My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 38

MILO’S P.O.V.

Perfect.

It’s the only word I have to describe the evening I spent with Josh. Fucking perfect.

Leaving him that night was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I really didn’t fucking want to, I never even wanted to be outside his arms once I was in them.

After we spoke about Harley, I realised just how much he really needs someone like me, someone that will accept that he'll always have a piece of him that will belong to somebody else. I’m okay with that, I’m okay with sharing him with a love he never should have needed to lose.

Everything is so equal with him, it’s what I’ve always found so endearing about the man. It doesn’t matter who you are, the way he treats people is so pure, there is never any malice or alternative agenda with Josh. He tells you exactly who he is and wears his heart on his fucking sleeve, in exchange he sees exactly who you are, not who you were or who he thinks you should be, who you are.

I think it’s why I’m so comfortable when I’m around him, I forget there’s even a world outside of whichever room we find ourselves in. When I’m with him, it's just us. He’s the only person in my life with no expectations of me, and I can’t live without that now I have it.

Coming back to reality fucking sucks.

One minute, I’m blissfully fucking happy holding him against me and watching his eyelashes flutter as my lips softly grace the side of his neck. The next, my mother is blowing up my phone to see where the fuck I am and I’m having to run out of the fucking place.

I wanted to die.

May did her best, she'd managed to keep Mum busy for over an hour past my fucking curfew, it’s kind of on me that I didn’t realise how long I’d been there with Josh until she called. When I checked later May had tried to give me at least ten warnings to get my ass back to the house, but checking your phone wasn't exactly a priority when you've got the most gorgeous man in the fucking world looking at you like you’re something really fucking special.

Josh doesn’t live close to me and like fuck was I asking him to take me home, I had to run ten blocks in like four minutes to be able to meet Eli before he could take me, he was pissed I pulled him from some girl he’d met an hour before at the ice cream place’s bed but he owed me. I couldn’t tell him I was still with Josh or he might get suspicious, although let's be honest, Eli could have seen me throw the guy up against the front door and shove my tongue down his throat yet still not realise the fucking situation here.

Damn, don't think about shoving him up against that door again...

Yes, of course I did it! How else was I supposed to say goodbye in a way that means he would want to see me again? I had to leave my mark.

By the time I got home and Mum finished screaming at me about ignoring her ‘lenient’ rules, it was really fucking late. I swear to fuck I can’t wait to get out of this place and go to college, she’s been a right bitch since the crash about keeping to curfew. Well, at least I couldn’t wait to leave until I realised that would put a certain perfect 6’4 body of muscle, smiles and charm a six hour trip away from me. My guy so far away, not sure I can fucking do it...

I really have to stop calling him that. It just fits him so well it’s hard not to.

He has Liam today for the first time since everything kicked off, so I don’t want to bother him, despite the urge to hear his voice causing my body to shake with need. Instead I’ve just obsessively read over our text conversation from last night again and fucking again until the words have sunk into my eternal memory.

‘Sorry I had to run, I could’ve stayed there all night... Sweet dreams x’

I wasn’t fucking lying, if I could have, I never would have left. Falling asleep in Josh’s arms right now is like the fucking dream.

‘I think I would’ve let you... I hope you dream of stars x’

He keeps saying sweet shit like that and I’m gonna end up marrying that fucking guy.

I want to see him again, I want to see him right fucking now...  but instead, I’m in hell.

Well, the closest thing I can think of to hell anyway.

“What about this one? Do you think this pink is more salmon or dusky? Does it suit my skintone?”

Why the fuck May insisted I came with them to find these fucking bridesmaids dresses is beyond me. The fact that Brie agreed is even more confusing, she knows I hate this shit, on second thought, that’s probably why she’s fucking done it.

I’ve been in this shop for over an hour watching them try on what I’m sure is exactly the same dress, being their human mule for the last four and carrying all the bags from store to store whilst Lee and May’s conflicting styles continues to be a problem.

“Bitch that's more bubble gum, I told you I want elegant. I reckon we look at the yellows again, try the strapless one on.”

Not with the fucking yellows again! May almost had a breakdown last time about Brie purposely trying to make her look bad and I don’t think I can cope with a repeat of them two at each others throats. It’s like watching two lionesses fight over marked down Gucci on the Discovery channel.

Brie plops herself down in the seat next to mine after hurling a dress at her sister, right between me and the alcohol cart that was pretty much getting me through being here for so fucking long. I’m slightly tipsy, nothing I can’t handle, luckily the shop assistant seems to be too busy staring at my arms and chest to remember to ask for ID.

