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I laughed. “Do you even know who that is, because I don’t.”
He threw the hand towel he’d brought with him from the kitchen onto the table. “It’s not my job to take care of you. I am not your mommy and I am not your girlfriend.”
“Well, now, I don’t have either of those, do I?”
When the hell did I fall into the depression pit?
“Damn it, Max. I can’t watch you like this anymore.” He shot up from his seat and began pacing the room. “Your mother will always be your mother and Everly could be your girlfriend if you got your head out of your ass.”
He was right. My head was so far up my ass right now I wasn’t sure which end was up.
“You’re feeling sorry for yourself and it’s bullshit.”
“You don’t—”
“I don’t know?” He smoothed both hands over his hair, his hands finally resting at the base of his neck.
He had no idea what it meant to learn your whole life was a lie.
“You’re right. I know who my parents are. I lived with them, at least for a little while, and they were assholes. Your parents may not be your blood, but they were—are—wonderful parents.” With a deep breath, he pulled back his shoulders. “I’m just going to say one thing and then I’ll leave you alone and I’m not coming back until you ask me to.”
Ben was never one to overstep his boundaries, but this time he had. He’d stuck his nose in my business and was still breathing. Partly because I knew he was right.
“I don’t believe in soul mates. I don’t believe in true love.” He shrugged. “How can you in this business?”
It was the sad truth. Even growing up with two parents who loved each other, something Ben had never been exposed to, I still didn’t know if I believed.
“But I do believe in you.” He pointed at me. “You’re my brother, and whatever you decide, wherever you go, I’m behind you.” He grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch and with a nod and a half-smile, he walked to the front door.
Before he stepped out, he turned. “I just hope you figure it out before it’s too late.”
Did he mean about my job? My father? Everly? Maybe all of the above.
Silence overwhelmed me when the door clicked shut.
I had no idea how to figure things out. I had no idea where to go from here, but I knew there was one person who could help me. The same person I had been avoiding for the last four days.
—
She was excited and jittery on the phone when I called. I was so happy to hear her voice that I had stupidly agreed to go to her place even as I knew I couldn’t afford to be tempted.
Grace let me in when I arrived and told me Everly was waiting for me upstairs.
The one place I didn’t want to go, but I knew she’d understand if all I wanted to do was talk. I had things I needed to get off my chest. Things I couldn’t say to my dad. Things I couldn’t say to Ben. Maybe if I said them out loud, I could move on and put all this behind me and figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Because as of right now, I was still torn.
I took one step into Everly’s bedroom and stopped short.
Candles flickered, casting a soft glow on Everly, who was splayed in the middle of her bed, the stark, white duvet crisp under her creamy skin. Her eyes were covered with a silver tie and her wrists and ankles were tied to the ends of the bed.
“Max?” she whispered my name. “I hear you breathing.”
“I’m here.” I closed the door tightly behind me. There was no lock, but considering Everly’s position, I knew that Sadie and Grace were the ones who’d done this. They wouldn’t be knocking any time soon.
She was wearing a lace bra and matching panties. If I weren’t in the worst mood imaginable I would be admiring those panties up close and personal. I let a smile curve at the side of my lip. This was completely out of character for her. I’ll admit, it made me happy that she’d go to this much trouble just to cheer me up. Although sex wasn’t going to do it for me. Not tonight.
Her fingers fidgeted, she tapped them against her palm in no specific rhythm. It gave away her nervousness.
“You’ve gone to a lot of trouble.”
