Page 237 of Steamy Ever After

Peyton pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time. “I’m sorry, Brodie, but we have to go. I have to pick up the boys.”

After Peyton brought them home and helped with their homework, she called Alex.

“Hey, girlfriend. What’s up?”

“Are you busy?”

Alex gasped. “Peyton, what’s wrong? You sound like you’re crying.”

“Where are you?”

“Home.”

“Can you come over?”

“I’ll be there in ten. Is there anything you want me to bring?”

“No.” Peyton hiccuped through her tears.

“Shit. What happened?”

“Brodie.”

“That sonuvabitch. I’ll be right there.”

“What did he do?” Alex asked when Peyton answered the door.

“It’s more about Kade than Brodie. I don’t know where to start.” Peyton took a tissue out of the box she had tucked up against her and blew her nose.

Alex swept past her into the kitchen and opened the bottle of wine she’d brought in with her, pulled two glasses out of the cupboard, and filled them halfway. She sat next to Peyton on the sofa and handed her a drink.

“You said this is more about Kade than Brodie.”

Peyton took a deep breath and wiped her remaining tears away. “There’s so much he didn’t tell me. I feel like I never really knew him. And Brodie? He’s pissed, and we kissed, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Let’s break this down into sections, okay, sweetie?” Alex suggested.

“Okay.”

“First, you say you feel as though you didn’t know Kade at all. Why?”

“Brodie said there were things Kade told them that he never told me,” Peyton admitted.

“Like what?”

“That he was retiring.”

“He didn’t mention it?” Alex asked.

“I had no idea.”

“Okay, let’s set that aside for a minute. What else? You kissed?”

Peyton sighed. “He kissed me, but I didn’t resist.”

“Okay. What else?”

Her eyes opened wide. “Isn’t that enough?”

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