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“Good Lord,” I breathed.
“This gives indication why Judge never went back,” Dad remarked. “Now, in all fairness to Judge, even if you two aren’t going to become an item, you still have to work together on our project, and this isn’t right. Enough. Let it go and let’s enjoy dinner.”
I nodded absently.
I was absent because I was thinking.
I knew Judge’s father was a billionaire, I did not know he was from Texas.
I knew nothing about the mom.
Or this AJ granddad person.
And now I wondered if Judge had been okay with me making it plain we weren’t going to carry on because he had a moment to think about what a self-centered harpy I was.
My bisque came along with Dad’s shrimp cocktail.
We ate.
We had father-daughter time.
I settled in the knowledge that at least one night this week, my father wasn’t home, alone, knowing his ex-wife, the love of his life was loved up in the mountains, looking forward to planning a wedding to another man.
I attempted to make our time jovial and fun for him, even if I couldn’t quite stop being distracted.
Dad was a dad and, indeed, the best father in history.
So, at the evening’s end, before he helped me into my car, right after he kissed my cheek, he whispered in my ear, “Take a risk, give him a chance.”
I pulled my head back and looked into his beautiful eyes.
Eyes he’d given me.
I then smiled but said nothing.
I just got in my car, and he watched me drive away.
* * *
As I was driving home, my phone buzzed with a text.
It was somewhat late, not too late, still, I was surprised.
I was more surprised when I checked it after I walked into my house.
It was from Gage.
Buckle up, we’re hanging out this weekend.
This made me smile because Gage was a good time.
He was young (nineteen), but sweet and still pliable.
I had many things to teach my green grasshopper.
This weekend (or at least Saturday) was the perfect time to pick up our lessons.
I was putting down my clutch and turning on a light when another text came in.
This also from Gage.
Because you need brother time seeing as Matt’s being a total dick.
Oh dear.
I was about to reply, but I got another text.
From Sully.
Now, Sully was an entirely different kettle of fish.
His text proved it.
FaceTime, now.
And then my phone rang with a FaceTime call.
“Merde,” I bit, rearranged my expression to severe and took the call. “Sullivan, do I need to explain why women don’t like to be treated as on demand?”
He had no response to that.
He had other things to say.
“You know, it’s not my deal. I barely know your dad, though he seems a cool guy to me. It’s their deal. I’m not butting into that. But fuck this shit with Matt being an asshole to you.”
“Sully,” I whispered.
“No,” he clipped. “And you know, Sasha needs to get her head out of her ass too. I’ve been through a divorce. I get it. It sucks. It’s out of your control and everyone is hurting, and it’s not in your control to make that stop either. You don’t lash out when that shit’s going down, especially at each other. And by that, I mean siblings. Gage and I were always tight, but during the divorce, we got tighter. Because we were looking out for each other. We didn’t plan it or talk about it, we just did it. Because we’re brothers. You seem like you’re always wearing armor. Impenetrable. But anyone who cares about you knows that’s for show. So they should know your armor has vulnerabilities. And they sure as shit shouldn’t use that knowledge to aim a kick at your soft spots.”
I said nothing.
But what I thought was, my new brother had just gone through a breakup, a Christmas blow his girlfriend had landed right before he’d flown home to be with his family, and Sullivan was undoubtedly still wounded from that.
When I’d first seen him after he’d returned home, it didn’t say much about me, but I’d wanted to find her and put Nair in her shampoo bottle.
To start.
However, this occurrence made me vow (and this phone conversation cinched it), when Sullivan found the one he thought was actually the one, I was putting her through a test of fire only the most pure of heart would survive.
And she had better pass with flying colors.
Or I was poisoning her.
I’d do my time if caught (though I would never get caught).
But Sully was only going to have the best.
For the rest of his life.
“And don’t be pissed at me for wading in,” he ordered. “We’re family now, Coco, and I am not fucking down with Matt taking his shit out on you and dragging Sasha in to help him do it.”
“How do you know about this?” I asked.
“Yeah, let’s talk about that. What the fuck with you not calling?”
