Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 32

Colby

Lia’s graduation was almost upon us. It was this weekend and I wanted to do something special for her. All the guys wanted to do something special for her. She was going to be finishing high school and heading into college.

It was a shame we all wouldn’t be able to attend the same school together. Me and the guys were going to be graduating from college, hopefully moving onto the next phase of our lives, professional rugby players.

Imagine if all of us were scouted to the same team. This would be a dream if I could work beside them all the time. But I was realistic, knowing that I might be drafted by another team. It was always an option when it came to these sorts of things.

Once all of us were downstairs, we decided to have a discussion.

I leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers against the table. The others sat around me, waiting for some grand idea. The truth? I had one. It wasn’t grand, though.

“Okay, listen,” I said, glancing at Rain, who was already smirking like he had a better plan. “We’re overthinking this whole thing. Lia doesn’t want some massive party.”

Rain raised an eyebrow. “So what’s your genius idea, Colby? Dinner at a diner? A backyard barbecue?”

“Exactly,” I said, pointing at him. “A barbecue. A casual get-together. Just us, some food, and no over-the-top crap.”

Matt frowned. “A barbecue? For graduation? That’s kind of… boring, isn’t it?”

“Not for Lia,” I shot back. “She doesn’t like big crowds or loud events. She’ll hate anything fancy. We keep it small, she’ll love it.”

Jesse nodded, arms crossed. “He’s right. Anything flashy, and she’ll probably find a reason to ditch early.”

Rain snorted. “That’s true. Last time someone threw her a surprise party, she hid in the bathroom for half the night.”

“Exactly,” I said, sitting up. “We get some good food, hang out, maybe play a few games. No themes, no drama. Just chill.” “Food’s key,” Matt said. “She loves her snacks. We’ll need good pizza and maybe one of those dessert trays she’s always talking about.”

“And sparkling water,” Jesse added. “She’s been on a kick with those lately.”

Rain grinned. “And popcorn. Don’t forget the popcorn.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, waving him off. “Popcorn’s a given. But let’s keep it simple. If we start adding too much, it’s gonna feel like work instead of fun.”

“What about decorations?” Jesse asked.

“String lights,” I said. “That’s it. If we’re outside, they’ll look nice without being over-the-top.”

“No balloons?” Rain teased.

“No balloons,” I said firmly. “No banners. No cheesy grad caps everywhere. Just lights, food, and good company.”

Matt leaned back, nodding. “Low-key. I like it. It’s exactly what Lia would want.”

Rain shrugged. “Fine. Simple works. But I’m still bringing popcorn.”

“Just make sure Lia actually gets some,” I said.

“So, who’s handling what?” Jesse asked.

“I’ll set up the backyard,” I said. “Rain, you’re on snacks. Matt, you can handle drinks, and Jesse-figure out the games. Something that won’t end in a fight, please.”

“Good luck with that,” Matt muttered.

Rain grinned. “This might actually work.”

“It will,” I said, confident now. “Because we’re keeping it simple. No overthinking, no grand ideas. Just something Lia will actually enjoy.”

For the first time that night, I saw all of them on board. It wasn’t flashy or elaborate, but it didn’t need to be. It was for Lia. And that was all that mattered.

She needed to have a great graduation party to mark this new event in her life. I smiled to myself, hoping it was going to work out. Lia deserved a good party!

It was going to be a small, intimate party with just the people Lia was closest to. We all had our party to play with me planning directly with Simone. Rain would take care of decorations, Matt’s food, and Jesse whatever else needed to be taken care of.

The next morning Rain burst into the room without warning, catching me by surprise. I let out a surprised growl, giving him a look.

“Rain, do you have to burst into here like you’re going to take the damn door off the hinges?”

He grinned. “Sorry. I just wanted to see if you were ready to start planning.”

I sighed, knowing that it was about to get extra chaotic and… Rain didn’t disappoint. But when I saw the look on Lia’s face, I realized that it was well worth all the hassle and headache. She looked surprised but thrilled that we had thrown her a party.

Lia went around, hugging and thanking each one of us. When she came to me, she gave me a look.

“What?”

“You lied to me,” Lia playfully accused, poking me gently on the shoulder. “It was a smart decision to go with you, Jesse. Anyone else would’ve cracked under the pressure.”

“Colby volunteered me and I went along with it.”

Lia laughed. “Straight to the point as always.”

“It’s better when you get straight to the point, Lia. There are fewer misunderstandings and conflicts that way.’

“}

“Fair enough,” she said, standing up on her tiptoes to press her lips against my cheek.

I was tempted to turn my head so her lips would brush against mine, but I decided against it. Next time I would indulge in possessive action, wanting to put my scent and mark on my soon-to-be-mate.

The party was certainly not something I would’ve liked for myself. Attending parties wasn’t even something I liked either, but I was willing to put up with it for Lia and my friends. Everyone looked like they were having a fun time.

I stood off to the side, keeping to myself, but I was having an enjoyable time. This was simply how I chose to enjoy parties. Too much face-to-face interaction got on my nerves and would mean I wasn’t going to be my usual, cheery self the next day.

“Jesse, why are you laughing to yourself?” Rain whispered to me as he walked by.

“No reason.”

Rain scurried off, making me laugh harder.