Ours To Be (All Ours, #1)

Chapter 10

When I snap my eyes back in Joshua's direction, they get stuck on a pair of hazel ones. My stomach drops. Kayden. Beaming down at me. With tears in his eyes? What?

Why does he look like he just got done bawling? And why do I feel some kind of string pulling at my heart by seeing him like this? His eyes are red, glossed over, and puffy, nose too. Even his tanned cheeks have a flush of crimson in them behind the stubble.

I frown, searching over his face. ''Hi?''

He chuckles at my astonishment, only escalating my confusion. ''Hey,'' 

I try to look past him for Joshua, wanting some elucidation on this. And my eyes fall on the flat panel, full of chopped onions in front of Kayden. Onions. He was slicing freaking onions. Ease up.

I drag my eyes back to his bloodshot ones. ''And here I thought Joshua was getting you emotional.'' I muse.

He snorts. ''The only way Joshua could get me emotional is going to be on the day it finally hits me this cabrón is actually my best friend.'' I don't think I will ever get over his accent. It's so thick and heavy. It's him. Hot.

''Ohh, the weeper's got jokes.'' Joshua ruminates, rolling his eyes. Making me shake my head and chest shake with silent laughter. ''I need you over here with the wraps, Bells.''

I round up the island and stroll to his side. He's got some packets of wheat tortilla wraps, smoked salmon, different types of garlic butter, lettuce, and some cucumbers. I know what he wants me to make. It's something I used to make and eat often during my obsessive dieting days. Back when I was perilously overweight and wanted a change before my senior year of high school would start. So that summer, I devoted all my vitality to dropping weight. And I did. I went back to school, over 50 pounds lighter.

It did come with a price though. The workouts and the constant watching what you're eating became exhausting and took a real toll on me. I was drained of all energy and strength. I became this whole other person, almost starving myself to fit society's standards. To stand next to my friends and not feel like a complete and utter outcast. It became noticeable in everything I did. Even behavior. That's when Josh realized all the mistakes I'd been making with my diet, thinking I was doing the right thing by holding off on everything. He's always been a health freak, so together we came up with recipes, rosters, calorie intakes, and even workout schedules. He helped me through it all. I've gained some of it back over the years, like I said, I do got some extra meat on me, and my confidence is not the greatest. But it got better. A lot better.

I look up at Josh, seeing him mirroring my expression, smiling down at me. I know we're thinking about the same thing. No matter how much shit we give each other, I love him like a second brother. He'll always be the person I go to when I get tired of the girls comparing their hookups dick sizes, and I just need to hang out and do nothing. I know that routinely, I hate men, but a guy best friend is totally different. Not once has he tried to get into any of our pants. We would've dropped him a long time ago if he had. The innocent flirting is restricted for Nara, and only Nara.

I see Kayden watching us from the corner of my eye but I keep my gaze down, reaching out for the pack of tortillas. I don't know how he manages to make me feel so exposed under his watch. I've never wanted to curl myself into a little ball and just roll away like I do when he's around. Just like right now. I want to duck my head underneath the island since I feel him observing me- us.

My nerves get the best of me and my fingers start trembling to the point of being incapable to tear the plastic package open. Joshua notices and takes it from my hands. Ripping it open in one go. I thank him, keeping my eyes down. I hear water running on the other side of the kitchen and look up to see Kayden washing his hands under the sink. Arms and muscles flexed and tight through the navy blue shirt he's wearing, with black basketball shorts, making his ass appear to be the best ass I've ever seen on a man.