Always the Last to Know (Always the Bridesmaid) Read Online Free

Had Riley really asked me to move in with him?  Had I almost choked on a ham sandwich?  My first few tries of speaking are nothing more than strange sounds.
           “Sorr… I… wha?”  Is what I manage to blurt out.
          He puts his hands together and stares at them as he talks, “Carla and Evan are getting married and they’re going to want the apartment to themselves and you won’t be able to stand staying there with them.  And I know you would rather walk on burning hot coals barefoot and naked in front of your mother and Green Bay’s defensive line than to move back home.”
          What is it with boys and Green Bay’s defense?  He has everything else right though.  I can’t even stomach the idea of moving back home with my parents and their ‘on again, off again’ marriage.  And I definitely can’t live with Carla and Evan once they are married.  Evan is practically living at the apartment already, and I grit my teeth most days with him there.  He will be there all the time once he marries Carla.
          Riley must be able to see the gears in my head spinning in circles at frantic speeds.  His bright green eyes catch mine.
           “Live with me.”  He says simply.  Before I can respond, he launches into his reasoning.  “Look, you can have the spare bedroom and the hall bathroom is all yours.  I already have all the furniture for the kitchen, including a dishwasher, I know how you feel about dirty dishes, and the livingroom’s furnished.  There’s no deposit, and I’ll make the rent cheap for you.”
          I open and close my mouth three times before speaking actual words.  “Riley, we would kill each other.”
          He shakes his head, “No we wouldn’t.  Look, if you don’t want to move in for Carla and Evan, or for your sanity, move in for Jackson.”
           “Low blow.”  I mutter, thinking of the massive Great Dane that Riley saved from the animal shelter two years ago.  To be this giant of a dog, Jackson is the sweetest, most spoiled creature to ever walk the earth.  Every time I go over to Riley’s house, Jackson jumps on the couch and puts his head on my lap and just waits for me to scratch his ears.  The dog is ridiculous, but I probably love him just as much as Riley does.
           “Please, Jess.”  Riley is still looking at me with those green eyes of his and my stomach gives an odd lurch.
           “Okay.”
          Riley smiles and I can’t help but copy him.
           “Do you think that we should get them an actual tangible gift though?”  Riley asks after a moment of silence.
           “Probably.  I’ll look up some stuff online.”
          Riley smirks, “You know, we could go look for stuff together, in an actual store.”
           “No.  No way in Hell am I going shopping with you.  Shopping with you is the reason that we both got blacklisted at Home Depot.”
           “Like no one had ever knocked down a display of ladders that knocked over a display of paint that spilled all over the regional manager and gave him a concussion before.”  Riley waves a hand, dismissing the whole thing.  “Come on, Reynolds.  Mom told me that I have to get them an actual gift, not just money in an envelope.  Please, Jess.  Just help me find something for them and I’ll leave you alone.”
          I tap a finger to my chin for a moment before having a grand vision.
           “Fine.  I’ll help.  But only if I can paint your kitchen yellow.”
           “Yellow?  Fine, whatever, okay.  Anything to get my mom to stop bugging me.”
           “Deal.”  I check my watch, “I have to get back in there.  Thanks for lunch, Callahan.”
           “You gave up way too soon.  I would have went so far as to let you paint the master bath purple if it meant that it would get my mom to stop being so concerned about me having a proper outlet