Page 5 of One Little Lie
“Rylan? Earth to Rylan? You okay?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Probably jet lag.”
Colton bolts from the bed and wraps me in a giant hug.The Westbrook special. These damn men and their hugs. They get it from their father. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until now.
“I’ll let you get some sleep. I have some work to do for Summerfest with GG, but I’ll come back and get you for dinner. Sound good?”
I gulp, and he gives me a worried raise of his brow.
“Sure, that sounds good.”
Frowning, Colton places his hands on his hips. All five brothers have a similar build and facial features, but they’re also each distinctly their own. The likeness is part of the reason I moved to London for college. I didn’t think my heart could take a constant Westbrook reminder.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need something?” He doesn’t give me a chance to reply, a common occurrence with Colty. “You know, we are going to talk about Matthew at some point, and you’re going to tell me if I have to fly to London to kick his ass.”
Colton may never settle down, but he has the heart of a giant.
“Yeah, Colty. I’m fine. Just tired. I’ll sleep for a few hours and be ready for dinner.”
The smile, so similar to Hatty’s, creeps across his face.
Ugh!No, Rylan. Not Hatty. He’s not Hatty anymore.
“Sounds good. And listen, I’ve warned you about GG, but seriously, she’s a menace. Be careful around her. Lexi is good peeps. Blunt, straightforward, but she has a big heart under her tough-girl exterior. You’ll get to meet Seth and Ari, too. He’s Mom’s newest addition to the family, and Ari grew up here. She’s our age, really nice. I’m liking it here more than I thought I would, and I think it’ll be good for whatever’s going on with you.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Can’t wait to meet them.” I’m surprised to find that I actually mean it.
Colton makes his way to the door. “Get some sleep, Ryguy. I’ll round up the troops for a welcome to Vermont dinner.”
“Colty, don’t …”
I wanted to tell him not to make a big deal about it, but he’s already gone. Colton went into marketing because he loves to throw a party. He instinctively knows what works, and he told me once that if you can make something fun and inviting, you could sell just about anything.
Maybe that’s what I need to do. Find the fun and sell the fact that my heart isn’t one splinter away from fracturing, knowing Hatty is right next door.
* * *
“Why the hell does he keep calling you Ryguy?” Lexi yells across the table to be heard over the country singer crooning about lost love. The constant buzz of the bar frazzles my nerves, but her smile is genuine, so I attempt to relax.
True to form, Colton pulled almost everyone together for dinner, but it didn’t surprise me when Hatty didn’t show up.Geez, Ry.Stop thinking of him as Hatty.He’s been Halton for years. Why has it reverted to Hatty now that he’s close?
I take a deep drink of the local IPA in front of me and damn near swallow my tongue in the process. Lexi stands up and moves to sit next to me as Ari gives her a serious expression, and I swear mouths a ‘be nice’ while I cough up a lung.
“Ah.” I choke, remembering she asked me about Colton’s nickname. “We’ve been best friends since we were six. I was kind of a tomboy back then. I guess it just stuck.”
Lexi quirks a well-maintained eyebrow, and my fingers lift to mine self-consciously.When was the last time I went for a waxing?She’s all kinds of intimidating, with her six-foot stature and model good looks.
Realizing Lexi and Ari are still staring, I take a daintier sip of my beer this time.
“So, you’ve known all these guys your whole life?” Ari asks, a hint of wonder in her tone.
I get it. The Westbrooks are a freaking force of nature. If I hadn’t met Colton when I did, I would have been just another wallflower watching them take over every room with ease.
Laughter barrels through my chest. “Yeah, Preston has always been the cool guy, the leader watching out for the underdog. Easton was the jock without an ounce of ego. Colton’s my goofball, and Ash …” My heart shudders, knowing he’s a little broken right now. “Ash was always the gentle soul.”
Lexi eyes me in a way that has my face flushing hot.
“You forgot someone,” she says casually, but a girl can tell when someone’s digging.
