Page 125 of Worth Every Penny

“Not yet.”

“Have her hold off.”

Jack’s eyes narrow. “Why?”

“Just do it. And keep in touch.”

A few minutes later and we’re standing at my front door, on the verge of parting.

“Fuck, what a mess,” Jack says, agitatedly shifting from foot to foot for a moment before stopping, staring at me. “Were you serious? About Kate? That you’re in love with her?”

“Absolutely.”

His jaw tightens, and I await his next words like a man on the scaffold.

“I want her to be happy,” he declares. “Fuck it. I’d like you both to be happy. And if there is anything real between the two of you… I don’t want you to mess it all up because Dad and I had you swearing to keep secrets that weren’t yours to keep. Neither of you deserves that. So as much as it pains me, if you want me to, I can put in a good word when I see her.”

Jack makes it all sound so simple, and maybe it could have been… but then my anger went and got the better of me and I snapped. Told her I couldn’t be with someone who quits, because that would be an insurmountable difference between us I couldn’t tolerate. Is it a hill I’m willing to die on?

“I appreciate the gesture,” I tell him. “But I doubt she’ll listen to anything either of us has to say for a while.”

“Hmm. Okay. Maybe that’s for the best. Let her work out how she feels first. She’s got a lot to come to terms with.”

And with that, he bids me farewell, and I send up a silent prayer that I haven’t pushed her too far. Kate might have given up on us, but I’m not ready to quit yet.

38

NICO

The following morning, I wake to the brutal sound of my phone ringing. I’m still on the sofa, fully clothed.

I smack my hand across the coffee table until I reach it. I don’t even look at who’s calling before I pick up.

“What?”

“Good morning to you too,” Matt’s gruff voice barks down the line. “Let me up. The security down here is nuts.”

A few minutes later, Matt is standing in my apartment with one small overnight bag, which he drops to the floor. He casts a glance over the place, taking in the wreckage of last night’s fight. “What the hell happened here? Have you been to bed?”

I perch on the edge of the sofa and roll the sleeves of my crumpled shirt up. “Fuck,” I mutter.

Matt squints at me and lurches forward to inspect my face. “Is that a bruise? That’s going to look very unprofessional. Did you have a brawl in here or what?”

“Long story.” I drag a hand over my face, wincing as I skim the tender side of my jaw. “How was your flight?”

“Tedious.”

“You haven’t been home?”

“No. Where’s Charlie?”

“With Seb.”

Matt kicks a piece of broken glass with the toe of his shoe. “You cleared him out so you could have a fisticuffs session with someone?”

I groan. “Not exactly. I had something much better planned, but it didn’t work out.” Even the oblique reference to Kate makes the acid in my empty stomach churn. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. Let’s do your shit first.”

Matt eyes me suspiciously. “I want to know everything you know before I see mywife.” He snarls the last word. “I’ve already got the lawyer drawing up divorce papers.”

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