Free Dirty Friends (Beautiful Friends #1) by Paige Steele Page A

sister. You two are my best friends.”
    He takes a little longer to open his but still is doing it quite quickly, as he pulls out the keychain of a sterling silver helmet. It is inscribed on one side with his favorite quote...” I’d risk the fall just to know what it feels like to fly”. While the other side has…” Never forget.”
    He tries to speak and gets choked up. “Shit, now you are making me get emotional.”
    Cooper leans over to look at it, pats him on the back then places his gift next to Ryan. As Ryan opens it, he starts laughing because of course, these two think alike. He got the same damn calendar for him. “Now as we flip up the months, we will be thinking the same thing,” Coop says, like he is so proud of himself.
    Then they both speak at the same time, “Hot Damn!”
    “Gross…make me puke.”
    They both start to get up and I yell over to them to sit back down. “I’ve got one more for both of you.”
    Placing the gifts in their laps, I walk out of the room to grab more drinks. I can’t sit there when they open them. I know it would cause the waterfalls to start. I take out beers for them then grab a Diet Coke for me. Opening mine up, I pull out the barstool at the island and sit down. They both walk in at the same time.
    Emotions are running high. All it takes is Ryan pulling back the barstool and picking me up off of it, hugging me tightly while my feet don’t touch the floor. “You will always be a part of my life, girl. You hear me? I love you.” I just nod my head. I can’t speak.
    Setting me down, Cooper then comes over. He rests his hands on either side of me. “What am I going to do with you?” I shrug my shoulders up and down, still not being able to control my voice from trembling. Tears are streaming down my cheeks.
    “Peanut, nothing will tear us apart. This is just another adventure in this life of ours. God brought us together for different reasons. Look, we are all single kids, none of us had siblings to fight with, and so when Ryan and I got to be friends it was like having a brother I never had. Then, you came into our lives when we were twelve. You kept us in check when we got out of line. Can you imagine the trouble we would have gotten into if it wasn’t for you?”
    I chuckle because he is totally right. “A ton.”
    “Yeah, that’s right.” Ryan comes over, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Friends forever.”
    They both bend over to me so our heads all meet and we stand there hugging each other.

 
     
    Cooper
     
     
    January came and went and so did Ryan. He has been gone for just about four months. Of course, he got officially signed to the three-year deal. He FaceTimed Ansley and I one night, to tell us. We celebrated over the phone with him. We haven’t lost touch, even though there are days at a time where we don’t talk. His parents are still here but have flown out to see him on several occasions. His dad continues to take me to races, which is great because he can sign the paperwork as my guardian so I can ride. It’s pretty cool that he still does that for me, even though he has a lot going on between work and Ryan’s new career as a pro rider.
    Ansley and I spend a lot of time together. We are getting closer and closer. She goes to the track with me, as well as helps me get my bike washed and ready for every ride the night before. Not that she’s a bunch of help with the mechanical things, but she’s still there trying to hand me the tools I need. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
    Prom’s happening in about two weeks. I decide to ask an old favorite. Let’s face it; I want someone to go with that knows what prom night is all about. Ansley decides to go with that stupid football player that she has gone out with a few times. He’s still trying to get her in the backseat of his car; I know it. The kid is a dumbass and everyone knows that’s all he’s after. I warn Ansley but she informs me that she can handle herself. Of