Page 94 of Breakaway Goal

But at the end of the day, I can imagine how your best friend suddenly dating your little sister can have an impact. When it comes to close relationships like that, emotion can override rationality.

I can understand why Rhys is nervous. It’s his friendship, not mine, that’s potentially at risk.

I just don’t want to be responsible for damaging something that means so much to both of them.

49

RHYS

The Friday after Thanksgiving, I stroll up to Maddie and Lane’s house.

Lane invited me over to hang out. I can’t deny that nerves are pattering in my stomach as I walk up their driveway, knowing that by this time next week, Lane will know about me and Maddie—and I’ll know his reaction to it.

I don’t want things to change with my best friend. At the same time, Iwon’tgive up what I have with Maddie.

If sacrificing my lifelong friendship with her brother is the price I have to pay to be with the girl I love, I’ll pay it. But that possibility feels like a stab through the heart as I look at their house, and all the memories I have with Lane here run through my head.

I know that I don’t fit the profile of a guy that he—or their parents, for that matter—would want for Maddie.

I grew up with a single mother in a neighborhood that the kids at school would make fun of. I never would have been accepted to Brumehill if not for an athletic scholarship to play hockey; and though I keep my grades above water, if hockey doesn’t pan out, I don’t know what the hell I’ll do.

I certainly don’t have very good prospects of ever being able to buy Maddiethiskind of house, the kind she grew up in, if injuries or just not being able to cut it in the pros extinguish my hopes as an athlete.

A sharppsstsound above me grabs my attention before I can press the doorbell.

I look up to see Maddie peeking from her bedroom window that looks over the driveway.

Butterfly wings flap in my stomach. It was fucking torture not seeing her yesterday after what happened on Sunday. And now she looks so damn pretty looking down at me, her black hair feathering past her shoulders and dancing in the light wind.

She tilts her head to the side of the house and flashes me a wink. She wants us to have a moment to ourselves before I come inside to chill with Lane.

Considering I was just thinking how hard it was going to be to be in the same house as her and keep my hands—not to mention my lips—off her, I’m sure as hell not inclined to argue.

Keeping my footsteps light, I steal around to the side of the house and wait impatiently for her to step from the side door of the garage, my lips itching to taste hers.

When Maddie finally steps out, I don’t let her even close the door behind her before I’ve pulled her close against me and crushed my lips to hers.

Heat flashes through my veins as I kiss her. I savor every sensation, including the feeling of my forehead nudging against the frame of her glasses.

It’s a tiny feeling that I’ve grown addicted to. It just feels likeher. If Maddie ever wanted to switch to contacts, I’d probably drop to my knees to beg her not to.

Suddenly, the sound of something falling to the ground next to us rudely rips us back to reality.

I pull away from Maddie, and a shock jolts through me when I open my eyes.

Lane’s standing at the threshold of the door, his jaw practically scraping the ground. His eyes are wide and blank, and a full trash bag lies at his feet. The right hand it slipped from is still frozen in a half-fist in front of him.

It feels like a bucket of ice-cold water just sloshed down my back. Heavy beats of time drag silently through the air as the three of us are frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

This isn’t how I wanted Lane to find out about us. But it’s too late to turn the clock back now.

I gather up all the courage I have, take a deep breath, and step toward him.

“Lane, Maddie and I are together.” There’s no trace of apology in my voice. No trace of embarrassment. I state it with my whole chest.

The only movement Lane makes is to blink his eyelids. Shock is still etched on his face, and the silence that reigns in the air as his mouth remains still is deafening.

“It’s not casual between us, Lane,” I continue. I know I need to state my case. Need to try to make him see that I love his sister, that I only want the best for her, that I’ll treat her right even if I’m not the kind of person he wishes she’d end up with. “I love Maddie. She loves me. I know you don’t think I’m good enough for her, but?—”

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