“I know you’re right.” I sigh, leaning my head against the wall. “It’s just… Everything feels like it’s spinning out of control. Mom and I always told each other everything. Finding out she kept something this big from me… It makes me question everything.”
“Don’t do that to yourself, Cas. Your mom loved you more than anything in this world. Whatever her reasons were for keeping this secret, they came from a place of love.”
Tears well up again as I remember the way she’d look at me sometimes, like I was the best thing that ever happened to her. “She used to tell me I was her greatest adventure.”
“And you were,” Marcus says firmly. “One secret doesn’t change that. One secret doesn’t erase all the love and happiness you shared.”
I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “When did you get so wise?”
“I’ve always been wise. You just never listened to me,” he teases, then grows serious again. “So, what are you thinking about the brothers?”
I look down at the phone number Nate left, wishing I could just make it disappear. Make all of it disappear. I want to go back to this morning when I was wrapped in Nate’s arms and everything made sense.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whisper. “Part of me wants to pretend none of this happened. That I didn’t meet them. That I could just…erase the last few hours and go back to being just me and my memories of Mom.”
“That’s completely understandable, Cas.”
“I feel so lost,” I admit. “Terrified. Like everything I thought I knew is slipping through my fingers.”
“Of course you’re scared. Everything you knew about your family just got turned upside down. But you’re one of the strongest people I know, Cas. You’ll get through this too.” He pauses. “And what about Nate?”
My heart clenches at the mention of his name. “I miss him,” I whisper. “I wish he was here to comfort me, but I need some time,” I say, tracing the edges of Nate’s note. “Everything feels so raw right now. I need to process this, figure out how I feel about Mom, about everything.”
“Take all the time you need,” Marcus says firmly. “What he did was messed up, Cas, no matter his intentions. Just focus on yourself right now. Everything else can wait.”
I think about Nate’s face when he tried to tell me, how torn he looked. How gentle his hands were when he reached for me. Despite everything, my heart still yearns for his comfort, and that just makes this whole situation more confusing.
“And, Cas?” Marcus’s voice softens. “Your mom would be so proud of how you’re handling this. She always said you had the biggest heart of anyone she knew.”
A fresh wave of tears spills down my cheeks. “I really wish she were here.”
“I know, honey. I know.”
After I hang up, I sit there for a long time, holding Nate’s note and thinking about everything Marcus said. About Mom, bravery, and not pushing people away. My gaze drifts between the phone number Nate left and Marcus’s name on my phone. I don’t know what to do about Nate or my…brothers, but one thing I know for certain—I don’t want to be alone right now.
CHAPTER 32
NATE
I’ve been staring at the same spreadsheet for twenty minutes, not processing a single number. My mind keeps drifting to Caspian. After leaving Addy’s place two days ago, I was determined to talk to Caspian, but when I parked in our driveway, all his lights were off.
I’ve wanted to reach out to check if he’s okay, but every time I pick up my phone, I freeze. What if he rejects me? What if he doesn’t want to hear from me at all? The memory of his hurt expression, the way he backed away from me, how small his voice sounded when he asked me to leave—it all haunts me. I’ve never felt so helpless, so unsure of what to do.
“Okay, what’s wrong?” Amelia’s voice breaks through my thoughts. She’s leaning against my desk, arms crossed.
“Nothing,” I mutter, pretending to focus on my computer screen.
“Bull,” she says flatly. “You’ve been moping around all day like someone killed your puppy. Spill.”
I run a hand through my hair, sighing. “There’s just…something going on between me and Caspian. But it’ll be fine.”
“It better be fine,” she says, her eyes narrowing. “Because if that sweet boy moves away from Maplewood because of whatever you did, I will never forgive you.”
My stomach drops. I hadn’t even considered that possibility.
“He wouldn’t leave Maplewood,” I say, but my voice lacks conviction.
“Wouldn’t he?” Amelia raises an eyebrow. “Think about it, Nate. You live next door to each other. Your mom works with him. This is a small town. That’s a lot of awkward run-ins if things go south.”
