Chapter 21

The thumping bassof the music hit me as soon as Willow and I walked through the front door. Willow's eyes widened as she turned to me. "I can't believe Boston came!" Her voice was filled with surprise.

"Really? He's here?" The thought of Reese and Boston being in the same place at the same time worried me, but after that game, I doubted anything could spoil today.

The sound of Boston's unmistakable laughter filled the air. He was standing next to Bailey and Crew, his athletic frame towered above most of the crowd. Those unmistakable bright eyes lit up the room.

"... and then coach said, ‘If I find it in the locker room again, you'll each take turns wearing it to practice,' Crew finished telling his story, causing everyone around him to burst into laughter.

Willow and I exchanged amused glances before walking over to join the group. When Boston's gaze landed on me, his lips quirked up in a crooked smile.

"Hey," he said. "Parker kinda forced me to come."

"I'm glad you're here," I told him sincerely. "You deserve to celebrate too, you know."

Boston looked doubtful, but nodded and focused his attention back on his teammates.

As I weaved through the crowded house, I kept my eyes peeled for Reese. I finally spotted him holding court in the kitchen, surrounded by a group of people hanging on his every word. He was gesturing wildly, impressing them with a play-by-play of the game. His eyes were wide with excitement and laughter spilled freely from his lips.

When he noticed me, his entire face lit up. "There she is!"

He extracted himself from the crowd and strode toward me. His energy was infectious.

"I couldn't miss celebrating with you." I responded as my smile widened.

Reese grinned and slung an arm around my shoulders. "It definitely called for a celebration." His eyes were lit up as he looked down at me. "But the best part is having you here now."

Heat rushed to my cheeks at his words. Reese slowly guided me over to the large living room that had been turned into a makeshift dance floor. His strong hand was wrapped around mine as I breathed in his entrancing scent. The sweet melodies of a slow song swirled through the air, creating a special moment just for us.

"Dance with me," he whispered into my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my neck as he pulled me closer to him.

"You dance?" I replied breathlessly, our bodies melding together as we swayed to the music. The warmth and hardness of his chest pressed against mine, providing an unexpected sense of safety and comfort. My hands instinctively moved to the nape of his neck, fingers tangled in his dark hair.

"Not really, but if it's an excuse to hold you close to me, then yes," Reese breathed, his voice low and seductive.

I chuckled softly, my cheeks flushing at the compliment. Yet, there was an undeniable connection between us, one that seemed to only grow stronger each moment I spent with him.

"I can't stop thinking about you," he said softly, his lips grazing my ear. "When we won, all I wanted to do was talk to you about it."

My heart stuttered in my chest. I didn't know how to respond, overwhelmed by his proximity and the sincerity in his voice. I simply laid my head on his shoulder, letting the music and his embrace speak for me.

Lost in the moment with Reese, his words were echoing in my mind, when suddenly Boston and Caroline slow dancing nearby came into focus. I felt a tiny flicker of jealousy as I took in Caroline's arms draped casually around Boston's neck, her cheek rested lightly against his chest.

It was then that I caught Boston"s gaze flicker toward me. His expression was unreadable for a moment—a brief flash that could have been nothing or something else, something I didn't expect. I quickly averted my eyes, confused by his reaction. Boston was just my brother's best friend—that's all he wanted to be.

As we continued moving slowly on the dance floor, I couldn't resist the urge to sneak another look. This time, my breath quickened as my eyes locked with Boston's electric blue ones. His expression was more guarded now, but I detected a hint of something in his eyes again that took me by surprise. Was he jealous? "No, that was impossible... wasn"t it?"

As the final notes of the song faded away, a couple of guys who approached Reese interrupted our intimate moment. "Hey, Reese! Long time no see, man!" one of them shouted over the music, clapping him on the back.

Boston gently disentangled himself from Caroline's embrace and whispered something in her ear. She turned to leave the dance floor, and he purposefully strode toward me.

