Page 13 of Pull
She looked like she wanted to stand up and storm off in a huff, but her stomach was too big and heavy. So she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. I laughed softly, then leaned up against the table next to her and Ryan.
“So… Haileydoes know?” Bill finally broke the silence and the sounds of Greg munching.
“Yup,” I nodded.
“And… she’s okay with it?” Marie asked, appearing skeptical.
“It was a little rocky at first, but you know Hailey,” I told them. “She’s got a great head on her shoulders, and she just wants us to be happy. Look, we just wanted to beup-front with you, because you’re our best friends. We’re stillus… Just happier.”
“And now there’s three of us instead of two,” Jess added with a smile. Ryan kissed her head.
“You’ve been awfully quiet throughout this confession, kid,” Bill said to Ryan, raising his brow. “Blink twice if you’re being held against your will.”
I laughed out loud, and Ryan chuckled along, shaking his head.
“I don’t really know what to say…” he murmured, slinking his arm around my waist. “I didn’t plan on this happening. None of us did. But I guess… the heart wants what the heart wants.”
“Hm, cliche,” Rachel giggled.
“It’s true,” he shrugged, smothering his smile as he glanced at me. I winked at his beautiful face.
“So you’re athrouple?” Greg sighed. “This is goingto completely throwoff the teams for game night, you know that right?”
The three of us laughed, and I announced, “I’ll gladly sit some out.”
“Uh, I’m fine with that!” Marie squealed. “He’s likeshockinglygood atScategoriesand I’m over it.”
Ryan nudged my side. “You’re good atScategories?”
“There are still so many things you don’t know about me, kid,” I grinnedandhe bit his lip.
“Okay, well let’s sit down and have some of this food before Greg eats it all,” Bill pulled out a chair. “I have tons more questions.”
I rolled my eyes and Ryan laughed softly, plopping down next to Jessica, squeezing her hand tight with his. I could sense the relief radiating off of him, and it made me beyond happy. He was finally here. Fully part of our lives, etched into our world.
He wasn’t going anywhere.
* * *
Hours later, the food hadbeen enjoyed, and the drinks had definitely been flowing.
The girls were in the kitchen sipping wine, with Ryan, who was showing them all pictures from our wedding in Thailand. I had to take him at his word that he’d saved the dirty ones in a private folder.
Greg, Bill, and me were downstairs in the man cave, drinking scotch, smoking cigars, and watching baseball on the huge TV.
“So I have another question,” Bill picked back up again, and I was seriously about to punch him.
“Oh my God,you have tostop,” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut and pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers.He’s giving me the worst headache ever.
“No, I mean it. This one’s important,” he turned to face me, sloshing his drink around in his glass.
“Don’t spill that on my couch, and what the fuck is it now?” I grumbled.
“So you like… hook up with Ryan…?” His voice came out quiet and hesitant, like hewasn’t supposedto be asking me that, which was slightly accurate, since it wasn’t any of his business. But we’d been friends since we were kids. Obviously we talked about sex. “Like, you guys…do it?”
“No, we don’t,” I muttered sarcastically. “It’s fully platonic.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Of course wedo! He’s my fucking husband.”
“That’s nuts,” Greg snickered, giving away his state of inebriation.
