Donovan had come looking for him.
Tate wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
Well, aside from the giddy tidal wave that was currently threatening to split him in half.
It had started just before he’d gotten to the store. During his time-wasting road trip this morning, he’d had plenty of time to reflect on last night, but it wasn’t until he was heading here to talk to Reilly that he permitted himself to be happy about what happened. To not dwell on thewhat might’ve beensand to focus on carrying that exquisite memory with him for all time.
It was the reason he’d been smiling when he walked into the store to find Reilly sitting on the counter, her legs dangling over the side as she played on her phone.
But to learn that Donovan had come here looking for him … maybe he wasn’t on Santa’s naughty list after all.
Fourteen
Donovan didn’t want food, and he didn’tneed more coffee, but he agreed to breakfast with Brady to get his mind off Tate.
At least for a few minutes.
He’d been thinking about the man—or rather,obsessing—since he woke up. He needed a break so he could calm down and come up with a rational plan to confront him rather than hunting him down, stripping him, and fucking him into submission. Sure, helikedthe idea of doing it that way, but he wasn’t a caveman, and he was trying to remember that.
And he also might’ve come because he’d seen Reilly hugging Brady, and he knew the man wanted to talk about her. At the very least, he owed Brady his attention. Even if he didn’t care one way or the other that Brady and Reilly were interested in one another, his best friend didn’t know that. As he’d said before, Brady was a stand-up guy, and he wouldn’t do anything that might jeopardize their friendship.
“More coffee?” the waitress offered as she passed.
Donovan held his hand over the top of his cup. Any more caffeine and his brain was going to start buzzing.
“I need to talk to you about Reilly,” Brady said after he’d picked at half the food on his plate.
Donovan tried to play it cool. “What’s up?”
Brady squirmed, and it was almost enough to make Donovan laugh. He didn’t. He was still too frustrated with Tate to laugh, but he appreciated how much this bothered Brady. It meant the man had good intentions. Otherwise, why would he give a shit at all what Donovan thought about it?
“I saw her last night in the park.”
That was news to Donovan. “I thought you backed out.”
“I did. Then Alyssa came over and forced me to go.”
Now Donovan was paying attention. “Alyssa?”
“She was with Henry,” Brady said, clearly sensing Donovan’s concern with Brady spending time with his ex-wife.
Not that Donovan had a problem with her. He liked Alyssa. A lot, actually. The fallout between her and Brady had been a natural deterioration of the relationship. There was no one to blame. However, Donovan was concerned that Brady was interested in Reilly and spending time with Alyssa.
“So I went with them to appease her,” Brady continued. “When we got there, I let them do their thing and went lookin’ for you.”
Donovan waited for him to continue.
“Reilly intercepted me.”
He tried not to smile, but he couldn’t help it. “Intercepted? So you’re tellin’ me she tracked you down?”
“No. I mean, yes, but no.” Brady exhaled.
“Spit it out, Brady.”
Donovan tilted his cup, swishing the remaining coffee around while he watched the man—who, in his heart, was as much a brother to him as Stone and CJ—as he fought some sort of internal battle.
When Brady finally met his gaze, there was a steely determination in his eyes. “I kissed her.”
