“That’s not—” she starts, affronted.
“It is, Anna. It damn well is.” I cut her off. “She let me in.” I smack my chest hard enough to hurt. “ME! Finally! She finally fucking let me in!”
Her eyes well up all over again, but I can’t stop.
“For the last eight weeks, I’ve seen everything that amazing woman has to offer,” I continue. “Every wall she’s built, every fear she hides, every brilliant, maddening part of her. And I’m not going to let anyone—not even you—tell me that I can’t love her, because she deserves it, Anna.”
I take in a ragged breath. “And I know it’s fast, and I know you might not believe me, but I don’t care.” I press my hand to my heart. “I’m sorry that you’re going through a hard time. Truly, I am. But I love her, and I’mgoingto love her, with or without your approval.”
“Of course she deserves love. That’s not what I’m—”
“Just as long as it’s not with me, right?”
Anna recoils like I’ve slapped her. Her eyes flash. “That’s not what I meant,” she snaps. “But she’s my best friend, Max. I was totally blindsided.”
“And you think what I have with Gemma only blindsidedyou?” I fire back. “You think we didn’t try to fight it?”
“Maybe you should have tried harder,” she whispers.
I push up from the sofa, pacing. “Jesus, Anna. You’re acting like we did this to hurt you. Neither of us expected this to happen. But it’s real.”
She shoots up from the couch. “Okay! Fine! I get it!”
“I know you’re hurt.” I step closer, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I understand—I do. I’vebeenthere. Your life is imploding. You needed your people. I’m sorry we didn’t tellyou the truth from the beginning. But that doesn’t mean you get to punish us for finding something good in the middle of all this carnage.”
Her face crumples. “When I saw you two… it felt like I wasn’t just losing Mason, but everything…” She trails off, sniffing. “After what happened with Nicole—”
“I get that. Nicole hurt you all those years ago. But Gemmaisn’tNicole.” I approach her, gripping her shoulders. “You haven’t lost us.”
She exhales, her hands trembling. “I know I’m not being fair… I just don’t want to lose either of you.”
I bend so I’m eye level with her. “Then stop pushing us away. You don’t have to lose us, Anna. Not me. Not Gemma. But youwillif you hold this over our heads.”
She closes her eyes.
“I’ll always be your brother.” I rub her arm. “Nothing changes that.” I pause, swallowing the thickness in my throat. “And do you know what Gemma said to me tonight when I went to her?”
She sniffles, tilting her head.
“She didn’t choose me, Anna. She chose you.” My voice catches on the admission. “She said it wouldn’t work between us. That you needed me more than she does. And then she told me to leave.”
Anna’s chin trembles.
“She’s a real friend,” I say gently.
Anna closes her eyes. She doesn’t speak.
“I fell in love with someone I never expected to,” I continue. “Someone who wasn’t supposed to be mine. And I’m leaving London next weekend, possibly forever. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering what might have been because I let her walk away to protect someone who couldn’t find it in herself to meet us halfway.” My words come out broken. “And now I’ve lost her. Not because she doesn’tlove me, but because she thinks we’ve destroyed everything that matters to you. Because she doesn’t think you’ll ever forgive her… so if you really love her—if she’s really the best friend you claim she is—then tell her. Remind her she hasn’t lost you. Because I know Gemma. She wants to be here for you, but she won’t come back to me as long as she believes she’ll lose you.”
A tear escapes despite my efforts, and I swipe it away with my sleeve. “I can’t lose her, Anna.” I whisper, too exhausted to hold myself together anymore. “If I have to love her across an ocean, I will. But I can’t bear knowing I lost her because we were both too afraid to fight for love.”
Anna exhales a shaky breath. “I just need some time.”
“I’m not asking for permission, Anna,” I say without hesitation.
“Then what are you asking for?”
“Humility.”
