Page 60 of Don't Puck the Wrong Brother

"Don’t fucking lie to me! That’s bullshit. Nothing 'just happens' with you. You wanted her because I had her first, so you took her. Like everything else in my life."

His words sting, but I keep my voice level. "That's not what this is."

"Then what is it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like my brother is fucking my ex-girlfriend to prove he can."

"No," I insist, anger rising in my chest. "I like her, Cade. Actually like her. She's smart and funny and real in a way most people aren't."

"Yeah, fucking right," he spits. "I'm not buying your sudden transformation into a guy who cares about a girl's personality. You’re a piece of shit who fucks anything that walks!"

"Think whatever you want. I'm not asking for your blessing."

"Good, because you'll never get it," he says. "You're dead to me, Sandy. Both of you."

The line goes dead before I can respond. I stare at my phone, a heavy weight settling in my chest. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen, exactly why Hannah was hesitant to pursue anything between us.

But as I set my phone down and try to process what just happened, I realize my main concern isn't Cade's anger or our fractured relationship. It's Hannah. How will she react when she finds out Cade knows? Will she pull away? End things before they've really begun?

The thought makes my stomach twist. I should text her, warn her about Cade's call. But what would I say? "Hey, my brother knows about us and now he hates me, hope that doesn't ruin our plans for tomorrow"?

I decide to wait until morning, when I've had time to think it through. For now, I need sleep and a clear head.

For the first time in my life, a girl means more to me than my brother's approval. And I have no idea what to do with that realization.

Chapter 17

"You're overthinking this," Lennox says, flopping onto my bed as I hold up two nearly identical pairs of jeans.

"I am not," I insist, examining both options again. "These are completely different. These are high-waisted with a straight leg, and these are mid-rise with a slight flare."

"They're both blue denim, and Sanderson won't notice the difference."

"It's not about what he'll notice," I say, finally deciding on the high-waisted pair. "It's about what makes me feel confident."

"For an 'extended social interaction' that isn't a date?" She air-quotes with her fingers, grinning.

"Yeah."

"You know what? I'm not even going to tease you about this," Lennox says, folding the jeans neatly and placing them on my bed. "I'm just happy to see you excited about going out with him."

"You are? I thought you liked me and Cade?"

She shrugs. "Honestly, you were never this nervous or this––"

"What are you talking about, Len? I was very much so."

She shakes her head. "Let’s not even talk about him, okay? I am mad that he cheated on you. Period. It’s a dealbreaker. I won’t ever let you go back with him. It’s over with Cade, and now you have someone else who is…hotter."

I laugh.

She points, "Your color-coded outfit options are hilarious, Han."

I glance at the three tops I've laid out, arranged by color family. "That's just basic organization."

"Mmhmm." Lennox picks up my phone as it buzzes with a new notification. "Lover boy again. That's the fifth text in an hour."

I snatch the phone from her, checking the message.

ETA 10 minutes. Hope you're ready for animal therapy.

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