“Well?” his brother prodded.
“We’re good. Not taking it as slow as I’d said initially.”
Connor chuckled. “I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I could see it when you brought her to Detroit with you. I will say that you actually looked happy. And I haven’t seen you happy in a long time.”
Happiness had always seemed to elude Andrew. He hadn’t had the best luck in relationships. Which was why he didn’t enter into them lightly. But he’d jumped headf irst into this one. “I am happy.”
“But?”
Obviously, his brother wasn’t going to let this go. Growing up, Connor had taken on the role of man of the house when their father left, even though he wasn’t that much older than Andrew. He’d fought the bullies on the block, helped with homework, and made sure they had food when they got home from school in the afternoons. Connor had taught Andrew how to drive, how to repair a faucet, and how to build a computer.
It wasn’t that Andrew couldn’t talk to Connor. He just didn’t know if he wanted to give voice to the small doubts in his head about Paige. Still, he needed to talk to someone.
“Things are good,” Andrew repeated. “But I can’t help but feel conflicted.”
“Conflicted about what? How you feel?”
“I know how I feel.” When he told Paige he loved her, he meant every word.Did she?“But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned I might be a rebound for her.”
“Ah, I get it now,” Connor said, with a chuckle. “You love her.”
Frowning, Andrew said, “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. You’re in love and now you’re searching for reasons to protect yourself.”
Andrew sighed, focusing on the road ahead. Connor’s words resonated with him, though. He was dangerously in love with Paige. Which was nice, but along with that, came the revelation that he’d basically given her the means to wreck him.
“I do think it’s a valid concern,” Connor continued. “Because it does seem sudden.”
In Andrew’s mind, it didn’t feel sudden. It just felt different, like they were speeding down a winding road in the dark, with no map. “It’s not sudden, though.”
“Maybe not on your part, but she was married.”
“And now she’s divorced,” Andrew said.
“Exactly. She’s getting out of something real ugly. Listen, you’ve always had good instincts. If you’re feeling conflicted, it might not be a bad idea to slow things down a little. Tread lightly.”
His phone beeped and he glanced at the screen. “Hold on, bruh.” Andrew answered the second line. “What’s up, baby?”
“Drew?” Paige called, her voice shaky.
Andrew didn’t like the sound of her voice. “What’s wrong?”
“You won’t believe what happened to me today. Where are you?”
“On my way to you. What happened?”
“I got subpoenaed—to testify before a grand jury in Houston.”
New claims of sexual harassment and assault had dogged Julius over the last few days. Up until now, Paige hadn’t been required to appear at any criminal proceedings, even though her attorney had warned her there was a chance she’d have to testify.
“Did you talk to Michelle?” Andrew asked.
“I did. Apparently, the woman who accused him stated that he assaulted her several times within the last few years. The defense wants me to testify on his behalf because I was with him during one of the alleged incidents.”
Andrew hated the fact that she’d married that muthafucka, but he didn’t say that. Instead, he told her he’d be there in twenty minutes. When Paige hung up, he swapped to the other line. “Bruh?”
“I was about to hang up on yo ass.”
