Page 107 of Romance Languages

“He was looking out for you.” And Lauren was looking out for me, even after all this time. Guilt and shame washed over me. “I’m so sorry about everything, Lauren.”

“I know. You’ve apologized so many times. I know how bad you feel.”

“Why are you being so understanding?”

“Because you have an addiction. And you’re working on it. Are you still going to GA meetings?”

“Yes. Every week.” I didn’t say much in them, but I was listening, and they kept me accountable.

“Good.”

How could she not hate me? How was she able to show compassion after what I’d done? Her strength bowled me over. She had lost so much. Major milestones were delayed on my account. Yet she cared about my recovery. Why did I have to hurt such a good person?

In that moment, a sense of determination calcified in my bones.

“Listen, I’m going to pay you back everything by the end of the month.”

“What? That’s next week. And that’s two years ahead of schedule. Seamus, you don’t have that kind of money.”

She was right. It was time I swallowed my pride and took up Greg and Ethan’s offer to loan me the money. It wasn’t what I wanted. But it wasn’t fair to make Lauren suffer all so I could prove that I could pay back my debts all on my own. Just because I needed help didn’t make me damaged goods. In a way, asking for help was a sign of strength.

“It’s time both of us were allowed to move on.”

I could feel the excitement build on her end.

“Seamus…I…Thank you.”

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out between us. But it sounds like you’ve found a great guy. Congratulations on the wedding and whatever comes next.”

Chills rolled up my back. I liked being a responsible person. Julian was already rubbing off on me.

I put down my phone next to Julian’s, which was blowing up with what looked like a group chat. I couldn’t help scanning the texts flashing on the lockscreen. Everett, Amos, and Chase all seemed like straitlaced guys. They were preppy and cleancut. It turned out they had a hell of a raunchy side.

“Morning,” Julian said from the entryway, also clad in only boxers. I soaked in the sight of his hot body.

“Your friends are freaks.” I held up his phone. “This group chat is full of nasty.”

Julian raced to grab his phone.

“And you can let them know that you don’t need ‘anonymous dick’ for your birthday.”

Julian flushed red, and then a deeper shade of red when he scrolled through the messages. “I haven’t spoken to them since the party. I’ll update them on my sexual status.”

“And relationship status, too.” Oh yeah, Jules was totally my boyfriend. There was no getting around that.

He smiled wide as he typed away on his phone. I came up behind and wrapped my arms around him, while making sure to give him and his friends their privacy. He felt so good in my arms, like he’d belonged there the entire time.

I slipped a hand into his boxers and squeezed his ass.

“What’s that for?” he asked.

“Because I can.”

The coffeemaker went quiet. I strode to the machine. Julian pointed out where the mugs were.

“Um, how do you take your coffee?” I asked.

“Half and half and sugar,” he said.

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