43. Rhys

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Rhys

I take a deep breath.

I can do this. I’ve never been nervous talking to Elton, and I’m not about to start now.

I don’t even bother knocking—we’re those types of friends—and step right into his room. He’s sitting in his oversized fluffy beanbag chair, a controller in hand as he angrily pushes on the buttons. The look on his face lets me know that he’s not doing too well. Great.

Skipping the polite bullshit chit-chat, I head straight to the point. I walk in and stand in front of his television, arms crossed as I stare him down. “We need to talk.”

“Go away, Rhys,” he growls, craning his neck to look around my body. “I’m not talking to you.”

I scoff as I roll my eyes. “You’re being childish.”

This gets to him. He throws his controller on the floor, jumping to his feet. “Don’t I have the right? You and my brother are fucking . How did you expect me to react? Or were you even planning on telling me at all?”

“Of course we were,” I tell him as I hold out my hands placatingly. “We just weren’t ready yet.”

“Because you knew it was wrong,” he challenges.

“There’s nothing wrong about Everest and me being together,” I snap, growing defensive and—honestly—a tad bit hostile. “You’re my best friend, but imply that one more time, and I’m going to hit you.”

He narrows his eyes, almost like he’s ready to bite back, but he smartly shuts his mouth. After a second, he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I just don’t get it.”

I nod and gesture for him to sit back down. “So let’s talk.”

Hesitating, he looks at me cautiously before settling back down in the beanbag chair. He props his elbows on his knees, clapping his hands in front of him. “When I left, the two of you weren’t even speaking. I half thought you didn’t even like Everest. Now I come back, and he’s got your dick in his mouth and you’re apparently in love with him?—”

I stop him right there. We’re not going to play this game. I want there to be zero misunderstanding between us. “I am in love with him. There’s no apparently there. I love Everest.”

He blinks at me, opening and closing his mouth as he shakes his head. “I just don’t get how this happened.”

“Trust me, I didn’t see it coming either. Everest and I have history. He…” I trail off, shrugging in place of words as I bite my tongue. “You know what, it’s not my place to share that part.”

He doesn’t look at all pleased by that. The way he’s taking deep, even breaths lets me know that he’s trying his hardest to stay calm and reasonable and lock down all the frustration he’s experiencing. “So what can you tell me?”

This is easy enough. When I pictured telling Elton about Everest and me, this is what I wanted. I didn’t want to have to explain myself or justify my decisions. I wanted to just talk about the good—the incredible—and that’s it. Now that I have a chance to gush about my guy, I’m not going to waste it.

“I can tell you how incredible he is,” I start, a dopey smile on my face as I sit on the beanbag next to him. “How he makes me want to be a better person. How with him, I feel like I can accomplish anything.”

“You crossed a line,” he states, leveling me with a clenched jaw. “I trusted you with him.”

“And I’m sorry you feel that way, but I don’t think I did anything wrong.” I take a mental step back from the conversation. I know Elton practically better than he knows himself. He’s too resistant. When I told Everest that everything would be okay, I meant it, but Elton’s being particularly difficult. “What’s the hangup, Elt?”

It takes him a moment to answer. He looks so hesitant, like he really doesn’t want to say what he’s thinking, but what’s new? Elton’s always been one to push unpleasant shit under the rug. It’s his M.O. But I’m not letting him off easily this time. We’re talking about this, no matter how uncomfortable it makes him. I don’t need to say anything to have him understand that I’m not budging. He glares at me, petulant that he’s being forced to feel , but still, he opens up.

“I was left out. Again .”

This takes me by surprise. I rear my head back. “Excuse me?”

“He chose you over me, Rhys,” he explains, and I hate the way his voice cracks. “He chose you to trust. I’ve been dying to get close to him and you took that instead.”

I don’t know what to say. I knew that Elton missed the relationship he had with his brother, but I didn’t realize he was…jealous? Is that what this is? “There’s no either/or, Elton. He can be in a relationship with me and still be close to you.”

Shaking his head, he digs his fingers into his hair. “But he doesn’t want to be. He kept his life away from me for four years and he’s still doing it.”

I understand now. Jealous might be an exaggeration, but it’s the closest to what I think Elton is feeling. All he wants is to be close to his brother, to be loved by his brother, to be a brother, and he feels like that chance has been taken from him. While I love Everest, it doesn’t blind me to the fact that the way he’s treated Elton has one hundred percent led to this moment. But that was the past—past mistakes, past regrets, past what ifs —and this is now.

I clap a hand on Elton’s shoulder, tugging him toward me. “I won’t tell you why there’s this distance between you because it’s not my place. All I can say is that he wants what you want too. You just need to talk to him.”

He worries the inside of his cheek as he takes that in. Then, instead of pressing for more, he surprises me again. “Do you really love him?”

I smile. Fuck, it’s the easiest question to answer. “More than all the space.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I’m guessing it’s a yes.” He chuckles, and this time, it’s lighthearted. Granted, it’s still in disbelief, but I’d like to think it’s a more accepting kind. “But, man, my little brother? I can’t unsee that shit.”

I let out a full laugh at that. Yeah, okay, I’ll give him that one. That sucked. “Be happy for us, asshole.”

“I’m trying.” He punches my shoulder playfully. “So, does this mean he’s going to hog all your time? You won’t have any left for your best friend?”

I snort. “You clingy fucker.”

“Ugh, I’m going to be the third wheel now,” he jokes, placing a dramatic hand over his heart. “Y’all are going to be so happy and in love, and I’ll be holding the popcorn.”

That sobers me up a bit. I sigh, rubbing his shoulder lightly because… Elton. Elton wants love. That’s all he’s ever searched for. He goes through girl after girl with absolutely no luck. He wants a family, a love story, and it’s always out of his reach. “You’ll find your person, Elt. Maybe just stop looking so hard?”

His face fills with intense longing, but only for a split second. Then— boom —he pulls an Elton. He grabs his controller and then a spare, holding it up. “You want to play a round?”

Yeah, there’s no use trying to get through to him. He’ll deal with his emotions in his own time. All I can do is be here for him when he does. “Sure. Then you and Everest are talking.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He starts up the game, but pauses. “Look, man, I’m happy for you. I really am.”

My heart warms at the sincerity in his tone. See, I knew at the end of the day that everything would be okay. Because I know Elton, and he’s not an asshole. “Thanks, man. Love you.”

He smiles brightly, throwing me an air kiss. “Same here.”

So we play a round or two, joking just like we used to before he left, everything behind us. We’re okay, stronger than ever probably, but I only hope that he can find this same closure with his brother.