Page 122 of Into The Light
"You're still an asshole," Felix says. "Just a little less of one."
"Was it at least consensual?" I ask.
Riley's gaze snaps to mine, angry. "Fuck you. Yes, it was fuckingconsensual."
"Oh, it was," Felix says. "Everyone just assumed it was either a dare or some sort of fucked-up pity fuck thing. She moved away not long after."
Riley smacks the table, rattling the glasses. "Okay,enough, asshole. It was neither. We were talking. She's easy to talk to. Smart, like you said. I was drunk; she was drunk. It just happened. And you know what? It was pretty damn good, too. So fuck you both. And she didn’t move because of me, or what happened, or what people said, she moved because she got a full fucking ride to U of M for molecular biology."
Felix grabs his brother's shoulder. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry, Rye. Didn't realize it was such a sore spot. I was just fucking with you."
Riley rolls a shoulder miserably. "I still feel shitty about it—she was hurt by what people said. And she did confront me before she left asking if any of it was true. I’m not sure she believed me, though. It really was just…something that happened."
Felix looks at me. "He’s sensitive about his reputation. But yet, he can't seem to keep his dick in his pants."
Riley groans, staring at the ceiling. "Can we talk about Bear, now?"
"Not much to talk about," I say. "Yeah, Noelle and I…yeah."
Riley grins at me. "You know, I had a hell of a crush on her all through high school. And beyond, actually. But she was with that fucking shitbox cuntbucket dickwaffle, Brennan fucking Engler. And then, after she left his sorry cheating ass, I just knew she was out of bounds. You done good, son."
"Shitbox…cuntbucket…dickwaffle." I eye him. "Tell me how you really feel."
"That was the nice version. None of us ever knew what she saw in that fuckstain." He sighs. "Noelle was always way too good for him."
"Wasn't so much her as it was the expectations of her parents," I explain.
"Makes sense," Riley says. "Her parents were pretty damn strict."
"So, enough about Brennan Engler. You and Noelle." Felix grins at me. "Good? Great?"
"Man spent ten years in the pen," Riley quips. "A wet hole in the ground would begood. Noelle Harper?" he whistles. "Man’s grinnin' like a fool for a reason."
I frown his way. "Watch it, man. That's my girl."
He just grins wider, holding up both hands palms out. "I've got all the respect in the world for her, my guy. Told you, I never made a move on her, even when she was single. She'sway too good for the likes of me, and I know it. Doesn't mean I can't appreciate one of Three Rivers' finest examples of female beauty."
I shrug. "Just watch how you talk about her."
Felix chuckles. "Rye, take the hint. You saw what he did to Duane."
I growl in warning. "Not talking about that."
Riley holds up his hands again. "Alright, I'm done. I'm just happy for you. And for her. She deserves to be happy, and you seem to make her happy."
"Hope I do," I say. "Think I do. She says I do."
"You do," Felix says. "Saw it even before you guys hooked up. If she's grinnin' like you are, then yeah, you make her happy."
"I just gotta know,” Riley says. "On a scale from one to ten…how epic was it?"
"Forty-seven…million."
Riley bursts into laughter, clapping his hands. "Hell yes, brother. Hell yes. Good for you."
Felix glances at Riley, and they share a look, and then Riley turns serious. "So, about this whole switching crews thing."
I sigh. "I don't wanna put you in a bad spot, but I want to…" I shrug. "Do more with my life. Especially now that Noelle and I seem to be building something together."
