Page 66 of The Best I Never Had

“Okay, fine,” I say, hoping to at least control the narrative. “It was a bit of a backslide, but nothing else is going to happen, so can we keep this between us? We don’t want to give anyone—especially Diana—the wrong impression.”

Gabriel eyes us speculatively. “Fine, I won’t send that very interesting message I was already writing in my head to the group chat, but on one condition.”

Owen groans. “What do you want from me?”

“Not you,” he says, jerking his chin in my direction. “Her.”

I narrow my eyes. “If this is a weird sex thing, I’m gonna pass.”

Gabriel barks out a laugh. “No, I want you to perform with us at the rehearsal dinner and wedding.”

I didn’t see that one coming. “You can’t be serious.”

“As the grave,” Gabriel says, bouncing his eyebrows. “How important is my silence?”

“You’re ridiculous,” I say with a laugh. “I can’t perform with you guys. I don’t know your songs.”

“I’ll send you our set list. We’ll do a mix of you singing the covers and one of us singing the originals.”

“Even if I know the songs you’re covering, I don’t know how you perform them.”

He shrugs. “I think you can make time for one measly hour-long rehearsal. You didn’t practice with us before the bar performance, and look how that turned out.”

“What are you even doing here?” Owen asks Gabriel, and I know it’s an attempt to distract him, to give me a second to think.

He tosses something in the air and catches it, and it only takes a glimpse of bright yellow for me to recognize the bus keys. “I’m sneaking these into Lynne’s desk drawer so she grabs them and has to drive the next time.”

Owen lets out a bone-weary sigh as I stifle a giggle in his back. “You’re going to lose them. Just wait until we get closer to the next time we’re using it.”

“Everyone will be on their guard by then. I already tried handing them off, and I couldn’t get anyone to take them.”

“Gabe—”

“Unless you want to take them,” he says, grinning like he’s about to yell checkmate.

Owen sighs again and reaches out, but I grab his arm and twist it behind his back. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

Gabriel sticks the keys back in his pocket, turning his attention to me. “What’s it gonna be, Thea?”

It’s a strange sensation, having someone want me involved in something enough to blackmail me into it. But singing with their band really was a rush, and if it will keep this quiet, it’ll be a perfect win-win situation. Addy said it was fine, and he’s right, I can find an hour.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

Gabriel gives a triumphant whoop as Owen digs the heels of his palms into his eyes. “If you’re going to sneak the keys into Lynne’s desk, go now. I need to talk to Thea.”

Gabriel waggles his eyebrows. “For more canoodling?”

“Cut it the fuck out, Gabriel,” Owen says, and Gabriel’s body jerks, jumping to attention like a soldier spotting their general approaching. “If gossip starts swirling around us, it’ll distract from the wedding. Neither of us want that for Harrison and Addy. You’re going to hurt people because you care more about the laugh than common decency.”

Gabriel blinks a few times, then faces me. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re fine. But Owen’s right.”

“I’ll keep it to myself,” he says, looking fully chastised before rushing down the hall.

Owen pulls me to the side once he’s turned the corner. “If you don’t want to perform, I can get Gabriel to back off. Seems like he heard me.”

Based on the reaction from Gabriel when Owen called him out, I’m sure he’s right. But I don’t want to say no. “It’s okay. Sounds kind of fun. And if you say this to Gabriel I’ll deny it, but it’s nice to feel wanted.”