Page 60 of Hartley

“I am!” He wrapped his arms around me. “I am,” he said softer. “I just didn’t expect you to say that. I figured the three of you would commit yourselves to each other. But when you said it, my mind immediately went to why you were telling me that instead of if we’re related to Lane. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spiraled.”

“No, you’re fine.” I leaned away and swiped under my eyes, collecting the few tears that fell. God, I was a fucking mess. This whole pile of shit with Lane had my emotions a wreck. “I have the results, by the way, and before you ask, I haven’t read them.”

“Okay. Okay, that’s good. We’ll read them together.”

I pulled the envelope out of my pocket and handed it tohim. It was folded over three times and the edges were frayed. I’d been carrying it with me or leaving it on a table at home, staring at it. At least it didn’t look worse.

“How long have you had this?”

“Two days.”

“Two days!” he shouted and stood, pacing away from me. “You’ve had this for two fucking days and are only handing it to me now?” He paced back, his bare feet padding on the dark brown hardwood floor.

“I wasn’t ready.”

“You think I am?”

“You just yelled at me, so yeah, I think you fucking are.”

“Jesus, Hart.” Forest dropped onto the couch again and handed it back to me.

“Why do I have it?”

“I’m not going to open it?”

“You just yelled at me and won’t read the results?”

He shook his head, his hair swishing over his eyes. “You read it first.”

Instead of running my finger under the sealed flap in the back to lift it open, I sat it on the couch cushion separating us.

“Seriously?” he asked.

“Yup. You want to know, you open it.”

Forest groaned and reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. He tapped away on the screen. When I leaned in to see who he just had to text right now, he moved away so I couldn’t look.

My eyes narrowed. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see. So, are you going to have a ceremony? Do I get to be a best man? You’re my brother, but Vail is my best friend. How will you two choose?”

“Easy,” I told him with a straight face. “Hazel will stand upwith me since my brother can’t open a fucking envelope!” My voice got louder toward the end of the sentence until I yelled.

Forest turned his nose up and looked away. Grumpy fucker. It was my own fault for bringing up the engagement when I really wanted to talk about the results. If only I could, and hadn’t, brought up that I’d be committing my life to Vail and Jordan instead. Forest needed to know, and Vail said I should be the one to tell him. He was my brother after all. Although, depending on what the results said, I might have a new relative. One whose family tried to kill one of the men I loved and his son.

“We’re going to be on one of those movies where they have to bring in the really smart detectives to try to figure out our fucked-up lives.” I put on my best commentator voice and said, “A mafia boss, a chef, and a fashion designer. Their lives shouldn’t fit, but one by one the pieces slotted into place. An obsessed ex, a rival out for blood, and a relative no one knew about.” I rolled my eyes.

Forest scoffed. “Like Jordan would let a company make a movie about your lives.” He wasn’t wrong.

The door to the apartment opened, cutting off our conversation. Sheldon didn’t even look my way. His eyes stayed on Forest. Of course, my brother texted him. Sheldon would come for whatever Forest needed. He toed the door shut behind him.

Blond hair fell past Sheldon’s chin as he dipped his head and pointed at the envelope on the cushion. “Is that it?”

I nodded.

“Can I open it for you two?” It was why he was here. Neither Forest nor I could seem to do it. I should have just asked Rory, who stood outside, to do it. He would have.

My voice was rough when I said, “Yeah.”

---