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Blake took another drag on the bottle. “I wouldn’t mind hearing a few.”
Malcolm kicked at him. “Don’t be a jackass.” He sighed, studying Trenton. “So you do love her. Enough that she took over your thoughts on a day you would normally only think about your wife.”
Trenton winced. “It was wrong. I’m so sorry, Malcolm. I know you love Celia, too.”
“She’s my cousin. Of course I do.”
Blake shook his head, trying to pass the bottle to Malcolm. “It’s more than cousins.”
Malcolm waved off the alcohol, frowning as he stared at each of them. “I’m not sure what you’re both getting at, but Celia and I are related. I don’t love her romantically.”
Blake snorted. “I mean, maybe you don’t want to but—”
“It’s not like that!” Malcolm groaned, banging his head against the cabinet.
Trenton took the bottle. “She’s always been an important part of your life.”
“You know why now. I hadn’t thought about her much until that day when I saw her mother—” Malcolm broke off, swallowing hard. “When I saved her. And then the way she was treated, even by my parents. I couldn’t stand it and wanted to help. Pretty soon, I understood her better than anyone. She really hasn’t let anyone into her life, even those guys she dated.”
Trenton could feel his friend’s gaze on him. “I know. I screwed up.”
Malcolm sighed. “It’s not about what you did; it’s about what you’re going to do. If you’re not going to do right by Celia, then you need to stay away from her.” He shook his head, pushing himself to his feet. “If you hurt her again, I’m not sure how I’ll handle it.” He reached a hand down.
Trenton took it, the drink adding a dizziness to his vision as he stood. “I’ll stay away from her. With Emily in my heart, I don’t think—”
“You love your sisters, right?” Blake asked, groaning as he dragged himself to his feet.
Trenton blinked at him. “Yeah.”
“All four of them? Equally?”
Trenton shrugged. “Of course. They’re family.”
“So you can love two people at once. Or I guess four.” Blake shrugged. “Problem solved.”
“That’s simplifying things too much, Blake,” Malcolm said.
“I don’t think so. I mean, when I find two girls—”
Trenton held up his hand. “No, we’re not going there.” The room still wouldn’t blink into focus.
“It’s nowhere near the same,” Malcolm agreed.
Blake shrugged, but didn’t continue his thoughts. He frowned through the open counter space at the living room on the other side. “I thought we redecorated this place?”
“Only the bedroom.” Malcolm followed Blake’s gaze with a frown of his own. “Have you seriously not changed anything else?”
Trenton shuffled out of the kitchen to avoid their looks. “The furniture is perfectly fine. I didn’t see a need to get rid of it.”
Blake followed him, glancing around. “Condos are pretty small, huh?” His head poked into the bathroom. “Is it just this one bathroom? Damn, that must have been cozy with a woman here.”
Trenton blamed the heat in his cheeks on the alcohol taking over his system again.
“Are you really happy here?” Malcolm asked. He crossed to the glass doors, looking out at the porch. “You can almost see into the condos across the way.”
“Emily and I picked out this place together,” Trenton said. But it wasn’t his wife he thought of when Blake sat on the couch.
Malcolm turned and frowned at the painting splashed with color. “As long as you’re happy. It might be good that you’re giving up Celia, though.” He sprawled in one of the arm chairs with a fond smile. “A long time ago, I mean really long, she dreamed about a house with a fence and a dog.”
