Page 125 of Full Tilt
“My boyfriend is bringing it over to eat with us.”
I feel my entire body flush with heat as Holt’s jaw pops open.
“You didn’t tell me you were seeing someone, Jen.”
He looks mildly hurt, and that’s the last thing I wanted. He’s going to be even more upset when he discovers who my mystery guy is.
“I wanted to wait until I could tell you in the flesh.”
It’s like Holt puts all the pieces together in the time it takes me to sip my wine. He must know that Tommy never got traded in the end, although he’s never once mentioned anything to me since he messaged me about it. And he’s right to be shocked about me keeping secrets. We never do. Not unless we suspect the other might hate what we have to say.
When my smart doorbell sounds, I genuinely don’t think the timing could be worse.
Holt leaps from his chair and storms toward my hallway, swallowing up the distance to my front door in three large strides.
He slides the dead bolt and yanks the door open, practically pulling it from its hinges.
Like the ultimate face-off, Tommy stands on the other side of the door, holding the pecan and maple pie he promised he’d make me since it’s my favorite dessert of all time.
I rush to catch up to Holt as Tommy takes a single step back.
Holt’s dark brown eyes are black, painted with fury. “What the fuck is he doing here, Jenna?” He drops his attention to the pie in Tommy’s hands. “And why is he here with our favorite dessert?”
Dropping my face into my hands, I exhale a slow breath. “Holt, this is Tommy. My boyfriend.”
“I know who he is,” Holt bites out. “The last time I met him, he insulted my sister for telling him to take a hike and almost broke my jaw.”
In retreat, Tommy takes another small step away from Holt, one hand coming up in front of him. “I came here today to talk. I want to set the records straight between us.”
Holt’s shoulders drop a quarter of an inch from where they were bunched around his ears. He turns his head to look at me, a brief flash of hurt passing over his features. “Why are you mixed up with this asshole? You are worth so much more than him.”
Back when I first met Tommy, Holt’s statement—while only coming from a place of care and protection for me—would double as a red rag to a bull for my boyfriend. But as I look up at Tommy, I see hurt on his face, too, and my heart sinks into my stomach.
“Can we at least all go inside so we don’t run the risk of making a scene out here?” I suggest. “Every neighbor is at home today, and they’re probably already listening.”
Holt crosses his arms over his chest, one challenging brow raised. “The only person incapable of controlling their temper around here is him.” He nods his head at Tommy.
I place my hand on Holt’s upper arm. He’s so used to protecting me, although he doesn’t need to in this moment. I can’t say that I blame him. I’d do the exact same thing if this was over a girl who had a history of hurting him and me.
“Hear him out, Holt. Please.”
When he steps to one side, I breathe a sigh of relief. Holt’s hands slide into his pockets, and Tommy takes a couple of strides into my apartment, closing the door behind him. He hasn’t taken his eyes off mine, and when I reach across and take the pie from his arms, I feel the way he brushes his fingersagainst mine. He wants to reassure me that everything is going to be okay.
Turning on my heel, I make for the kitchen and set the pie on the breakfast bar, a wave of emotion crashing into me when silence descends on the apartment. The boys aren’t exchanging a word, and I have no clue how to fix this.
A few months ago, the thought of alienating my brother over a guy was unthinkable. Unfathomable. Holt and I are a team, and we always will be. But today, the thought of losing either of the men standing in my hallway from my life consumes me with fear.
The fear sits there, manifesting in the pit of my gut until I can no longer stand the aching pressure, and I head back up the hallway, stalking toward them both.
Holt’s eyes flare wide at the sight of me—and Tommy’s aren’t dissimilar.
“I need you to give Tommy a chance, Holt. I know what happened back in January was wrong, but he isn’t the piece of trash you think he is.”
Tommy swipes a palm across his jawline. I can see the wheels turning in his head on what to say.
A couple of beats pass before Holt shrugs his shoulders, exasperated. “Well, if the dude’s changed and he’s somehow become a good person for my baby sister, then I’m certainly not hearing anything from him to prove it.”
“Words are cheap.” Tommy’s deep voice cuts through the tension. He motions to my brother with his hand. “I could stand here, in my girl’s apartment on Christmas Day, and tell you all the ways I’m sorry for what I did that night back in January. That I’m sorry for hurting her on multiple occasions and for being the biggest asshole on planet Earth.” Tommy drops his eyes to the floor, scuffing it lightly with his sneaker. He shakes his head, and I can tell it’s from memories of himself. “A few words aren’tgoing to cut it though, are they?” He centers his attention solely on my brother.
