Page 45 of Worth the Vow

“Because I will not take handouts from family.”

“You also wouldn’t take a handout from my aunt,” Matt comments.

“Correct.”

“But you’ll take one from Dom?” he asks.

“It wasn’t exactly a handout. It’s so I can get medical care and get my reproductive issues figured out. Dominic was the one to suggest it.”

“Oh, I figured that,” Matt murmurs. “Bet he just steamrolled right over you with that one.”

That’s actually an accurate description of how Dominic interacts with most people. “Sort of, yeah.”

“Alright. Why are you aggravated with him tonight?”

“He’s just so … him, and we had an argument. Then I followed him to where he was, and I found him with Alex listing off all the things he doesn’t like about me.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Matt says deeply.

“It wasn’t anything bad. Stupid pet peeve things, like finding strands of my hair everywhere.”

“Hey,” Matt says suddenly, “Are you watching the kids this weekend?”

“No. Dominic told me I didn’t have to keep them at all, unless there was an emergency at Everlasting.”

“Why don’t you come down here? The kids haven’t seen you in forever. And it sounds like you could use a break from my cousin.”

“I hate when you phrase it like that. It makes it sound like I’m in this taboo situation,” I shudder.

“But it’s fun to suggest it,” Matt says with a chuckle.

“Whatever,” I mutter. Brightening up, I say, “Are you really okay if I come hang for the weekend?”

“Yeah, of course. I haven’t seen my baby sister in way too long.”

“Okay. Thanks, Matt. You’re right, I definitely need a break,” I admit.

“See you soon, Mrs. Santo.”

I hear the click in my ear as Matt ends the call on that unpleasant note.

Quickly throwing a bag together, I leave a note on the kitchen counter telling them I’m heading out of town for the weekend. I leave as fast as I can, because I want to get out of here before Dominic comes home and possibly convinces me to stay.

On a whim, I pull up the tracker app, and find him in the neighborhood, heading home. I start my car in a panic, whipping out of the driveway and turning in the opposite direction.

It takes about two hours to get to Matt’s house in Mountain Springs, just outside of Colorado Springs. There are a lot of similarities between Mountain Springs and Eternity Springs, although Eternity is smaller. Mountain Springs sits at the base of Pikes Peak, a beautiful mountain much taller than anything around it.

Matt lives with his wife, Victoria, her daughters Molly and Blaire, and their son Silas in the childhood home where Matt grew up. Molly is twelve, and according to my brother, she’s one big ball of hormones, drama, and exaggerations. Blaire is ten, and apparently, she has zero shits to give. She’ll tell anyone exactly what she’s thinking, and she doesn’t care if it hurts their feelings. Blaire is unapologetically herself, and I find that trait a breath of fresh air. Silas just turned one, and he’s been walking for a few months already.

Pulling up to the beautiful home, complete with a swing hanging off the front porch and a smattering of toys across the property, I find Matt waiting for me.

“About time you got here,” he teases. “Did you take the scenic route?”

“Oh please,” I retort. “At least I don’t get pulled over and almost arrested.”

Matt’s face drains of color. “You found out about that?”

“Are you kidding? Of course, I did.” I smirk at him, delivering the kill shot. “Was it you or Zane that got frisky by a fire pit with a bunch of people around?”

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