“Fuck me eyes,” Brie unsubtly points towards the shop assistant that has now moved her glare to somewhere near my face, the power of my good bone structure at work. “You've pulled.”

I glance over at the girl, pretty but not my type. To be honest I’m not sure what my type even fucking is anymore, I used to think it was petite brunettes with too much attitude, turns out it might be ridiculously handsome chiselled guys with washboard abs and smiles you can never forget.

Life is confusing as shit sometimes.

“I’m good.”

Brie rolls her eyes at me, so I quickly throw a wink at the girl and fluster her enough that she does a runner for the stockroom. This seems to satisfy Brie’s weird need to live vicariously through me since she decided to settle her ass down with a nice cage fighter in a few months.

“Nice.” She comments offering me one of her off centre high fives.

I can’t stop myself giggling at her, she's always been a bit more different than the rest of them. I think she actually appreciates that I’m older now, it makes it easier for her to be herself around me, not that she wasn’t always. She attempts to look over my shoulder down at my open screen so I quickly swipe away the messages I haven’t stopped rereading all fucking day, only causing her to roll her eyes harder.

“Oh God, not you too. What is it with you guys lately and all your secret lovers? First Josh won’t tell me shit about his new hot guy, my baby sister is making doe eyes at her screen every thirty seconds whilst telling me it’s no-one and now you too! Why won't anybody give me the fucking gossip?!”

Josh? Fuck, did he tell them about us?

Am I crazy that my stomach is floating with the level of butterflies that comes with knowing that he thinks enough of what’s happening between us to mention it to these girls? It’s not the type of thing you do for someone you’re just going to throw away when you’re done, right?

“Josh is seeing someone?” I try to keep my voice as level as possible, this girl is like a human lie detector and I don’t need her picking up on anything right now.

“Yeah, well at least he’s potentially seeing someone.” Her eyes suddenly grow wide. “Shit! You were there...”

Oh no.

“...Did you see him with anyone?”

Thank fuck.

I shake my head, but keep it focused on the screen in front of me to hide my face. Brie has a way of making you bow to her will and if she gives me that look I will tell her fucking everything.

“Oh come on Milo! Think! Anyone he was spending a lot of time alone with? Sneaking in and out of his room or just couldn’t get his eyes off?!”

Yeah, me.

I shake my head again but this clearly does nothing to satisfy her as she shoves me so hard I almost fallout of my chair.

“Oh you are fucking useless! Jesus Christ Milo, where are those killer inspection skills I’ve heard so much about? You loved all those spy kits as a kid. There must be someone, for God sake I’ve considered every fucking option! Even Coach!”

OK even I can’t stop myself raising an eyebrow at that one. Really? She considered Coach before she considered me? That’s kind of insulting.

I pretend to become distracted by something outside as I try to force the grin off my face, I think it would blow her pretty little mind if she knew the fucking truth of what happened that week.

“I didn’t see him with anyone, I’ll chat with the guys though... Did he say anything else about the guy?” Yes okay, I want to know what the fuck he said about me. Don’t judge.

Brie sinks back into her chair, glancing down at her own phone and getting that smile she only gets when Steve sends her messages that she definitely shouldn’t read around the rest of us. I caught a glimpse of the last one he sent and let’s just say... If Josh turns out to be half the animal his brother is then I think I’m going to be very fucking happy with him.

“He wouldn't really tell us anything. He’s fucking happy though, I could tell that much, I don’t care who the fuck that guy is as long as he keeps making our boy smile like that. Josh deserves happiness more than anybody else I’ve ever fucking met, I just hope that this guy knows what the fuck he’s got and doesn’t fuck around with his heart.”

Trust me, I know what I’ve got.

I know what I could have with him, if he lets me, we could be incredible. He told them I make him fucking happy, what more could I fucking want than that?

“Did he tell you anything else?”

Brie narrows her eyes towards me. Oh fuck, I pushed too much haven’t I?

“Only that he’s not out... I never thought Josh would let himself be someone’s experiment, this guy better be willing to step out of that fucking closet because like fuck is Josh going back in. He deserves to be a lot more than somebody’s secret... wouldn’t you agree?”

He’s not my experiment. He may have been what I needed to find a part of myself, but that’s because of who he is not what he is. Us being kept a secret has fuck all to do with the fact that he’s a guy, I couldn’t give a shit about that kind of thing. Even if he was a girl in this situation, the circumstances would still be fucking difficult.

“Agreed.”

She nods just as Lee and May step out in the dresses she just handed them from the rack, this will be the hundredth reject on the pile but she doesn't seem to care.

