Page 117 of Gathered Sparkle

I pull out my phone, unlock it with a swipe, and scroll through my playlist because he’s right—this silence is awkward as shit. Since this is Koen’s car, my phone automatically connects to the sound system. I tap the screen, and “Shape of My Heart” by the Backstreet Boys fills the cabin.

Nicholas’s head snaps toward me, his brows shooting up in disgust and utter disbelief. “Are you serious right now?”

“What?” I feign innocence as I tap my fingers against the armrest to the beat.

“What the hell is this?”

“It’s called a vibe,Harrington.Maybe you should try it sometime.”

“Why are you doing this? Am I here to get tortured?”

I shrug. “It fits the occasion.”

“How in God’s name does this fit the occasion?”

“It’sbuying-a-vanmusic.”

“Of course it is,” he mutters, already done with my shit. “And what does buying a van have to do with me?”

“One, you said you’re in, so your lazy ass can help with preparations for the show. And two, we need to talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“Talk about the perfection that is Sparkle. And about how delusional she is for apparently wanting you.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightens, and he looks like he wants to kick me out.

Rich boy can fucking try.

“Don’t push me,Walker.”

“Push you?” I laugh, sharp and bitter. “What, you think I’m the problem here? You’re sitting there acting like the victim as if she played you like we all did, but the truth is… you played yourself.”

“Right.” He scoffs. “I’m the idiot for trusting her. For trusting any of you.”

“You said it, not me,” I fire back, managing to keep my tone soft enough to stop him from kicking me out of the car altogether. I need him to hear me, not shoot me down. “Look, man, it’s not only her fault. It’s yours too. Hell, it’s all of ours. We brought her into this. We pushed her toward you. You think she woke up one day and decided,let’s go fuck with the Harringtons for fun? Grow up.”

“She tricked me to fall in love with her.”

“You jumped into that headfirst like a lovesick puppy because you wanted someone to love you that badly. You think shit would have worked if you kept your cool like a normal person would? Falling this fast wasyourdoing, not hers. Nobody can make you fall for them. You were fucking naïve.”

I know this is rich coming from me, but I absolutely can think like a sane person when it’s not aboutmyfeelings for her.

His frown deepens, and I know I’m getting through, even if he hates hearing it.

“But I can’t really blame you, can I? She’s everything,” I continue. “She’s been through shit you can’t even imagine, and she still keeps going. She needs all of us. The first love she lost because she deserves to have him back. Me, because I make her laugh when she doesn’t want to. Koen, because he makes her feel safe. And yeah, apparently, she needs you too. For fuck if I know what.”

Nicholas’s gaze flickers toward me. “Why doesn’t it bother you that she’s into four guys?”

“Because I’m her main, and you guys are only her side chicks.” Nicholas’s expression deadpans, and I sigh dramatically. “Fine. She wants all of us equally, or someself-love harmonycrap like that. But let’s be real. I make her the wettest.”

Nicholas lets out a sharp scoff, but there’s a flicker of something beneath it. Annoyance or amusement, maybe both.

“And you know what? She gives me everything I need without even trying. So why wouldn’t I want the same for her? Why would I try to keep her from having what makes her happy? Even if that includesyou.” His sharp exhale cuts through the air. He sounds frustrated and unsure, but I keep going anyway. “Are youin lovewith her? Or did you simply want to be in love so badly you told yourself you were?”

“I don’t know,” he admits after a beat. But I can hear that he absolutely does know. He’s a goner for her, just like the rest of us.

“It’s not that hard to figure out.” I tilt my head to look at him. “Would you put her well-being before your ego?”

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