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“Whoa, Nellie. Suddenly we’re not talking about Zel buying a few new outfits.”
“No, we’re talking about you making decisions for other people without consulting them first.” Aithan hadn’t expected to get so prickly over this. “All I’m saying is your urge to help other people, while coming from a noble place, makes a capable adult feel useless when you handle decisions for them without getting permission. You step in to help and walk all over toes that already feel pretty damned bruised.”
Drew’s lips pursed. “So we’re talking about you.”
“We’re talking about Zel … and meandTobias. But, for now, let’s stick with Zel. Her whole life, people have crapped on her about her appearance, and you rifled through her closet, threw out her shoes, proclaimed her wardrobe a dumpster fire, and chose a stylist for her.” Aithan sighed and put the water bottle down. It was still in his hands, dripping water all over the floor. “And she’ll probably love you for it.”
“Ah.” Drew screwed the lid onto the almond butter jar and returned it to the fridge. “All of which annoys the shit outta you.”
Aithan wiped water from the floor and tossed the paper towel into the compost bin. He took the dishtowel off the oven door and dried the BWF bottle and its lid. Drew waited patiently, finishing the last apple slice and putting his knife and plate in the dishwasher. He was maddeningly calm about this.
Finally, Aithan leaned against the kitchen counter and said, “What annoys me is you’re right. I needed the financial help. Tobias needed his ass kicked on the attorney. Zel needs to dress better to see how beautiful she really is.” Aithan ran his hand through his hair, grimacing when he remembered he was way overdue for a haircut. “Look, I’m not trying to start a war, and I’m not ungrateful for your help. Honestly, I think Zel needs you a helluva lot more than she needs me.”
“Wait.” Drew’s expression finally screwed up with irritation. “What kinda crap is that? She needs me more than you? Every other thing you said, yeah, I follow and you’re right. But that? That’s absolute horse hockey.”
“No, it’s true.” Aithan shook his head. “She doesn’t need me, and I’ll never be able to provide the stability you can.”
“Bullshit she doesn’t. You’re so much better at helping her than I’ll ever be. I’m a fucking bully, you just said so yourself — in the nicest way possible, yeah, but that’s the gist of it. And it’s fucking true. Zel needs you because you challenge her to push herself while making her feel like she’s in control of that change. We both know I don’t do that.”
“She’ll get there with or without me. But seeing how sick she got and knowing how much worse things may get for her?” Aithan sighed. “She needs someone who can take care of her financially. Like it or not, Zel needs surgery to get her Graves’ disease under control. That problem isn’t going away. She won’t get better. If she has to choose between us, she should be with you.”
Goddamn it. He hadn’t realized just how much her illness rattled him. But he was worried. Add that to Tobias’s issues with Maeve, the whole getting jumped during the night thing, and the usual stresses of running his own business. The mountain just kept growing and his body ached from hauling around all the damned worries.
“Choose? No one’s asking her to choose.” Drew considered him through narrowed eyes. “Does Zel’s medical condition scare you? You gonna walk if things get rough?”
“Kurwa!” He folded his arms to keep from knocking Drew’s teeth down his throat. “Definitely not. I’m not going anywhere.” Drew just watched him with that calculating gaze, like he could read Aithan’s thoughts and knew how close he was to the edge. Aithan sucked in a slow breath then released it just as slowly. “I’m just talking about financial support. Good health insurance. That kind of thing.”
“Money isn’t everything she needs, Aith.” Drew leaned back against the breakfast bar and something in his manner shifted. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. Things she may decide she can’t live with. If that happens, she’ll need you.”
Damn, he’d boomeranged Aithan again and all his anger drained like water between his fingers. How the hell did Drew do that? “What kinds of things?”
Drew stared at his shoes for a long moment. “Sometimes you have to do bad shit to survive.” He looked up. “You’re a good guy, Aithan, someone who’ll put Zel first.”
“So will you.”
“Yeah, but my life rests on a rotten foundation. Eventually, it’ll all fall down and I’m fucking terrified she won’t accept the ugly truth of it. Because, really, she shouldn’t. She deserves better.” He pushed away from the counter and went upstairs.
Aithan watched him retreat, stunned by his words. The guy had buried some serious darkness, and Aithan wasn’t sure how deeply he wanted to dig. He might trigger a landmine and blow open things better left unearthed.
Frank hopped up on the kitchen counter with a trilling meow and head-butted Aithan’s hand.
“Maybe Drew and I are the wrong men for Zel, big cat.” Maybe they should let her go back to being the fierce, independent,singlewoman they fell in love with.
Frank gazed up at him with loving, green eyes, throat buzzing and cheeks puffed up. He meowed again and shoved his face against Aithan’s idle fingers.
“You’re right. I can’t picture us walking away from her either. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.” The only thing that could make him leave was Zel herself. If she asked it, he would have to obey, even as it shredded his heart.
A text buzzed his phone. He pulled it from his pocket and smiled. A message from Zelda.
Some jack-hole parked his shiny new SUV in front of the garage.
Srsly? Have it towed.
Not a bad idea, but it’ll take too long. I thought a big, strong bloke like u could come move it for me.
Wellll, what’s in it for me?
My gratitude, u greedy prick.
