The Godparent Trap

by Rachel Van Dyken

She was wild. I was calm. She was my complete opposite. So why did I always feel like I was out of breath whenever she gave me that look? I told myself it was irritation. But Brooks knew me like a brother. It was infatuation. With my sister’s best friend.

This was my reality now. Two kids. A house in the suburbs. And a confusing, chaotic woman whom I argued with daily. I almost laughed when I realized that was how the majority of people would describe marriage after ten years. We’d just skipped a few steps, hadn’t we?

I looked down. “No, I’ll just put on a cardigan.” Rip and I groaned in unison as Viera started belting out “Cardigan” by Taylor Swift. I’d completely forgotten about the trigger word. Once Viera started, it was hard to get her to stop.

Colby didn’t seem to care what others thought. She only cared that the people she loved knew she loved them.

One thing I had already learned was that you had to hold on to the moments—even the ones that drove you crazy. Because you never knew how long you had to enjoy them.

“He was sad and angry, and he took it out on the servant girl because she was kind. Sometimes when we feel things on the inside that we don’t understand, we get angry on the outside.”

I would take something with Colby over nothing any day. And that’s when it hit me. Colby. She made me want to jump off the nearest roof while at the same time I was scared that if I got too close, I’d want her to stay with me, like this, forever.

And sure, Rip was also a jackass. A pain in my ass. But he was a rare male—one whom I stupidly compared every guy to. Banks included.

“I don’t know what sane man would see you as just a friend.” He cursed under his breath. “You’re like a fucking hurricane—a chaotic beautiful mess of waves and wind, powerful, daunting, and any guy—especially ones like Banks—would risk his life during the storm just to see if he can survive it.”

Why did I suddenly like the mess? Why did I suddenly like her so much she consumed my every waking thought? So much that I didn’t want to go to work—and I loved work. But suddenly all I wanted to do was stay with her and kill spiders.

You taste like I imagine sunshine would taste like, warm, inviting, and then blazing hot.”

“Because you terrify me. You make me want to color outside of the lines, which I hate. You’re an incredible aunt. You’re a loyal friend. Because you’re beautiful even when you’re walking around with ketchup on your shirt. Because it bothers me that you don’t see how unique you are, how special it is to be included in your circle.

“You forced your friendship on me like a homeless cat that decides it’s found its forever home.”