After Eight Years of Hiding, I Chose Myself

I'd been in a secret relationship with my brother's best friend for eight years.

Every time I brought up going public, he'd coax me out of it:

"Just a little longer. If your brother finds out, he'll kill me."

So I listened. Every time we were around other people, I kept my distance like a good girl.

Until a round of Truth or Dare at a party landed on Tristan Simmons.

The crowd egged him on, daring him to kiss one of the girls in the room.

His gaze drifted toward me, soft and warm. My pulse spiked. I felt my cheeks flush as I braced myself.

But that gaze swept right past me.

And settled on his rumored college ex.

"I pick Tessa."

While I sat frozen in disbelief, Tristan didn't spare me so much as a glance. He walked straight to Tessa Fox and slid his arm around her waist.

She tipped up on her toes, shy and smiling. He leaned down, and his lips met hers in a kiss so tender, so lingering, that neither of them seemed to remember anyone else was in the room.

The crowd roared. She buried her face against his chest, all coy sweetness.

He didn't pull away. He just laughed softly and steadied her by the waist.

In that moment, I finally saw the truth for what it was.

The secret relationship I'd waited eight years for was over.

——

The cheering around me only got louder.

"Oh, we are EATING tonight! Tristan and Tessa making out right in front of us? Get a room!"

Everyone was teasing them about their history.

"It's been eight years and you're both still single. If that doesn't prove you two are endgame, I don't know what does."

More voices piled on.

"Get together! Get together!"

"Kiss her again!"

It was June, but my hands and feet had gone ice-cold, as though I'd been plunged into the dead of winter.

Two hours ago, everything had still been fine.

When Tristan drove me to this party, he'd unbuckled my seatbelt for me, then pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Don't drink too much tonight," he'd said.

"If your brother and the guys get me wasted, I'll need my girl to drive me home."

Eight years, and he'd never once told anyone we were together.

But hearing words like that,

I still felt something warm bloom in my chest.

Until—

Ten minutes after the party started.

The door to the private room swung open, and everyone went quiet for a beat.

It was Tessa Fox. Tristan's rumored ex from college.

She stood in the doorway in a black dress that hugged every curve, wearing a polished smile.

"Heard you guys were getting together. Hope you don't mind me crashing."

"Not at all!"

The hype crew kicked into gear immediately. "Tessa, sit next to Tristan!"

But the person sitting next to Tristan was me.

Before I could even process it, his buddies were already jumping in. "Doreen James, what are you doing hanging around here anyway? Go sit by your brother."

I looked at Tristan instinctively.

Hoping he'd say something. Just one word in my defense.

When I'd agreed to come tonight, the only thing I'd asked for was the seat beside him.

He'd ruffled my hair, all indulgent affection. "The spot next to me is always yours."

But now.

Tristan wasn't even looking at me.

From the second Tessa walked through that door, his eyes had been locked on her and hadn't moved.

"Doreen, hello? You just gonna sit there like a deer in headlights?"

"This is grown-up stuff, kid. Stay out of it!"

The voices urging me to move grew louder.

They all assumed I was just tagging along with my brother.

I lowered my head and moved to the seat next to my brother.

"Thanks so much, Doreen."

Tessa settled into the spot beside Tristan with an easy smile, set her purse down, and tilted her head to greet him.