“Talk to me, Alex,” Tank says after a few minutes silence and I swallow hard.
“I thought what I felt for Cheryl, that she was my one you know,” I mutter and he hums, “I got excited when I saw her, I always wanted to be inside her, yet…”
“You didn’t have that consuming feeling to keep her with you or get the electric sparks,” he finishes for me and I sigh as I look down at the beer bottle.
“When Caleb came home talking about how amazing his new teacher was, I don’t know, I always felt compelled not to meet her and the more Caleb pushed, the more I distanced myself, ensuring brothers dropped him off and picked him up from school,” I admit, “It’s like deep down, I knew she was going to mean something to me but it scared me because of the shit that happened with Cheryl.”
“Cheryl,” Tank sighs, “she played you to get what she wanted and the reason why you thought she was the one is because you didn’t have that kind of experience at the time. Your sole focus was the club, college, taking over from Shotgun, she was just, there.”
“I know,” I mutter, “but now I’m conflicted I guess,” I look at my friend, “I had to watch the woman who I envisioned standing in my kitchen, wearing my shirt with a bump walk out with a little girl I see as my own and I felt compelled to beg her to stay,” I look back at the sky, “I didn’t want this life after the shit with Cheryl, then add Mama’s discretions into the mix, what I had going on was perfect for me, I was content and now, I just...”
I sigh and run a hand through my hair, the man bun now gone.
“I know it’s scary Alex, believe me I fucking do. Allowing someone not just into your life but also your heart is fucking terrifying but knowing you get to hold that woman every night, watch her grow with your babies and fall madly in love, it is everything. Don’t run away because you’re scared and still living in what you thought you wanted and run after what could make your life a hundred times better,” he murmurs and I swallow hard.
“She’s closed off, Lo,” I admit, “I asked her out on a date and she said yes but as friends.”
“She’s been through things I’m guessing,” he mutters and I hum.
“Yeah, Ace mentioned the same thing,” I say before sighing, “I’ve never done this before. I’ve never wanted to fight for someone before and if I’m honest, I still don’t know how I feel about these sudden feelings and it’s makingmewant to run away.”
“They aren’t sudden Alex, so don’t lie to yourself. You knew she’d mean something to you, if you didn’t you would have just met her when Caleb asked you to and you know not giving in to your feelings would be the biggest mistake of your life,” he says, giving me the hard truth and I swallow the lump forming.
“Think of it this way brother,” he says suddenly as he eyes me, “How would you feel if she found someone else?”
I give him a hard glare and anger shoots through me at the thought of another man touching what is mine and as I vision it, tension rises to the point I feel murderous and he chuckles, “There you go.”
Fucker.
“So what do I do, brother?” I ask as I look his way, “How do I win her around when I’m still trying to come to terms with even wanting her to begin with?”
Tank smirks. “You worm your way into her life of course and get to know her while slowly moving her into here, giving you the chance to come to terms and see she isn’t like Cheryl,” he answers and I tilt my lips, liking his thinking.
Worm my way into her life and get to know her?
I look back at the stars and I smile. Yeah, I can do that and maybe I won’t run a mile when I realize she’s all I want.
“And while you’re at it, bring Caleb and Lyra into the mix, because according to your dad, they are her weakness.” He adds and I nod because even if it does make me a jackass, those kids are about to become my pawns to get Holly to give me a chance, preferably sooner rather than later.
“Looks like I’m back on the school runs and organizing playdates,” I mutter and Tank laughs, “She is not going to know what hit her,” and I grin wide because, no, no she isn’t.
Get ready Holly, because I’m about to go against everything I have ever believed in and turn your life upside down.
Chapter 10
Holly – Two Days Later
I sigh as I rub my forehead and walk down the aisles, trying to go through the list Matty gave me before cross-checking what is in my cart, ensuring I don’t miss anything while silently cursing my cousin's existence, seriously, I’m picturing running him over with my car.
I’m tired, my feet hurt, I’m hungry, and shopping was the last thing I wanted to do tonight. Apparently, after Matty's one-night stand stormed into our home she’s stalking him, and now he refuses to leave the house. Though to be fair, I did see her across the street watching our house like the stalker he accused her of being but because Matty wouldn’t go shopping as he promised, I have to do it—and cook dinner—since he can’t cook to save his life and is literally a danger in the kitchen for us all.
The last time he tried, he nearly set our townhouse on fire just days after we moved in. Lyra screamed the whole time as smoke filled the place, and I had the fire brigade on the phone.
Good, crazy times.
I sigh. I had a plan. Cook something simple, read with Lyra, put her to bed, and take a bubble bath without obsessing over what happened at Alex’s two days ago. Instead, I’m running errands after a long day teaching both my class and Mrs. Jones’s who was apparently ‘ill’, and her class was chaos.
Thankfully, they began listening to me by lunch, and some even mentioned asking their parents to see if they could swap classes, which made me preen. It doesn’t take away the fact that I am exhausted and I still need to cook and organize both class schedules for tomorrow.
