Laughing, Courtney punched him in the stomach.
“So,” Kevin said, looking around at everyone, “pontoon party?”
Layton started laughing. “Babe, you feel up to it?”
Whitley smiled and nodded her head. “Why not? We have a lot to celebrate.”
Courtney jumped up and down, kissed me quickly on the cheek, and headed back to the house with Whitley.
Kevin slapped me on the back again, and then he reached for Layton and pulled him over to us. “All right, my brothers, let’s make this the best damn pontoon party ever.”
I smiled as I looked at Layton. He seemed happy, really happy, and I was glad that his father had given him what he finally needed to completely move on.
As we were about to make our way out of the barn, Layton pulled me back. “Hey, Kev, I’m gonna talk to Reed for just a couple of minutes. We’ll meet you back up at the house.”
“Sure thing. I’ll start making some calls,” Kevin said as he turned and walked out of the barn.
I peered over at Layton, who now had a serious look on his face.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
I smiled and nodded my head. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You and Courtney just started dating, Reed. You don’t think y’all are moving too fast with the engagement?”
For some reason, Layton asking me that instantly pissed me off. “I’ve been in love with her for much longer than a few months, Layton. No, I don’t think we are moving too fast. I’d marry her tomorrow if I thought she would.”
The smile that spread across his face caused me to smile.
“That’s all I needed to hear. You know I love you like a brother, and I love Court like a sister. I just want y’all both to be happy.” He looked down and then back up at me as he kicked the ground. “You doing okay after running into your dad? Wesley told me that it kind of threw you for a loop.”
I rolled my eyes and silently cursed my sister. She always ran to Layton anytime she thought I was having a rough go of things. I knew she’d had a thing for Layton years ago, and she had used it as an excuse to talk to him more than anything, but now, this running-to-him shit was getting old.
I shrugged my shoulders and quickly looked away. I thought back to what Courtney had said to me, and I grinned slightly. I looked back up at Layton. “I’m good. I’ll admit that some things from my past crept up on me, but I talked to Courtney, and”—I let out a small chuckle—“we worked everything out. It just hit me, Layton. It was the right time to ask her.”
Layton nodded his head. “It’s just that you talked about asking her at Christmas, so this sudden engagement came as a surprise. I’m happy for you though, Reed. You know I am.”
I nodded and slapped him on the back. “Layton, I’ve never been so sure of something in my entire life. Courtney is my entire world. I don’t even want to imagine my life without her in it.”
The smile that spread across Layton’s face told me he knew exactly how I felt.
“Let’s go throw the best damn pontoon party ever. I’m going to be a father. Holy shit,” Layton said as he shook his head and laughed.
“God help the future generation of girls if you have a boy.”
As we walked toward the house, a strange feeling hit me. It was almost a panicked feeling that something bad was going to happen.
Courtney walked up to me with that beautiful smile of hers. “Are you all right?” she asked as she tilted her head and looked at me.
“Yeah, I’ve never been better. Ready to tell everyone that you’re mine and officially off the market?”
She jumped up and down and let out a little squeal. “Hell yeah, I am!”
I picked her up and swung her around in a circle before setting her down. I kissed the tip of her nose and then said, “Let’s go make it official.”
I looked around and let out a sigh. I could not believe how many people were at this party.
“Gesh, when these boys throw a party, I think the whole damn countryside shows up,” I said as I glanced over at Whitley, who was looking out at the makeshift dance floor.
I turned, and the first thing I saw was Kevin holding Kate while he was dancing with Jen. “You know what I think? I think Kevin and Jen would make a cute couple. What do you think?” I asked Whitley.
I looked back at Whitley. She was still peering out at the dance floor, but this time, she had a very pissed-off look on her face. My heart started pounding, and I was wondering who she was looking at.
Olivia? Maybe even Anna?
I didn’t want to look, but I followed Whit’s eyes, only to find Layton dancing with Wesley, Reed’s sister. They were both laughing about something, but the way Wesley was looking at Layton seemed a little off to me. It was almost like she—oh shit.
I walked and stood in front of Whitley, breaking her eye contact with them. “Earth to Whitley. Did you hear what I said about Kevin and Jen? Don’t you think they would make a cute couple?”
Whitley peeked around my shoulder and whispered, “That bitch.”
I quickly turned to see Wesley embracing Layton a little too close. Layton quickly moved back, creating more distance between the two of them.
“Whitley…” I said with that motherly tone my mother would use on me right before I was ready to lose my shit on someone.
Whitley quickly looked into my eyes. “Spill it,” she said.
I gave her a confused look. “Spill what?”
Placing her hands on her hips, she tilted her head and gave me that you-know-what-I-mean look. “Wesley and Layton—did anything ever happen between the two of them?”
My mouth dropped open, and I just stood there for a second. “Well, how in the hell would I know that?”
“You’re engaged to her brother,” Whitley said, like that meant I should know everything about Wesley’s sex life, present and past.
“So? I’ve hardly talked to her. I mean, we’ve gotten a bit closer these last few weeks, but before that, I barely said two words to her, except for hello and see ya around.”
Whitley looked back out on the dance floor. I looked over my shoulder, praying to God they had stopped dancing. The music had changed to a slower song, and Layton was still dancing with Wesley.
Stupid ass. What in the hell is wrong with him?
“What in the hell does he think he’s doing? He’s danced with her for three songs now,” Whitley said.
“Three?” I said with almost a gasp.