Page 36 of Even if It Hurts

“Cameron Rush?” a feminine voice called out in stunned excitement, once again pulling my attention away from Kaia in time to see the half-naked woman from earlier throw her arms around the man talking to Asher.

I watchedCameron Rushhesitantly hug the now fully-clothed Peyton before my gaze shifted, as if drawn to the man standing beside them, only to find Asher once again watching me.

And like before, I found myself trapped.

Knowing I needed to look away but unable to. Not when those dark eyes were searching and studying...subtly pleading.

But then the remaining people in the apartment must’ve said something that had Asher’s stare snapping to them as he demanded, “What was that?”

Cameron glanced between Asher and Peyton before looking uncomfortably at the floor when Peyton asked, “You don’t think he looks good with a beard?”

“I don’t have an opinion on how Rush looks,” Asher said irritably. “But not thirty minutes ago, you were getting on me for not shaving.”

“You look homeless,” she said, emphasizing each syllable.

An edgy sound crept from him that I would’ve sworn bordered on a laugh if we weren’t talking about Asher Briggs as he dragged his hands over his face and scuffed his fingers through the growth there that most definitely didnotmake him look homeless.

“You deal with her,” he said to Cameron before stalking out of the kitchen.

Kaia made a squeal of displeasure, pulling me out of the conversation that so wasn’t my business and back to the little girl I needed to be giving all my attention to.

“So sorry,” I whispered soft enough to give the illusion it was just us when I knew the other two people in the kitchen could hear me. But just as I gave Kaia another bite, Peyton asked, “Did you know he hired a nanny?”

“Peyton...” Cameron began, her name leaving him on a cautious laugh.

She must’ve taken that as confirmation because she demanded, “And you didn’t try to stop him?”

“You know she’s sitting right there,” Cameron ground out.

“Yeah, I can see that. This is no offense to you,” she said even louder, as if trying to get my attention. I hesitantly glanced their way in time for her to add, “My brother’s just an idiot for thinking he could do this at all. Which, clearly, he can’t because he had to hire you.”

Brother.

Brother.

That one word shouldn’t have been the relief it was, but I couldn’t stop the way my shoulders sagged a little as I digested it. Before I could respond or wonder how I hadn’t noticed the similarities in their dark eyes or their intense way of talking to people, Cameron cut in.

“He can do this,” he told Peyton vehemently. “Just because he needs help during the day so he can continue working doesn’t mean anything.”

“He shouldn’t have taken Kaia on, and you know it,” Peyton seethed as she took a step closer to him.

“I know you had issues with Wyatt the past—” If it hadn’t been for the way Cameron abruptly stopped talking and ripped his hand away from Peyton, I wouldn’t have even realized he’d reached for her in the first place.

And it was all I could do to feed Kaia and feign disinterest all while they pretended to be unaffected as the kitchen filled with palpable tension.

“I know you and Wyatt had your issues the past few years,” Cameron finally said after clearing his throat.

“Few?” Peyton challenged.

“Peyton . . .”

“He made his choices,” she said with a relenting sigh. “He dragged Ash down for so long, forcing all his burdens on him, and he’s still doing it.”

“Asher never thought of Wyatt that way. He never thought of either of you that way.”

A disbelieving huff bled from Peyton’s lips all while I sat there, blatantly staring, baby spoon suspended in the air as I listened to every word and vainly tried decoding them.

“Yeah, well...try telling my therapist that,” she muttered. With another curious glance at Kaia and me, she loosed a long sigh. “I don’t even know why I came. I just wanna get today over with and get back to New York.”

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