Page 19 of Worth the Wait

Matthew snarled, “So, who do we think this guy is? There’s no way Addison is dating someone like that.”

My stomach instantly tightened. “Jamison DeCanteour. Some industry legacy in New York. Tons of money. Likes to party and travel. Not sure he does anything else,” I recited what I’d learned earlier from my stalking.

“Someone did their research.” Thomas gave me a smirk.

“I might have come a little undone after seeing the pictures,” I admitted.

“I would have done the same thing,” Thomas said, giving me a pat on the shoulder that made me honestly feel a little less psychotic.

“I’d be on a flight already.” Matthew shrugged as he finished off his beer and walked to the fridge to grab more for each of us.

“She can date whoever she wants. We aren’t together anymore,” I said, but the words were downright bitter on my tongue.

They felt wrong.

Sour.

Like lies.

“It’s not cool, okay?” Matthew said.

I looked at him, studying his expression. “What isn’t?”

“That she’s not with you. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I never saw it coming. The day when you and Addison weren’t together. You two were endgame.”

“It’s true,” Thomas nodded before sitting down and shifting on the chair. “And it is odd to think of her with someone else. Or you, for that matter. But I want you to be happy, and I know you’re not. I mean, look at your hair.”

“Seriously. Get a haircut already,” Matthew chipped in.

I laughed, but it was more of a huff than anything. “You’re one to talk, Grumps.”

Thomas shook his head. “Not that shit again.”

“He’s not grumpy anymore,” Matthew complained. “I love Brooklyn, but it was fun, havingsomethingto tease you about. Now, you’re all happy and annoying.”

My head was still stuck on Matthew calling me and Addi endgame. I’d always believed it to be true. And if it wasn’t anymore, then someone needed to tell my heart. Not to mention the rest of me.

“What do you guys want me to do? Call her and tell her that I can’t fucking breathe when she’s not here? That I’ll live the rest of my life alone because my heart only beats for her? That I can’t see a time when it won’t? She owns part of my soul, and without her, I feel like I’m not really living, but existing. And the two are not even remotely the same thing.” The truth spilled from my lips with ease. I couldn’t have stopped the words from falling out if I’d tried.

My brothers were the only ones I could ever tell this too… aside from her.

Matthew looked like I’d physically struck him. “That’s deep, bro.”

“It’s been years.” Thomas swallowed hard as he leveled me with a look I couldn’t quite decipher.

“I know that. You think I don’t know that?” I bit back. “And nothing’s changed. Not my feelings for her. Not the way I love her. Not the way I need her.”

“How are we going to fix this then?” Matthew slammed his hand on the table, commanding our attention.

“We’re not fixing anything. And the two of you aren’t doing shit.” I pointed at each of them, one at a time, as their blue eyes met mine. “Promise me you will not reach out to her. Especially you.” That last part was directed at Matthew, who had graduated the same year as Addi and was closer to her than Thomas was.

Although Thomas had Clarabel, and Addi had adored her, so he could still try to talk to her, and it wouldn’t be weird.

I shook my head, knowing Thomas would never meddle the way Matthew seemed to enjoy doing. But without our little brother’s pushing and prodding, who knew where Thomas and Brooklyn might be today? There was a good chance they’d still be walking around each other, pretending like there was no magnetic pull between them.

“Maybe you should call her,” Thomas said, all levelheaded and rational-sounding.

“And say what?”

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