“You were looking for Lola, and her phone location she shares with us hadn’t moved much from the hotel, so I called to check up on her.”
“She was with a man all week, hiding out, and didn’t tell me?” I bite out.
He leans close to my ear. “Don’t be a hypocrite. Considering you’re not coming clean about us, you’restillkeeping it a secret.”
I narrow my eyes. “Fine, fair point.” I hate when he’s right. I turn back toward Lola and our eyes finally meet for the first time. Before I can think twice, I ask, “Are you sure about this? Don’t you think he’s a little too old for you?”
“Annabelle,” Sadie and Evelyn chastise at the same time.
“Shut up, Belle. What’s wrong with you?” Sadie mumbles next to me, and I have no clue what’s come over me.
“I don’t know. Brain slip,” I whisper, then peek up at Lola and Matthew. Just as I’m about to apologize, my brother jumps in, cutting me off.
He flexes his one hand, and his nostrils flare.
He’s angry—fuck.
“I love you more than anything, but with all due respect, shut the hell up, Annabelle, and mind your own damn business. I thought I taught you that if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Though, I shouldn’t be surprised, considering the woman standing in front of me isnotmy fucking sister. When Lola was worried sick over telling you, I promised hermysister would never care.Mysister would only be happy that two of her favorite people are together.”
“Oh, sod off, Matthew. Don’t be so dramatic, I didn’t mean it like that, and I was about to apologize before you so rudely cut me off. Being away from England for so long has been detrimental to your manners.”
“Okay, Jesus. Both of you, calm the hell down,” Jack yells, pulling me to his side.
“Annabelle,” he warns when he sees my mouth open. “Enough. You’re upsetting Lola.” He whispers it low enough for only me to hear. “Why are you so angry about this? I don’t understand… Look, she’s crying, B.”
Shit.
“I’m not angry. It’s not that.” I shake my head and pull away from Jack, walking over to where Matthew has whisked Lola.
I freeze when I see her hysterically crying into my brother’s chest. “Lo, darling, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” I rub her back. “I should have never said that. Let’s start over, okay? Let’s talk,” I plead.
“No,” my brother snaps.
“She has a voice, Matthew. Let her speak,” I say as calmly as possible.
Lola steps back and pats his chest while smiling up at him through her tears. “It’s okay, Matthew, just give us a minute, okay?”
He looks between us and nods. “Fine. I’m coming back in two minutes.”
When he’s gone, I reach out and pull Lola into my chest. She instantly wraps her arms around me, and we stay in our embrace for a moment before anyone talks.
“Lo, I promise you with all my heart that I didn’t mean the age thing. It’s not that, it’s just…” I pause, trying to tread lightly. “My brother is damaged goods when it comes to women. He doesn’t want the happily ever after like you do, and he has more trust issues than me. I don’t want to see you get hurt because of it. My outburst before was about that and that alone. Well, and a bit of shock, but mostly because I’m worried.”
“I know about all his baggage, Belle. He’s told me everything.”
I look at her, shocked. “He told you about Emma?”
She nods. “I only recently learned her name, but he told me when we first met how she cheated on him and all the drama that came after.”
Wow.He never tells anyone that, so maybe he is serious.
Not that I would be shocked.
Lola is the most endearing, kindhearted person I know, though I sometimes worry she’s too naive for her own good.
I wipe a few stray tears from her cheeks, place her hair behind her ear, and smile. “I love you, Lola, and I can’t help but worry. So please be careful, because you’re young, and your life, in many ways, is still untainted. I only have your best interest at heart, regardless of whether or not he’s my brother. I would react the same way if you started dating anyone seriously.”
I’m not mad, honestly.
