Shit.
I delete the last two messages before Nate can see them and flex my fingers to stop them wanting to type out something even worse.
Nate
According to Cat, Pippa’s always had shit luck dating. All these guys used her instead of treating her like she should’ve been treated. I don’t get it.
The more I get to know Pippa, the more I get why Cat loves her so much. She jokes about being a “practice girlfriend” for guys before they really settle down, but I don’t think it’s a joke to her.
Maybe Jacob will make her feel more worthy. I hope he does. He’s a good guy.
Those texts hit me like a kick in the balls. What the hell happened to my grumpy ass best friend?
I don’t need him to tell me Pippa’s great—I knew it before Nate did. Hell, I knew it beforeCatdid. I only shoved down how I felt for so long because I knew how fucked up it was. She’s my stepsister—pretty much the dictionary definition of unavailable.
From the day I met her, she was too easy to like, with her wit, determination, and secret sexy nerd vibes. Hell, Nate doesn’t know how hard I had to look for reasonsnotto like her. It’s the only way I kept myself from doing something to give Dad a reason to kick me out of the house.
But I guess I don’t see Pippa as clearly as I thought I did. I bought into her outward confidence, and I didn’t see how much she needed someone to prop her up.
Practice girlfriend.Fuck that. Pippa is straight-up wifey material, and I’m ready to knock out anyone who would make her think otherwise.
I run a hand through my hair and sink back against the couch. As much as I hate it, Nate’s not wrong. Pippa deservessomeone who can admit how he feels about her, who can boost her self-esteem and make her feel as confident as she pretends to be.
Someone who doesn’t cover her mouth so he can fuck her in our parents’ house.
Sure, Pippa likes fucking me. Why wouldn’t she? I’ve spent years practicing to be a sex champion. But at the end of the day, it’s just a physical release. It’s nothing close to what she needs, much less what she deserves.
So maybe I’m not the guy for her. Maybe this Jacob guy is exactly what she needs. She might come home from this date feeling so good that she’s ready to cut it off with me.
Fuck. I hang my head in my hands, trying to wrap my head around it. I waited so goddamn long to have Pippa like this, and it could be over so fast. I’m going to have to be the noble guy and let her go, even if Ireallydon’t want to.
Then, tiny points of pressure move across my back. It’s Waffle, walking across my bent back to swipe at my hair with her little paw.
“Hey!” I sit back up, urging her off me. The cat ignores that, instead climbing right on top of my lap. She walks back and forth over my thighs, rubbing her tail and head against me.
“I don’t have any shrimp in my pocket right now,” I warn her.
Waffle rubs her head against my face anyway. I run my hand along her soft fur, feeling the vibrations from her loud purring. I don’t have anything to offer her, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
“I guess this is why people keep cats around,” I mutter. “As long as we feed you, we get to know that there’s someone out there who cares if we live or die.”
Waffle settles down into a loaf on my legs and starts making biscuits on my sweatpants. She’s very focused, her green eyes fixed on her own paws. I lean back and watch her.
“He’s right,” I mutter. “Pippa deserves better than me.”
The cat meows. Sounds like an agreement to me. I guess no matter how many shrimp I feed this creature, it’ll still be loyal to Pippa.
I scoff. “Yeah, I know. I’m not her guy. Never could’ve been. But seriously, this guy?That’swho she’s choosing instead?”
Waffle slow blinks at me. I guess that’s cat for “you don’t know anything about him.”
“I know he works with Nate. That means, if things get serious, my place in the friend group is jeopardized. I could lose all of them. You know I can’t have that, right?”
She meows again. It sounds extra judgmental this time.
“I promise, I’ll let Pippa move on. She can date somebody else. Just not this guy. NotJacob.”
Waffle sighs—I swear, actuallysighs—and jumps off me, strolling over to her food bowl.
