Page 72 of From Our First

Arden froze, and looked over at me, smiling big. “Wow, I’m doubly honored. Thank you.” She paused. “Why are you letting me?”

I shrugged and looked over the pieces. “Because you’re Nate’s twin, and because I like you.”

Arden smiled wider, her eyes going kinder if that was even possible. “That’s sweet. I love that you and Nate are back together,” she said suddenly, and I froze.

“It feels weird sometimes to think that we are,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

“We haven’t had a chance to talk since the two of you got back together.”

I looked around the room, memories flooding in of the time before. “There isn’t much to talk about.”

Arden snorted. “Okay, well, that was a complete lie.”

I grimaced. “A complete lie.” I sighed.

I didn’t know what else to say.

“It was odd not telling everybody what had happened between the two of you so many years ago. It wasn’t my place to say anything, and I never did.”

I looked at her and met her gaze. “I’m sorry for putting you in that position. You didn’t deserve that stress.”

“It didn’t stress me out. It didn’t hurt me at all. But I hated the idea that either of you was in pain. Because while I know my brother unequivocally believed what he saw in those photos, it didn’t make sense that you would do that to him.”

I pushed back tears and nodded. “Thank you for saying that.”

“He understood, too. That’s probably why he was so blindsided. Why it hurt so much.”

“Perhaps. I’m still so upset with my parents for doing such a thing.”

“I’d be upset, too. Probably more than a little. As it was, I hated you right alongside Nate for a while until I realized it wasn’t my place to cast judgment on anyone.”

Pain ricocheted through me, but I nodded tightly. “You thought I had hurt your brother. Your twin. I’d probably have hated me, too.”

“And that would have been wrong. Itwaswrong. All because your parents wanted something for themselves.” She paused. “Something I hear is still the case.”

I rubbed my hands over my thighs and gestured for her to join me in my little seating area in my studio. We plopped down on my comfortable couch, and I groaned. “I don’t understand them. My parents are well-off. Far more than I am.”

“And yet, they want more. Maybe they merely want the power that comes from knowing they can lord things over you. But now, you have that power in your hands. You’ve taken something from them, at least in their mind, and it shifted the dynamic.”

I rubbed my temples. “Either way, it’s a mess. And, eventually, I’m going to have to deal with it. Probably in court or in person. There’s only so much I can do through my lawyer.”

“Try not to let them get to you.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“As long as they don’t push their way into your life and break what you have, you’re going to come out the other side stronger.”

I looked at Nate’s sister and smiled. “I hope that’s the case. I hope we can all push this behind us and move on and into whatever our future needs to be.”

Arden opened her mouth to say something and then shook her head.

“What?” I asked.

“That seemed like the perfect segue to ask what your intentions are with my brother and how you’re feeling. But then I realized that sounded too much like prying. So, never mind.”

I blew out a breath. “I don’t have answers for you. I wish I did, but I need some time.”

“And neither of you took any time before. I’m glad you are now. I love my brother, and you’re part of our family now, Myra, even if it’s not through Nate. You’re our friend. We have a connection. And we don’t want you to get hurt either.”

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