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Anger boils in my gut. Before I can think twice, I’m walking toward him and pushing him into the wall.
“You’re telling me you never even liked her? You played with her fucking feelings just to get back at me?” I ask, furious.
Matthew smirks. “Even now, the mere mention of her makes you lose your better judgment. It’s not healthy, Michael.”
He pushes me off him and smooths down his shirt. “It might have started out that way, but I eventually fell for her. How could I not? She’s amazing, beautiful, and really good in the sack.”
I glare. I could punch him in the face for that comment. He doesn’t need to be so crass, especially not when he’s talking about my child’s mother. He gives me an apologetic glance and sighs.
“I’m sorry, that was out of line. She doesn’t deserve to be spoken about that way. I don’t mean to be cruel. Relationship or not, Christine has always been a good friend to me. I just want so badly for you to feel the way I did when I heard about Noah. You’re my brother, Mike. I trusted you and I opened my heart to you. When Christine broke it, you were the one I came to—and then you slept with her.”
My eyes flutter shut and I take a deep breath.
“You have no idea how fucking sorry I am about that. The knowledge that I did that to you makes me feel terrible.”
Mike is silent for a beat. “It’s alright, bro,” he finally says. “I don’t really have the right to be upset. Especially not after what I just confessed to you. But I did love her, Mike. I honestly loved her,” he says sincerely.
“I know you did,” I say softly.
Mike looks lost in thought for a minute before his expression clears, “However, at the risk of us becoming those cliché brothers that end up ruining their relationship because of another woman, I’m going to have to forgive you.”
“How generous of you,” I say sarcastically.
“You’re the biggest asshole I know, Michael Crane,” he says with a smile. “But you have a big heart, and when you love, you do so unconditionally. I’ve felt that love time and time again from the moment I was born. And I know better than anyone that you’re the reason for the life I’m able to live. I’m lucky to have you.”
My throat tightens with emotion at his words.
“Get out of here with all that sentimental bullshit, man,” I say.
Matt walks over and puts me in a headlock. I could easily flip him over, but I let him goof off.
“Just say it Michael, or I swear to God I’ll kiss you,” he says, poking out his lips.
“Okay, I love you too,” I tell him, which causes him to laugh.
We look at each other and smile. “I’m not hugging you because that’s enough sappy shit for one day.
Dickhead,” I call after him as he walks out.
He flips me off behind his back. I chuckle in response. The knowledge that our relationship lives to fight another day keeps a smile on my face as I head over to Christine’s house. I miss my son. It’s only been two days but it feels like an eternity since I saw his tiny face.
I can’t believe I lived for six years without him; I’m not sure I could survive that again. I love that kid more than life itself.
My smile quickly falls, however, when I arrive at Christine’s apartment and she informs me that Noah isn’t there.
“He went to his grandparents’ house,” she says, blinking in surprise.
She’s wearing a large round-neck shirt paired with shorts so short that it almost seems like she’s wearing nothing underneath. I try hard not to focus on the exposed skin or her long legs.
“I was really looking forward to seeing him,” I say, a little upset. “Why has your phone been turned off all morning, anyway? I left you a dozen messages.”
She shakes her head before walking into the house. I follow, closing the door behind us. She grabs something from a table and whirls around to place a dead phone in my hand.
“It fell into the shower,” she states.
I stare at her, then at the phone. “Why were you using your phone in the shower?”
She lets out an exasperated breath. “I wasn’t using itinthe shower. I got a call from a particular asshole that I swear calls five times a day,” she explains, glaring at me. “I was taking a shower. Just as I reached for my phone to answer and probably yell at him, the phone slipped from my soapy hands and fell into the water.”
