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I hung up and wandered over to a nearby bus stop bench.
I should’ve called Lincoln. He’d know what to do. How to handle Father.
But I didn’t want my brother.
I wanted to get lost with Cal so that maybe I could find my way.
What would’ve happened if he’d never broken my heart? Was he right? Would it eventually have happened anyway?
I tried to picture my life from a different path, one where Cal and I had made it work. The image wouldn’t come. The only thing I saw was my twenty-five-year-old self, miserable and hurt.
“I’ve found the perfect apartment.”
I rushed toward Garrett and threw my arms around him.
“Are you any good at remodeling? It needs a lot of work, but we can live there while we make it what we want.” I’d known the second I set foot inside that it was the one.
“It’s almost halfway between the fire station and the office, so neither of us will have to sacrifice on commute time.” I was babbling. I knew it. But I was so excited. We could start our life together. Or keep it going.
“You think your daddy is going to let you shack up with a fireman from the Bronx?”
I jolted at the question. A chill went through me. And I realized it was because I was holding on to Garrett, but he wasn’t touching me.
“I’ll figure it out.” I hadn’t thought about telling Father or my brothers in all my excitement.
A nervous pit formed in my stomach, but at some point, I had to make the leap. Lincoln and Teague would eventually understand once they saw how much Garrett meant to me. How good he was to me.
My father . . . he was a different beast. But it was my life. He’d have to understand too.
“It’s been three years. If you were going to tell them, it would’ve already happened.”
I wanted to. But then Garrett became mine. And I was afraid if I shared him, he’d be taken away. Maybe that was selfish and stupid, but we'd had all these good years together. I wouldn't trade them for anything.
“It’s not like you’ve introduced me to your family either. Except your dad.” I threw my hands up. I wasn't the only one who’d kept us a secret.
“Why would I when this is a dead end?” He was cold and detached.
A far cry from his normal warmth.
I took a step back. “A dead end?” I understood the words but couldn’t process them.
He flashed a cocky smirk. One that made my stomach turn.
“Come on, baby sister. You didn’t really think this was more than a little fun?”
Yes. Yes, I did.
It was a lot more than alittle funfor me. I’d given him my heart. And how had the affectionate nickname turned so cold?
“You don’t mean that.” I took another step backward.
He shrugged. “Might as well end it now. I got what I wanted.”
I recoiled as if he’d slapped me.What he wanted?
“And what exactly was that?” I wanted to shake him. Make him stop. Bring back the Garrett I loved. Because this wasn’t him. This wasCal.
He gave me an unimpressed look. “Want me to spell it out?”
