“We caught you and Beck putting Heavenly between you two in the backyard, remember?” Jack’s voice carried an edge of challenge. “We kept our mouths shut, but you’re every bit the pervert we are. So, don’t lecture us.”
“I appreciate you not running to Mom,” Seth said carefully. “But what I told you this summer still stands. What I’m doing is different. I’m not just looking for a quick piece of ass. What I have with Beck and Heavenly isn’t a game or a thrill or something I do for kicks. I’m in a relationship with people I’d fucking die for.”
Connor blinked, eyes round with shock. “No shit?”
“No shit. And it’s a good thing, because when Mom finds out and threatens to disown me? I’ll be fucking sad. But I’ll still choose them without hesitation.” Seth’s voice was rough with emotion. “They’re everything to me—my air, my heartbeat, my reason for existing. And if you can’t understand the difference between that and putting a hot piece of pussy between you for a few hours, you’ll never know true happiness.”
The twins stared at him, something shifting in their expressions.
“I’m planning to come clean with Mom after the wedding,” Seth continued. “If you two can keep your heads down for a couple of months, maybe my confession will pave the way for whatever you do next. No promises; she might disown us all. But that’s a chance I’m willing to take for the people I love.”
“You’d really choose them over family?” Connor all but whispered.
“Every time. Without question. Without regret.”
Jack swallowed hard. “We’ve never felt… I mean, no girl has ever…”
“Then you’ve never been in love.” Seth shrugged. “Hopefully, one day you’ll find a woman worth fighting the whole world for. When you do, you’ll understand why I can’t walk away from Beck and Heavenly. Why I won’t.”
Seth paused as the twins seemed to absorb his words. “I talked with Matt and Danny last night. I even had a sidebar with Carl while I got fitted for my tux yesterday. None of them give two shits what you two do in the privacy of your bedroom. While they don’t agree with the way Mom is reacting, they understand. They’ve offered to try and help broaden her admittedly narrow-ish mind.”
A flicker of hope lit up his brother’s faces.
“Don’t get too excited. There’s no guarantee any of us will be able to chisel through her strict Catholic upbringing. But they’re willing to try.”
“What should we do until then?” Connor’s voice quivered.
“Go to the house and apologize to Mom. Tell her you’re truly sorry. That you never meant to shock or upset her. And that you’ve learned your lesson, that you’ll be more responsible from now on.”
“What if she asks if we’re still…” Jack shifted uncomfortably. “You know.”
“Sharing? Don’t lie to her. Remind her that you’re adults. That you don’t ask about her sex life, so you’d appreciate it if she didn’t ask about yours. But do it nicely. Respectfully. Maturely.”
“So…basically a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy?” Connor asked, brows furrowed.
“Exactly.”
“Seth?” Jack’s voice was smaller than Seth had heard it since they were kids. “What if we never find our one? What if she’s not out there? What if we’re just…broken somehow?”
The question hit Seth square in the chest. He turned back to see both his brothers looking scared in a way that had nothing to do with Mom’s threats.
“You’re not broken,” he said quietly. “You’re just…not ready yet. It’ll happen. When it does, when you meet the woman who makes your chest feel like it’s going to explode every time she smiles, you’ll know. And all the fun and games you two are having now will feel completely pointless.”
The twins sat silently, looking as if he’d just turned their world upside down. Hopefully, he had.
Seth stood, hugged them both, then left them in their disaster of an apartment. As he walked back down the narrow stairwell, he couldn’t shake the weight of his own words—or the certainty in his voice that had surprised even him. For months, he’d been paralyzed by the fear of choosing between love and family. But somewhere in that conversation, he’d drawn his line in the sand. He’d just sworn he’d choose Beck and Heavenly without hesitation. Now all that remained was proving he had the courage to follow through when Grace forced his hand.
When Seth returned home he found Grace exactly where he expected—in the kitchen, meticulously wiping down spotless counters. Her movements were precise but restless, the kind of nervous energy that came from trying to stay busy while waiting for news. She glanced up the moment she heard his footsteps, her eyes immediately searching his face for answers.
She set down the dishrag and began fidgeting with the edge of her apron. “Did you talk to them? Did they listen?”
Seth chose his words carefully. “They’re no longer seeing Gia.”
Grace’s face lit up like Christmas morning. “Oh, thank God. I knew you’d be able to talk sense into them. What did you say to make them change their minds?”
The hope in her voice was a knife to his gut. Seth rubbed the back of his neck, already dreading the coming letdown. “I’m not sure I did, Mom. Gia left on her own because she didn’t want any part of our ‘family drama.’ The second you started lecturing them about morality, she was out the door.”
“Well, good riddance. Maybe now they can find a nice girl. Each of them, individually.”
