Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Something’s on his mind, but obviously, there’s plenty to consider with all that’s happened.
He bites his lip. “Yeah, I think my boyfriend might as well learn what a real cover hog I can be. It was bound to come out sooner or later.”
We kiss, and Ryan says, “Okay, on that note, I’m gonna go gossip about this Miles Tanner shit with the crew while the lovebirds work out their nest situation. And now that I’ve been thinking about it, I might swing by Kappa Mu for a minute.”
At a look from Marty, he amends, “Maybe more than a minute.”
“It was the TMI part I was giving you a look for,” Marty clarifies.
“TMI? That’s not what I got, and not from her.”
It’s clear by Ryan’s expression that he’s joking, but Marty cringes and starts for the door. “Maybe you should room with Will…all the way on the other side of the frat.”
“And here I thought we were getting along so well…”
Ty smirks. “This is gonna be interesting.”
As much as I don’t want to do this here, seeing him like this, and getting to be alone for what might be some time before we get back to the frat, I know what I have to tell him.
“Ty—”
“Shh. Rest your voice. Besides, I…I want to tell you something.”
I quiet, wondering if there’s more news that happened while I was out.
“I know we haven’t been seeing each other long,” he says, “but keep in mind we’ve known each other long before we started messing around. And I’ve always known you were a cool guy. Even joking around with you was fun, and…” He hesitates. “I don’t expect you to feel the same.”
I can tell where this is going, and I just want to assure him. “Ty—”
“No, please. Let me say this. Neither of us knows what’s gonna happen next in life, and how quickly things can change, and I don’t want to go another minute without saying how I feel about you. I love you, Lance. I’m in love with you.”
A warm spiral swirls in my chest, soothing me. Not just from his confession, but the truth of everything he’s saying.
“And I loved you before this stuff, but it took the fire to make me realize how much. And I’m sorry if this is moving too fast, but I can’t pretend to feel differently. I won’t. I—”
I jot down in the notebook, and he asks, “What are you doing?”
I show him the words: I love you too, Ty. “That’s what I was trying to say,” I tell him. “But you just had to win at that too, didn’t you?”
He chuckles. “Guess I did win.”
“Fuck you.”
“I like when you say that like Darth Vader.”
We share a laugh as he leans close.
“You love me?” he asks.
“Yeah. I love you.”
“Funny that you said I won because it feels like you won, making me so hung up on the Alpha Theta Mu prez.”
“Maybe we both won,” I mutter, leaning toward him and taking a kiss.
We’ve kissed so many times since that first time, but this feels utterly different. There’s a connection between us that’s deeper than before, beyond the fun we’ve shared. We’ve been competitors and rivals all these years, but regardless of how much I’ve wanted to beat his ass so many times before, in this there aren’t any losers. And even if there were, I wouldn’t mind losing to him.
30
Ty
The hospital releases Lance a few hours later.
I’m sure the staff is relieved to clear the waiting room of all the frats. Lance’s parents offer for him to stay with them, but he insists he’s fine and that he has to help us all navigate the new living situation at Alpha Theta Mu. They can’t put up much of a fight, since the docs have cleared him, and aside from his voice still sounding scratchy, he seems to be back to his old self.
“Feels like some fucked-up karma,” Ryan says from behind Lance and me as we walk up the drive of Alpha Theta Mu, both our frats following. “We have to stay with our rivals? Really?”
“You’re welcome for our house saving your asses,” Lance teases.
We share a look, and he’s wearing a bright smile. Despite all the bullshit, things have felt lighter since I told him how I felt and I heard those magical words from him: “I love you.”
Almost makes me feel like I don’t have to track down Miles Tanner and kick his ass for what happened last night.
But only almost.
“See?” Ryan says. “Where are we even gonna talk shit about Alpha Theta Mus around here?”
“I think we just say it to their faces now,” Keegan jokes as we reach the front porch.
As I turn back to the guys, Dax adds, “I’m kind of excited about the idea of staying here. Alpha Theta Mus have been good to me.”