Page 68 of Untroubled Heart

I second what Cale said. I’m not perfect, but the right person sees your flaws and fears and loves you because of them.

BETH:

I have no advice, because I am single as fuck, and now I’m going to drown my sorrows in a pint of cherry garcia because no one will love me the way you love your women *crying-emoji*

GAGE:

I thought you were happy waiting for the guy who met your ‘standards’

BETH:

Well I didn’t think he’d take this long!

GAGE:

Be sure to tell him that when you meet him. You deserve to have someone who will love you the way you want.

BETH:

Make that two pints of Cherry Garcia. I love you guuyyyyyss

CALEB:

Mase, has that answered your question?

Kind of, but that echo of doubt is still ringing in my mind.

ME:

Yeah. Thanks. Love you, guys.

I bring up Beth’s contact, calling her directly instead.

“Hey.” She sniffles through the phone.

My chest squeezes. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t,” she assures me. “I’m just frustrated.”

“About?” The line is silent, save for a clink of cutlery hitting a bowl. I’m guessing she wasn’t lying about that ice cream.

“I want a man to obsess about me.” The words are almost unintelligible through her tears.

“Beth, you will. I’d bet money that when you find your one, he’s gonna put Caleb to shame with how much he adores you.”

“Unlikely. Cale is a total sap. He tattooed Lex’s name on his chest. Gage did the same for Izzy.”

That’s a good point. Maybe I should tattoo Callie’s name somewhere on me. No, definitely too soon for that.

“When you find the guy, I’m happy to give him a hint that a personalised tattoo is something you’d like.”

Beth chuckles, followed by a snot-rattled inhale. “Thanks. So, you and Callie?”

“I haven’t done this before, Beth,” I say, my fingers tapping against the steering wheel. “She’s been hurt before. Her dad and her ex, they played games with her trust. They disappointed her, and I really don’t want to be another guy on that list. I have to consider Navie too. That’s not a deal-breaker, it’s just that if I let them both in, it means I risk losing them both.”

“The alternative is not trying and always regretting it,” Beth says. “I—” She pauses, her deep breath rustling through the speaker. “I think you shouldn’t let fear of hurt or failure stop you from going after what you want. I think you should always speak up, and don’t assume you know what’s going on in the other person’s head.”

When we were growing up, I would have bet good money that my sister would be the first to get married. She loved the idea of love and being swept off her feet. When she started dating and realised men thought she had nothing to offer but money and connections, she made it harder for anyone to get too close. She took feelings off the table whilst keeping her expectations high. My sister is unapologetic and demands the best for herself. But now I’m worried she’s created some impossible idea of Prince Charming in her head.