"Can I borrow you for a minute? I was hoping we could talk outside, just the two of us," he asked, an earnest look in his eyes.

I hesitated, glancing back at Reese, who was now fully engaged in conversation with his old friends. Caroline stood across the room near her usual crowd, watching Boston closely.

"Sure," I replied, curiosity overtaking me. I allowed Boston to guide me through the crowd and out the back door.

We walked in silence for a minute as we moved away from the pulsing music. Finally, Boston stopped and turned to face me. His expression was serious, almost nervous.

"What‘s going on?" I asked. My heart was pounding, though I wasn't sure why.

Boston bit his nail before looking up at me. "This is going to sound crazy, but I kept the bracelet because that was the day I told myself you'd be my girlfriend one day," he confessed, his eyes searched mine. "You're who I want—I've always wanted you."

I stared at him in disbelief, my mind reeling. Boston had feelings for me? Where was this coming from? "What?"

"We've known each other forever, I know. I thought I was doing the right thing by trying not to cross any lines with you. Things were just too complicated. There was never a right time to tell you, but I can't just sit back anymore."

His words hit me like a train, at full force—completely unstoppable, ready to take out anything in its path.

I stepped back, shaking my head. "Are you kidding me? You wait until now to tell me this?" Anger simmered inside me. "You had so many chances, Boston. The day I asked you about the bracelet, you could have told me."

"I didn't know how to go about this. Your brother is my best friend. And your parents," he paused, raking his fingers through his hair, "they're like second parents to me."

"So now is the right time?" I interrupted, stepping closer. "That's not fair, Boston. You have never said anything, never even made me think you were interested. And now that I'm with Reese, now you decide to say something?"

He let out a long breath. "Do you think it's been easy for me? Seeing you with him?" His eyes narrowed. "The biggest dick on the planet." He shook his head. "He's always been an asshole to me for no reason."

I drew in a sharp breath, feeling the weight of his words. It was as if this version of Boston, vulnerable and raw, was someone I'd never really seen before, despite knowing him for as long as I have.

"I know he's a jerk," I admitted softly, finding the courage to meet his gaze. "But I do think that somewhere inside him, he wants to change, and at least he's honest." My words hung there, brittle and bold. "You haven't been."

"I don't want to talk about Reese," he spat out the name like it tasted sour. "It's not about him. It's?—"

"How do I know it's not?" My hands flew up in frustration. "How can I trust that this isn't just some kind of competition to you?"

"Because it's you," he said fiercely, reaching for my hands. "You're not a game to me. Chandler, I stood in the back of every play. Sweaty and tired after games, I never missed one. I've always been your biggest fan."

"You went to my shows?" I whispered.

He nodded, which made my heart swell with such an intensity that it felt like it was going to burst—into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Back at school, it... it never seemed like you noticed me. There was always stunning girls around you when Parker would bring me around."

You think I didn"t notice you?" His voice was gentle and full of emotion, something I had never heard from him before.

"No. Why would I?" I asked defensively, not wanting to believe his words.

"Chandler..." He sighed, shaking his head. "Those girls meant nothing to me. But you," he paused, his voice cracking with sincerity, "you"re not just some girl to me. You"re the girl—the one I've always wanted."

The earnestness in his voice caught me completely off guard. I could feel his words tugging at my heart, stirring up emotions that I couldn"t even begin to comprehend. But part of me was also resisting, overwhelmed by this. It was all too much for me to process at that moment.

"Well, I don't know what to do with this right now." I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "I am starting to really like Reese. And it's really not fair that you'd do this now."

Boston opens his mouth, but I cut him off. "Don't. Just...don't." I turn and storm back into the party, fuming. I can't believe he waited until now, right when everything was going so well with Reese. What was he thinking? I have wanted to hear those words from him for so long, but why now?

"Damn you, Boston," I whispered, closing my eyes against the swell of emotions.