Lee runs her hand over the fabric that coats her stomach. “Babe I’m not sure about this colour, May looks gorgeous but my pasty ass and yellow are not a good combination. The reflection makes me look like I’ve got fucking jaundice or something.” She isn’t fucking wrong, yellow is definitely not Lee's colour. “Maybe we should try the purple again? Or the gold?.. Or the red?”

“Oh fuck off with the fucking red again!” Brie hollers as she storms over to them and starts pulling at the fabric.

Jesus Christ, somebody fucking save me from this. I can’t sit here for much longer no matter how much free champagne they give me.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, my heart springing into my throat as I stare at the screen and hope it’s the one person I really could do with using as a distraction right now. Unfortunately, it’s just my favourite English wanker.

Eli wants me to go to this party at one of the cheerleaders houses tonight but I know Zo we will be there and I can’t be dealing with her constant apologies right now, so I ignore it.

“Ignoring your new girl already? Come on Milo, don't go ghosting her, suck it up and tell her that you’re done fucking her, like a man.”

It’s now Lees turn to roll her eyes at her best friend, giving me a look of sympathy before returning to the dressing room and shouting over the top of the closed curtain.

“Leave him alone Brianna, he's getting over a heartbreak, I don’t think you’re the best person to be telling him how to deal with that, are you?”

May laughs as Brie shoves her tongue out at the closed curtain, only to be caught the minute Lee steps back out from behind it now dressed in her standard jeans, cons and rather baggy black tee shirt. She’s eating again, how that girl is as skinny as she is I’ll never know. Her body mass must be made up of 80% Doritos at this point.

Brie turns back to face me, this time with a little bit more understanding, that I would rather she keep for someone who actually needs it. I’m fine with everything with Zoe, it’s the guy I can’t stop thinking about that’s driving me crazy.

“Sorry mate, if you want to fuck away the heartbreak, I totally support that.” Lee throws her arms up in the air before slamming her head against the wall of the changing room in disbelief at what her best friend considers a pep talk. Brie ignores her, continuing with her own form of support. “Just make sure you’re safe OK? We have enough little Thompson’s running around the place, no need for any more right now.”

May sniggers at her sisters words as she re-emerges back in her regular street clothes.

“Don’t think that’s something we're going to need to worry about with him right now.”

I’m going to fucking kill her.

I attempt my best version off a death glare, not that it can match the one May usually sends me but she gets the message. Brie and Lee look utterly confused, dashing their eyes between the two of us like a pair of cartoon characters stuck on a loop.

May knows she hasn’t said enough to give me away, just enough to give me a fucking heart attack. She will pay for this.

She’s trying to stifle her own laughter as she glances between her sister and mine.

“I just mean, he's always been a one person kind of guy. He isn’t going to go fucking around with everybody just because the head cheerleader has finally backed off now.”

May’s distain for Zoe has always been evident, I’m not sure what that girl has ever done to her but May seriously dislikes her.

My phone blows up again with another message from Eli, he wants me to go to his and is offering to save me from this fucking place right now if I agree. I guess even having to face a room full of fucking teenagers whilst avoiding an ex seems like a better idea than sitting through a another fashion show with this lot.

“Oh Thompson!” Brie leans over and pinches my cheek, her long acrylic nails digging into my jaw. “So bloody cute.”

Yeah, I’m done.

“Jesus Brie, get the fuck off him. He’s not a kid anymore.” Aleah complains as she begins to hand dresses back to the shop workers. “Did you ask your client about the lake house?”

I look to Brie. “Lake house?”

She nods. “One of my new clients has a lake house about two hours from here, it's fucking massive and got shitloads to do. We’re going to borrow it for a few days after the family barbecue, we all haven't been on a trip for so long and there’s room for everybody to stay together. You guys up for it?”

May agrees instantly, she’ll pretty much do anything to get out of Westbrooke. She’s not like the rest of us, she's never been particularly attached to this place.

“Who’s going?” I ask tentatively, I don’t need to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with just couples using the place like a second honeymoon.

“Everyone I think. Tara and Cole can’t because your mum has a big fucking case on so you guys can have their room, but it'll be me, the ball and chain, Romeo, slut-face over there, the kids, obviously you guys if you’re up for it, and Josh is going to see if he can bring Liam too.”

Josh? A full fucking weekend away with Josh?

Fuck yes.

May's little eyes light up as she realises the situation I’ve happily found myself in. She smirks as she turns to her sister.

“Oh yeah, we’ll come. Wouldn’t fucking miss this one.”

I honestly don’t think I could be any fucking happier... until my phone pings and finally I’m greeted with the name I’ve been most desperate to see.

‘Can’t stop thinking about you. what have you done to me?’

Nothing yet. But I’ll have a full fucking weekend to make up for it very soon...

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