My coronary heart soared as their gentle cologne mingled round me. When the hug broke, I set my glass down and reached for my purse.

“Truly, there’s another factor.”

Beers have been drunk slowly as I opened my purse and stared inside.

“So, the city I’m from, Half Ridge… as you understand, we’re fairly big on Valentine’s Day due to how the city was based, and there’s an enormous pageant and traditions, yadda yadda.” My coronary heart started to pound, and I reached one trembling hand into my purse. “Nicely, a type of traditions is to… is to reward a gold-tipped rose to somebody you might need emotions for. Somebody you would possibly wish to confess that you simply like them otherwise you…”

I paused and slowly pulled out three deep pink roses. The trim of every delicate petal was coated in a gold paint that shimmered within the lights.

“Or perhaps you wish to confess that you simply’re falling in love with somebody. So, you give them the rose, and so they come to the pageant on Valentine’s Day and provide you with their reply.” Urgent my lips collectively, I lifted my gaze to the three pairs of eyes watching me. “So, I needed to provide you a rose. All of you.”

My coronary heart pounded like a sluggish drum, and the group round melted away to nothing. All that mattered have been the three males in entrance of me. They have been my brother’s finest pals and the three individuals who had given me the time of day since I arrived right here. They by no means cared about who I used to be or that I wasn’t from the identical circle as them. Even discovering out who I used to be hadn’t swayed them.

“I actually take pleasure in spending time with all of you,” I continued, speaking at the same time as Lucas’ lips parted. “So, I hope you’ll settle for the rose and uh… and provides me your reply subsequent week. Though there’s no pageant right here however y’know.” The longer I talked, the extra my palms shook, so I rapidly gave every man a rose.

And every one took it.

“Scarlett,” Lucas started. “That is so cute. I by no means— do I’ve to attend till the fourteenth earlier than I provide you with my reply?”

“Sure,” I smiled, combating to maintain the nerves from my voice.

“A silly rule,” Sebastian stated.

“It’s custom!” I chuckled breathlessly. “I such as you. All of you. No, I’m falling in love with all of you, I’m fairly certain and so subsequent week we— we are able to have dinner and you’ll inform me then.”

“Is that this why you’re staying?” Danny requested softly, turning the rose over in his palms. “We don’t want roses to let you know how we really feel. I hope it’s apparent?—.”

“You’re staying!?” Toby, out of nowhere, burst ahead and threw his arms round my shoulders, the slight tinge of alcohol on his breath.

I jumped barely and laughed, patting his arm. “Sure, sure. For a short time.”

“I’m so completely satisfied!” Toby leaned again and squeezed my shoulder, then glanced at his pals and the roses in every of their palms. “You guys are actually doing the entire… group factor huh?”

“Is that an issue?” Sebastian requested, and there was a slight brittleness to his tone.

“No! In fact not,” Toby grinned. “Fuck, the best way this whole world works, I’m simply completely satisfied you may have all discovered somebody. And also you, Scarlett. I’m simply glad they’ve persuaded you to remain.”

“Nicely, it simply… it is smart,” I smiled warmly, my abdomen fluttering. Toby didn’t appear to thoughts the character of our relationship one bit, which calmed the concern at the back of my thoughts about breaking that information.

“You recognize, after I requested you guys to spend time along with her and dig up no matter filth you could possibly, I didn’t count on you all to fall in love. However you understand what? It’s excellent! My new sister and my finest pals, it’s an ideal match!”

Wait… what?

My coronary heart froze, punching to an entire cease in my chest. Instantly, Toby’s arm was a deadweight throughout my shoulders as I processed his phrases.

“Wait— I’m sorry… you requested them to get filth on me?”

“Scarlett—,” Lucas started, however his phrases light as a roaring rose in my ears.

“You requested them to spend time with me? It wasn’t… it wasn’t since you favored me?”

The bitter sting of tears stabbed behind my eyes, and I lifted my gaze to the three uncomfortable faces earlier than me. Toby, seemingly too tipsy to grasp what he let slip, turned away for a second then he rapidly smoothed down his go well with.

“It’s time for my speech! I’ll discover you all after, okay?”

And with that, Toby was gone, taking the crumbling basis of my relationship with him.

“Inform me it’s not true,” I whispered. For a second, Sebastian, Lucas, and Danny all spoke directly, creating nothing however incoherent noise as my coronary heart fractured in my chest. It wasn’t me. They didn’t occur throughout me like that naturally.

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