Page 87 of Let’s Be Real

I believed him. And I was ever so grateful I hadn’t screwed everything up between us.

But I didn’t quite believe I was okay. Deep down, I knew he was right.

There was a reason I’d chosen the men I had, and their resemblance to my father—not on the outside, I wasn’t that screwed up—couldn’t be denied.

What did I do about it?

I didn’t know. The prospect of fixing myself was too daunting to even face.

And I missed Nate.

Worse now that I couldn’t be mad at him. And I only had myself to blame.

All alone, filled with regret, next to a pile of wrinkled pajamas I never wanted to wear again.

Chapter Thirty

Nate

It was one in the afternoon when my brothers showed up. All three marched into my place one by one, with matching grim expressions.

“You brought Ruby,” I said as Roman passed.

“Shira needed a break.” Roman patted his baby daughter, who was strapped to his chest facing him. Her eyes were wide and alert, little bubbles of spit on her rosebud lips. “Jonah’s napping, but this one is resisting naps like they’re torture.”

I touched her squishy little cheek. “Just wait, kid. Your uncles are about to bore you to sleep while they lecture me.”

“What makes you think you’re getting lectured?” Ben raised an eyebrow. “Did you do something wrong?”

Adrian scoffed as he flopped onto my couch. “He knows what he did.”

“Who he did,” Ben mumbled, sprawling beside Ade.

After the cryptic text Adrian had sent an hour ago, I’d been expecting this.

“I know,” was all it had said.

I figured this was about one of three things: Louise, my insomnia, or Samantha.

I wasn’t sure which I’d prefer.

None, if I could help it.

Roman clapped my shoulder. “Come on. Sit down. Let’s get this over with.”

I took one armchair, Roman the other. Adrian peered at me from under hooded eyes. Ben looked like he was ready to leap out of his skin.

“You’ve been seeing Sammie, huh?” Ben said.

I nodded, my gaze darting to Adrian. “She told you?”

“Not so much. She was caught in the act.” Before I could ask what he meant, he clarified. “I found her in the elevator this morning. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together; she was coming from your place.”

“Right.” I dragged my fingers through my hair. “We were seeing each other casually, but we’ve ended it.”

“Oh, I know. Sammie spilled that,” Adrian said.

Ben shook his head. “Not cool, man. That’s Adrian’s future wife.”