Page 5 of Perfect for Her

“Mark, settle down. Take a few deep breaths and we can talk about this.”

My hands fist at my sides, the anticipation mixed with utter dread coursing through my body.

“Why didn’t you go after her when you clearly still have feelings for her?”

A bitter laugh escapes, and I sink into one of the lounge chairs, resting my head in the palms of my hands.

“She wanted to leave it as a memory and didn’t want to ruin the week by letting reality invade what we had.” Hearing it back, I know I should have pushed harder because maybe I could have convinced her to at least text me every once in a while.

“And you let her just leave?”

I groan, wishing I could go back in time and change everything about that last day.

“I get it. I should have fought harder. You don’t think I regret it?” I’ve thought about that every single night for four years. I don’t need Max to remind me just how much I fucked up too.

“I know you do; I can see in the way your body is radiating with the need to go to her, but I think you need to take a step back and think about how this might look to her if you just show up at her house.”

I tilt my head, wondering how he knew I was planning to do just that.

“I’m your twin, idiot. I know what you’re thinking, probably before you think it, and I think it’s a bad idea. You can’t just show up at her house, demand to see her, and expect things to go swingingly.”

I take a breath, knowing he’s right about me and also having no self-control when it comes to Harlow.

“How do you know she won’t want to see me too?”

Valid question, I think.

“Mark, come on, man. Has she ever tried to get in touch with you in the four years since you were together?”

My mouth shuts, his eyes showing just how smug he feels knowing he’s right.

“See? If she wanted to find you, she would. If what I’ve heard from Addison is true, she has connections, and so finding you wouldn’t have been that hard for her.”

Fuck. He’s right. I hate when he’s right.

“Even if she actively avoided me, I have to see her. At least to get the closure I never got the first time.”

Max’s face falls and he knows he won’t change my mind. “Fine, but if I give you her address, you are picking up Luna and watching her tonight. All night. I need a night alone with my girl because it’s been way too long since I’ve made her scream.”

I make a disgusted face, shaking my head and I get up and walk back toward the house.

“Please refrain from saying anything like that to me ever again. I love that you and Addi got together but hearing you say that you make her scream just makes me want to bury my head in a bucket of sand and suffocate myself.”

Max laughs, his hand grasping my shoulder as we make our way back inside. “Noted. Just make sure you take care of that little girl with your life, or I’ll have yours.”

I nod, my eyes softening at the way my brother talks about Luna. Even though she’s not his by blood, that man loves her as if she was and I couldn’t be prouder of him and the family he’s created for himself.

Before he can change his mind, Max texts me Harlow’s address and I stare at it, knowing she’s minutes from me and I’ll finally get to see her face after all these years.

Harlow

I shut the door to my bedroom, wondering for the millionth time over the last few hours how Addison and Max do this daily. My rose-colored glasses from four years ago are long gone as I lean against my bedroom door and close my eyes, not missing this stage at all. Over the last four years, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a toddler and I don’t know how I did it all by myself.

I slowly make my way down the hall, making sure to stop in front of Ethan’s room, checking to see if he’s asleep before I head downstairs. As I poke my head in and see his body sprawled out like a starfish on his twin-size bed with his face buried in his pillow, his little arms wrapped around his stuffed dinosaur, I let myself take a breath before making my way into the living room. As my butt hits the cushion, I contemplate whether or not I want to get up and get myself a glass of wine but talk myself out of it. For one, I would have to get up off my ass and that’s not happening for at least an hour, and second, it’s probably not best to get tipsy while taking care of your friend’s child. So instead, I shut my eyes, lean my head back against the back of the couch, and bask in the first moment of silence I’ve had all day.

When I started this business, I had a vision of what it would be like, and while I love what I’m doing, fucking hell is it exhausting. I thought taking care of Ethan on my own was hard, try doing that with a minimum of five children all screaming for your attention. There are days I wonder if I made the right choice, then I see Ethan’s glowing smile as he plays outside, not a care in the world, and I breathe because he’s safe, happy, and healthy.

Just as I begin to nod off, I hear a knock at the front door, thanking the universe that whoever it is didn’t use the doorbell that would wake even the dead. I peer down at my watch, confused since Addison specifically told me she and her husband wouldn’t be back until after midnight, but when the knock sounds again, this time harder and louder, I groan, getting up off the couch and making my way toward the front door.

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