colin-poo get his feelings hurt?” Lance teases.
“Fuck off,” Colin tells him. “I’m just sayin’…I would have told you.”
“If you were in a relationship with your stepbrother?” Troy asks.
“Hey, why are you dragging me into this?” Ash counters, and yeah, I know it’ll be okay. I don’t doubt how Troy feels about me, but it would kill him to lose a friend. I don’t want to put him in a situation where he has to choose.
Would he even pick me? No. Stop that. Don’t think of that shit.
“Are we done here? Because we’re on a date,” I tell them.
“See why I was shocked? He’s an asshole,” Marty says.
“Stop complimenting me.” I shoot him a look.
“I don’t even know how to reply to that.” Marty frowns.
Troy tugs at me. “We’re gonna go.”
We say our goodbyes to the group, Troy telling Colin he’ll talk to him later, and then we’re on our way. One set of friends down, one to go.
“What do you want to do first?” I ask Troy, though I know what he’s going to say. There aren’t big, crazy rides here like in amusement parks, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s what he’s going to want to do. Troy has always loved rides. He’s like a big kid wanting to go from one to another to another.
“The rides, of course.”
“How did I know you were gonna say that?”
“Because you know me,” he replies. “Better than anyone else.”
Yeah, yeah I do. That fact makes me proud.
*
Given the size of Peachtree Springs, the festival isn’t huge, so I guess it’s not a surprise that we have time to go on every single ride, some of them twice. It’s not something I love nor something I hate, but I do like Troy, and seeing him happy makes me feel invincible.
The only person I’ve ever felt like I made happy is my mom, and that was in a totally different way. But I’ve never been the kind of son Glen wanted. Even before things went down with him and Ellie, I’ve always known he wished I were someone else—someone who plays sports, someone who isn’t surly all the time, someone who cares what people think and wants money above all else, instead of being this strange combination of angry and bleeding heart like he always said Mom was.
But for whatever fucking reason, I make Troy happy, and that’s enough for me.
I scoff.
“What was that about?” Troy asks.
“Nothing. My head. It’s being weirdly mushy tonight.”
He pumps his brows. “Want to let me in on what’s going on in there?” He leans in, brushing his lips to my temple. “Please? I’ll be a good boy.”