Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 11

Matt

My phone started going off way too early. Growling I grabbed it and opened the group chat.

Group Chat: “Team Mission Lia”

6:03 AM

Jesse: You, everyone up? We need to talk.

Matt: … Why is this happening before the sun is fully awake?

Colby: Because it’s important, Matt. Now get over it and focus.

Rain: zzzz…

Jesse: Rain, wake up. This isn’t optional.

Rain: Half-conscious. Proceed.

Matt: This better not be about Lia. It’s too early for emotional trauma.

Jesse: It is about Lia. We can’t ignore this anymore.

Colby: We’ve been a mess around her, and it’s time we get our act together. No more lurking awkwardly or being avoidant.

Rain: Do you mean no more “accidentally” bumping into her to check if she’s still mad?

Jesse: EXACTLY. We’ve been idiots. Years of bullying her didn’t help.

Matt: Didn’t it help? It made her hate us. Deservedly.

Colby: Which is why we need a plan. She’s smart. If we just rush her with apologies, she’ll think we’re trying to manipulate her.

Rain: We kind of were bullies, though. Why wouldn’t she assume that?

Matt: Rain’s right. Trust doesn’t happen overnight.

Jesse: Then we earn it. The step one is acknowledging we’ve hurt her. No excuses, no “we were just kids” garbage.

Colby: We also need to make it clear we’re serious about this. It’s not just about us liking her-it’s about showing her we’re safe now.

Rain: “Safe” is a stretch. We’re still chaotic.

Matt: Speak for yourself. I’m perfectly stable.

Rain: Says the guy who yelled at a squirrel for stealing his sandwich.

Matt: Irrelevant. Stay on topic.

Jesse: Focus, people. We’re meeting early this morning to hash out the specifics.

Matt: I want to sleep.

Colby: Your sleep is canceled. This takes priority. 1

Rain: What even is the plan? Just grovel?

Jesse: We apologize first. Then we start showing her through actions-not just words-that she can rely on us. We’ve got to be consistent.

Colby: Small gestures. Respect her space. Prove we’re different.

Matt: So, no grand romantic declarations? No cornering her with “we’re your fated mates” speeches?

Rain: Not. She’d run for the hills.

Jesse: Exactly. We move slowly. Let her take the lead when she’s ready.

Matt: Fine. But if this goes wrong, I’m blaming Jesse.

Colby: Blame yourself for being a pain all these years.

Rain: Group consensus: Jesse’s fault if it fails.

Jesse: Whatever. Just be up in about an hour. No excuses.

Rain: Cool. Going back to sleep now.

Matt: Same. Don’t wake me up again unless it’s life or death. I need that extra hour.

Colby: Or Lia.

Matt: …Fine.

Jesse: Good. Let’s fix this mess.

“I do accept it, Colby but it still doesn’t mean that I am going to be the one who is willing to take the first plunge. Rain can do it.”

“I mean, okay if that’s what you want-“

“Rain,” Jesse warned, narrowing his eyes. “No.”

Rain sighed, giving me a sympathetic look. “Sorry about that Matt, but Jesse scares me more than a little bit so I’m going to just back off. I’ll gladly be the second person or something.”

“Jesse, Rain might be afraid of you but I’m not,” I muttered.

He smiled. “True, but we can always talk about this with Lia and say that you are waffling on spending one-on-one time with her. Can you imagine how hurt she would be if that happened?”

“This is blackmail.”

Colby stifled a laugh. “Matt, I think that’s the point.”

They were putting me in a tricky situation. If I refused to go then they were going to talk to Lia, which would make things even more awkward for the two of us. But if I went on this outing with her it was going to cause me extreme distress and massive levels of awkwardness.

“I hate all of you.”

Rain sniffed. “Matt, my man, I know you’re just saying that because you’re hurt. Trust that all of us, even Jesse, love you. We only want what is best for you.”

“Still hate all of you.”

“Matt, you’re going to make Rain cry,” Colby hissed, gesturing to their friend who was tearing up.”

I sighed. “Rain I don’t hate any of you. I’m just angry.”

“So, you’ll do it?” Rain asked.

If I said no then I was going to disappoint one of my best friends and Lia. Or rather not disappoint her but make things more awkward.

“Fine, I’ll do it but know that I am going to hate all of you for the next few hours.”

Jesse smiled, the smile even reaching his eyes. “Good. Colby made reservations for dinner and then the two of you can see a movie.”

These assholes. They were planning the whole thing and knew I was going to back down in the end!

I never stood a chance.