The Understatement of the Year (The Ivy Years, #3)

by Sarina Bowen

Graham buried his face in my neck. “It’s always been you for me. Always.”

I was in love with Rikker, and had been forever. I didn’t tell him, though. I mean, this is me we’re talking about here. The usual coward. Rikker would have liked to hear it, I’m sure. And I would have liked to hear it back. But me being me, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Because I love you, you stupid fuck. And I always have. It’s not always so convenient, loving you. But when you climb out of that thick blond head of yours for a few minutes, you’re a hell of a lot of fun. And you’re loyal, too, in that tortured way of yours.”

“Getting along together was never the problem with you and me,” he said. “We’re both easy. It’s just the rest of the world that’s hard.”

When it shut behind me, I heard her voice. “I just love that boy.” “He’s taken,” Graham replied.

Right then, a little light went on inside my thick head. I already knew that my refusal to come out had hurt Rikker. But until that moment, I don’t think I ever understood that it had hurt me, too. Because the cost of avoiding unfriendly eyes wasn’t nearly as great as the cost of forgoing even one of Rikker’s hugs.

“I just miss you. Maybe I should have just let you sleep, but I love you too damn much.”

“You’re it,” I whispered. “A perfect ten on the Rikker scale.” “The what?” But I couldn’t even explain without my voice breaking. So I sat back in my seat and just studied him. He was wearing Ross’s crimson ‘Bama t-shirt, and watching me with those cool blue eyes. “Love you so much, G,” I choked out. He stole one of my French fries. “Love you, too, Rik. Now eat your lunch so that we can go home.”