“Cole, it was over the moment I walked out the door on her all those years ago. You’re hurting yourself by clinging to the ghost of a memory. I keep telling you it’s over. Just… stop.”
My jaw quivered at his words. “Fine. Have fun at work, dick.”
I hung up the phone and sank back in my seat, rubbing my eyes.
“Not coming?” E asked.
“No.” I sat forward and grabbed the remote. “He’s being a dick.”
“He’s struggling. He’s angry. Just let him be. You’re pushing all this on him, and honestly, it’s hurting all of us,” E said softly.
I looked over at him, frowning. “What?”
He sighed. “Listen. We all loved Rosalie.”
“Loved?” I demanded, my heart pounding.
E held his hand up to stop my spiral. “I do love her still. Yes. But I have Laz now. What would I ever say to her? Hey, here’s my son, whom I had with another woman and lied to you about. Remember, I said I never wanted kids, and now I have one? Sorry about that. Oh, and by the way, I ruined everything with the lies and broke you up with the guys, and Fox is dead because I wasn’t strong enough to keep him alive?” He scoffed and shook his head. “It’s a lost cause for me. And honestly, I do think you’re the only one who might still have a chance. I have a son. Enzo “cheated” and married another woman. But you? You were loyal to her. Still are.” E shrugged sadly. “Maybe it’s time to stop pushing all of us and focus on what you want. Maybe you need to just reach out to her, man. And then…”
“Then what?” I asked, staring at him, my heart in my throat.
He shrugged. “Be with her. It’s OK if you have to leave us. We’d understand. Hell, I’d be your biggest cheerleader if you got the girl.”
I frowned at his words. “I don’t want to leave you guys. You’re my family. My best friends. My brothers. I just want you to want her too.”
“Cole, man, I want her more than my next breath, but I also understand I can’t have her.” He paused for a moment. “That day I saw her at the coffee shop, she told me she wouldn’t ask me to leave my life, and it wouldn’t be fair if I asked her to leave hers. I’m pretty good at figuring shit out. That was her saying that if we were happy apart, to let the happiness happen. It fucking hurt, man, but I get it. Maybe you need to get it too.”
I swallowed hard and looked back at the big screen TV in our high-rise.
“You won’t even try?” I asked softly after a long moment.
He blew out a breath. “Fuck, man. You know I would.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, his words helping me. All hope wasn’t lost yet.
His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out. “Hello? Oh, hey, Emily. Yeah. No, it’s fine. I’m not busy.”
I ground my teeth as I watched him get up to take the phone call.Who the fuck was Emily? And yes, he was fucking busy.
I watched as he paced in front of the windows.
“No, that will work. Yes. Perfect. Bye.” He hung up and came back to sit on the couch.
“Who was that?” I grumbled.
“Emily.”
“Clearly. Who the fuck is Emily?”
“You know who Emily is. She’s one of the research students at Mayfair. She’s part of the project I’ve been helping out with.”
“Then tell her to go fucking study her shit and leave you alone.”
He sighed. “Relax, man. She had some questions and just wanted me to come in tomorrow. It’s fine.”
I ground my teeth but decided the night was shitty enough already, and I didn’t want to make it worse by arguing, so I turned back to the TV.
“Let’s just watch this, OK? We haven’t seen her perform live since the Grammys.” E patted my hand before he grabbed another slice of pizza.
