Page 38 of My Ex's Brothers

That’s when the lightbulb goes off. Dane has been pondering a reason, a way to reach out to Amelia and offer her the support she needs, offer to let her move in with us, but he claimed it would be tricky.

That Amelia would need agoodreason to accept our offer.

Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the offer…because it’s clear Amelia can’t afford a new car and she can’t afford tonothave a car, especially if she’s looking for work…and being out of work, with no car, with no steady stream of income…

“Fuck,” she cries, and this time, she actually doescry.

My heart breaks as I push off of the car, taking two strides toward her.

“This is bad. This is?—”

“Hey,” I say as I reach out for her, settling my hands on the sides of her arms.

She looks up at me with glassy eyes, and I have to push the inappropriate thoughts out of my mind. Now is not the time to get all turned on by mascara running down her pretty face.

“We’ll figure it out, you can?—”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” she says petulantly, and I can’t help the smile that wants to form on my mouth.

“Say what, darling?”

She pouts as she stares at me as if she wants to protest my endearment, but thinks better of it. “That everything will be fine. It’s clearly not fine!” She stamps her foot, letting out a frustrated growl. “I need to get home, I need to pick up Lyla, and?—”

“First things first,” I tell her sternly. “You need a car to pick up your daughter. To get around. This…” I hit the hood. “Isn’t going anywhere. I can have it towed, and you can take my car.”

“What? No, I’m not taking your car.” She shakes her head. “You need a car too.”

I wave my hand dismissively. “It’s not that big of a deal, I can get a ride from?—”

She shakes her head. “Absolutely not. You’re already doing enough just coming out here and…I’ll just…have to see what I have left in my savings, and?—”

“Nope.” It’s my turn to shake my head and argue. “Not happening. You are not touching your savings. I’ll take care of it.”

“You will not.” She stands firm, staring up at me, and fuck if she isn’t the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. Mascara streaks on her pale cheeks, eyes blazing with determination behind tears. Lips that are parted just the slightest and that beg to be bitten and kissed.

Fuck, Dane was right. She’s a fighter. Good thing for her, I know just how to handle brats who don’t want to listen.

“Well, you have two options, baby girl. You either take my car—” I point to my charcoal Corvette beside us. “Or, we get this piece of junk towed, and you let me give you a ride home.”

“But—” She opens her mouth and I don’t think twice about putting my finger to her lips. She quiets, her eyes going wide as she looks at me.

“Those are your options. Pick one.”

She looks like she wants to argue, and I kind of want her to, if I’m being honest.

But she relents, swallowing nervously. “Even if you tow it and I go with you…” She sighs. “I need to be able to get around.”

“And I have no problem driving you where you need to go,” I say as if this is obvious.

“I don’t think your car is equipped for mydaughter.”

I shrug. “Then we’ll use Dane’s Explorer. Problem solved.”

She chews on her lip as I await her answer.

“You think you can actually fix my car?” she asks.

I nod. “Yeah, I can. It will take a minute, though, for me to get the exact model needed for your car, then the labor itself, but…”

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