Page 26 of My Ex's Brothers

He comes barreling through the doors, stomping over on his skates and taking a seat next to me.

“Water.” He stretches out his hand and Richie tosses him his bottle.

“I ain’t your daddy, get it your damn self.”

Tripp laughs before squirting his water in his mouth.

“And no. I haven’t heard a peep from Amelia since last week when I ran into her.”

“She didn’t say anything to me either, when I stopped by last week,” I say with a sigh.

Tripp says, “Maybe you should try texting her.”

I turn to look at him. “Excuse me?”

Tripp shrugs. “I mean, I’ve been texting her for the last week.”

My eyes narrow as I focus on my breath. “You…what?”

“What the fuck do you mean you’ve beentexting?” Richie asks, his voice edged in shock.

Tripp looks between us. “I mean, it’s nothing major. Just, you know…good morning, beautiful. How was your day? How’s the little cutie patootie? Check out this TikTok of Elmo swearing…”

I glare at him. This entire week he’s been chatting with Amelia and he didn’t say anything?

Why wouldn’t he say anything…

I know why. Or at least, the jealous part of me knows why, resigned to the fact that we’re being sidelined again. Just like the first time.

I force the thoughts away. There’s nothing wrong with Tripp texting her.

In fact, it’s probably good she has someone to talk to, I just…

I wish it wasmeshe wanted to talk to. Not my dumbass stepbrother who can’t be bothered to wear his hat the right way.

“She needs our help,” I say, brushing off Tripp. “We owe it to her, to Lyla.”

Richie shifts his position next to me. “I’m not disagreeing with you, but?—”

“But what?” Tripp says, guzzling another drink. “Dane’s right. She shouldn’t be struggling on her own, when she has…family.” He says the last word carefully, as if it might actually bite him.

I steal a glance at him, noting his tense shoulders. I can’t blame him for being attracted to Amelia. Hell, how could I when I’m in the same boat?

But in all reality, he’s got no relation her. I don’t either, except…

Except for the fact that my identical twin happens to be the father of her child, which means Lyla’s got my DNA.

So yeah, we’re not related, but it’s still…a bit of a gray area, I guess. Not that it matters to me. Amelia is always going to be it for me, whether she wants me or not.

My mind wanders back to when I saw her for the first time since she’d left. How she looked at me, in her little apartment. How I could have sworn she wanted tokissme.

I know I can’t have imagined it, but I’m starting to wonder if my wishful thinking is truly rotting my brain.

“Lyla needs a father,” Tripp says sternly, making Richie and me both turn in his direction.

“And you think that’s you?” Richie scoffs. “Please. You are practically a fetus yourself.”

Tripp shoots him a glare. “I’m twenty-four, Richie, not fourteen. Or maybe you forgot because you’re so senile in your old age.”

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