"I didn't. Not at all."
"But now we do, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to cut off any chance of seeing where this could go just because it might upset Nate."
"It's not might. It will upset him. He made it clear we're not supposed to date."
"He told you that?"
"Just now. Before you got here. He called to tell me that Tara asked him out for tonight and he wanted to know if I was okay with it."
"Why wouldn't you be?"
"He thought it might be weird for me because I know Tara and went to high school with her. I told him I was fine with it and then he said he wouldn't be fine if I dated someone he knew. He said it'd be even worse if I dated you."
Brad nods. "So he senses there's something between us."
"What? No. Why would you think that?"
"He told you that to stop you from even thinking about dating me. He's trying to stop it before it starts, which really pisses me off."
"Why? You knew he wouldn't want this. You're his cousin."
"Yeah, so he should want me to be happy, not just think about himself. It'd be another story if you were dating him and I came along and stole you away, but you've made it clear you're not interested in him that way. And yet he still thinks he can tell you who you can date?" He shakes his head. "That's bullshit."
"Brad, that's not fair. Think of where he's coming from. He's known me forever. He thought I loved him. He had this whole idea in his head that he and I would get married and have kids someday. Then you come into the picture and I immediately fall for you? Of course that's going to upset him."
"Yeah, I get it. But it still doesn't make it right. If we want to go out, we should be able to."
"Which we're doing, but we might have to keep it a secret from Nate. Would you be okay with that?"
"I'd rather just tell him the truth. It won't be any easier for him to find out later."
"It will if he's found someone else by then, like maybe Tara."
"If that's what you want to do, I'll go along with it." He steps up to me. "Whatever it takes to keep seeing you, Riley." He leans down and kisses me, then looks in my eyes. "I don't want to just be friends. I know we keep saying that's all we are, but I think we can both agree we've already passed that stage."
I look down. "I'm so afraid I'm going to hurt Nate even more. If he finds out—"
"Nate's a grown man. He'll be fine. But if you want to hide this from him until some time has passed, then that's what we'll do."
My phone dings. "That's probably him." I check my phone and see his text. "He told her yes. He's going out with Tara."
"That's a good sign. It means he's starting to move on."
"I still don't want to tell him."
"Then we won't." Brad walks to the door. "C'mon. Let's get this date started."
"So we're dating." I smile as I go past him. "I'm dating a future doctor."
He chuckles. "Is that the only reason you're interested in me?"
"Nah. It's more about the football thing. I've always wanted to date a football player."
He opens my door. "Really?"
I laugh. "I'm kidding. I've never dated a jock. Never wanted to. Well, until now."
He gives me a kiss. "I also played baseball, but just for two years."
Hot, a talented athlete, and smart. Guys like him are never interested in me, and when one finally is, he's Nate's cousin. Just my luck. But if Nate and Tara start dating, maybe Nate will be okay with me dating Brad.
"Where are we going?" I ask as we're driving.
"The movies. It's too early for dinner."
"What are we going to see?"
"That spy movie you keep talking about."
"I can't see that one. I have to wait for Nate. It's the deal we made."
"He can't ban you from seeing a movie. That's ridiculous. I can't believe you even agreed to that, especially since he's been away at college for four years. How many movies did you actually see together all those years?"
"I don't know. Not many, and they were all in the summer. We never had time to go when he was home on winter break."
"So you missed out on all the movies you wanted to see because of some stupid rule Nate made up after you spoiled the ending of a movie one time?"
"When you say it that way, it does sound ridiculous. Okay, I'll go to the movie, but don't tell Nate."
Brad glances at me as we wait at an intersection. "Why are you so afraid of him?"
"Nate? I'm not afraid of him."
"You're afraid to upset him, but why?"
"I guess because I don't want to lose him. He's my best friend. He's always been there for me. Other friends have come and gone, but Nate's stuck around. I guess I feel like I owe him for that."
"You don't owe him for being your friend. Friendship shouldn't come with strings."
"I know, but..."
"But what?" He drives forward as the light turns green.
"My mom. My life." I pause. "Not many people want to be friends with someone like me."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he asks, sounding angry.
"I live in a trailer. My mom's a mess. Did I tell you about the time she passed out drunk at my school on parents' night?" I roll my eyes. "And how she almost had an affair with my principal?"
"And because of that, you don't deserve friends?"
"I deserve them. I just can't seem to keep them. Once they see where I live and meet my mom, they don't want to be friends anymore."
"That's bullshit. None of that should matter. This isn't exactly a wealthy town. A lot of the houses around here aren't any better than your trailer."
"It's not just that. It's other stuff too."
"Like what?" He pulls into the movie theater parking lot.
"I've lived here my whole life, and it's not a big town. People here gossip and they're always spreading rumors. When someone new moves in, you don't get a chance to tell them who you are because someone else will tell them for you. Even if what they say about you is wrong, people believe the rumors. Except Nate. When he moved to town, he gave me a chance. He ignored what people said about me and actually got to know me. The real me. That's how we got to be friends."
Brad parks and turns to face me. "So what are these rumors? What do people say about you?"
"That I'm like my mom. That I drink too much. Don't pay my bills. Sleep around. I'm surprised you haven't heard all this by now."
"I haven't, but even if I did, I don't listen to that shit."
"Most people do, especially in a small town."
"I'm from a big city and it's no different. People talk. That's just how it is."
"But they don't talk about you. You're from a good family. A rich family. There's nothing bad to say."