“Tanner wasn’t lying,” I mumble, and my chest is tight.
“What do you mean?”
“I slept with Tanner; he wasn’t lying.”
“But you said—”
“No, you just assumed.”
He throws his hands in the air and laughs. “So, I guess you keeping Declan a secret shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. I guess I really don’t know you at all. I mean, I wanted to kill Tanner for what he did to you, but you got yourself into that position.”
“You don’t know the full story. I may have slept with Tanner but—”
“But nothing. I don’t know the story because you didn’ttrust meenough to tell me what happened.”
“I told you, Cam. I just didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.” Tears sting my eyes, but I fight them off. I sniffle.
“Too late for that.”
He’ll forgive you,” Brinley says, handing me the bowl of popcorn.
“It’s been over a week, Brin.” I grab the bowl from her and sink further into the corner of the couch. “He doesn’t even look at me anymore.”
“Which is why you’ve basically been living with my brother?”
“After I saw the look on Cam’s face when I went back to change clothes, I knew I couldn’t stay there.” I sigh. “I mean, he’s right. I should’ve trusted him enough to tell him the truth.”
“Maybe, but he was a dick for what he said to you.”
“He wasn’t wrong.”
“Yes, he was Em.”
“He warned me. He said that he didn’t want to talk about it because he might say something he’d regret and—”
“Doesn’t seem like he regrets what he said to you.”
“I don’t know.”
“Declan, come tell your girlfriend that her brother’s an ass!” she yells. “I mean, I know what it’s like.”
“Ha ha, very funny, Brin.” Declan comes around the corner, carrying three sodas. “And what he said to you was not okay, Em.”
“I hurt him too, though. Yeah, what he said hurt me, but what I didn’t say hurt him.”
“Well, selfishly, I don’t mind you being here. I like waking up to you every morning.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him.
“He’s just lucky that Maia can’t come yell at him. She would rein hell down on his ass.” Brinley laughs. “And when you get sick of slumming it with the guys, my place is always open.”
“Good luck, Brin. The guys love having Ember around,” he replies. “I don’t think they’d let her leave even if she wanted to.”
“Well, that’d be illegal, so.”
“You know what I mean.”
The doorbell rings, and we all look at each other, almost as if to saywere you expecting someone?
“Don’t look at me.” Brinley shakes her head.
