“No.”
“We look identical,” Andrew quietly points out. “Most people can’t tell us apart. It’s part of why I started dressing like this. Charlie hated khakis and polos, it was one of the only things herefused to wear in high school, and I just…I wanted something that was only mine. That’s probably selfish.”
“You know how I feel about you being selfish.”
Andrew drops his gaze, but Nicki doesn’t push the eye contact, instead tucking Andrew’s face into his neck. Immediately, Andrew breathes him in, tracing a circle on his lower back.
“I love Charlie, but I don’t think I could handle it if I ever thought you wanted him.”
“Not a fucking chance of that,” Nicki snorts. “Eden can keep that loud fucker.”
Andrew laughs, kissing the hollow of Nicki’s throat. “He is loud but he’s great.”
“If you say so.”
“You’ll love him one day.”
Nicholas is not entirely sure of that, but for Andrew he would do anything, including learning how to get along with the other most important person in his life.
“You really didn’t believe he was me?” Andrew asks, pulling out of the embrace to look at Nicki.
“Princess, no one in the fucking world can compare to you. You are one in a fucking million.”
“That feels like a slight exaggeration?—”
Nicki cuts him off with a kiss, silencing Andrew’s protests until he’s humming with happiness.
“Forgot what I was saying, damnit.”
“Not sorry,” Nicki smirks.
“So you’re the man who won my Andrew’s heart.”
Nicholas jumps a damn foot in the air, startled to find a small spitfire of a woman staring at him. She looks a lot like Alec actually, except more pale and female. Her mess of curls are piled on top of her head, hands on her hips and a smile on herface. There’s something shrewd in her expression as she inches forward, holding herself with the air of someone much taller.
“Mom, you’re scaring him.”
“I’m not scared,” Nicholas lies, more terrified of this five foot something little mom than he’s ever been of anyone, even an opponent on the ice.
“Bullshit,” she says, startling Nicholas.
“Fuck.”
She laughs, crossing her arms. “Tell me one thing.”
“Mom,” Andrew groans.
“You have never once brought a boyfriend or girlfriend home, excuse me for being a little overprotective.”
“I am a grown man?—”
“You are my baby,” she finishes, kissing his cheek when he bends down to her level. “You and Charlie were my first. I made some mistakes. I didn’t know what I was doing, and your father and I worked too much, but we did our best and you did, too.”
“You did good, Mom.”
“I know I did. Look at you. Couldn’t ask for a better son. But I could ask for one who isn’t so hard on himself. Of all my boys, I’ve always worried about you the most.”
“But I didn’t get in trouble,” Andrew frowns, looking like someone just pulled the rug out from beneath him. “You worried about the rest of them so much.”
