Page 87 of More than Myself

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“I’m not sorry—”

He held out his hand. “It’s fine. Whatever you said got her here. And Andy needs her. So thank you.”

Luke’s blue eyes narrowed. “You think she’s only here for Andy?”

He took another pull of his beer. “I can’t let myself hope it’s anything else. I won’t live through another crushing disappointment. Yesterday you walked in and smirked like maybe you had her with you. And—” Will shook his head.

“Hey.” Andy came flying into the kitchen. “Come on. We need to talk.”

The kid pulled on his hand, dragging him back to the sunroom. Andy’s smile lit the room more than the fire raging in the hearth or the lamp on the table next to the sofa. But Aly stood in the middle of the space, shoulders back and hands fisted at her sides. The glimmer of tears shone in those smoky eyes.

Those eyes that knocked him on his ass every time he looked into them. Why couldn’t a look from her make him horny and nothing else? No, when she had her sights locked on him, his chest squeezed so tight he thought it would explode. It made his hands shake and made him want to promise her the moon and stars and anything else she wanted if only she’d stay with him.

But he’d tried that, and it had failed miserably.

“You two good?” Will asked him, forcing air into his lungs as he waited for a response.

“No,” Andy clipped.

Will watched Aly, confused. She lifted a shoulder weakly, and when she dropped it again, her bottom lip quivered.

Will turned back to Andy and swallowed thickly, bolstering the courage to deal with whatever was going on. “What’s the matter, dude?”

“It’s not enough if only two out of three people are good.” Andy frowned and walked toward him.

Will crouched when the kid got close so they could be eye to eye, and Andy put a hand to his shoulder.

“She’s an idiot, but we knew that about her already.”

Will’s eyes shot to Aly. A silent tear fell down her cheek in response to her brother’s words, and she shut those smoky eyes, closing him off.

“But I forgive her.”

“I’m glad.” Will’s voice cracked.

“Now it’s up to you two to figure it out from here,” Andy said. He patted Will’s arm and shuffled out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Will stared at the doorway long after he left, unable to look at Aly.

Finally, she spoke. “I’m sorry. I made such a mistake.” Her voice broke.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He used to think that the deaths of his parents were the worst moments of his life. Then Aly left him, and he knew nothing could hurt more. Until now. This moment was worse. He braced himself for the next words, the ones that said she wanted Andy back. And he couldn’t say no.

Three days ago, he’d lost the only woman he’d ever loved. The only woman he would ever love, and now he was losing Andy too. For the first time in his life, he was lost. He loved his brothers and his sister and their whole slew of kids. He loved coaching and the gym. But Aly and Andy were his reason for living, and now he’d lose them both.

Will slumped into a bucket chair in the corner and ran his hands over his face. “All right,” he agreed. “You can have him back.” Acid churned in his stomach and tears pricked at his eyes. He was a grown man, but he was absolutely going to cry over the loss of the boy who had become his son.

“What?” Aly asked, her tone one of confusion.

Will dropped his hands onto his knees and hung his head. “I won’t fight you.” His voice sounded dead to his own ears. “You’re his family.”

Her warm hand landed on his shoulder, and he wanted so badly to let himself lean into it, to seek out her comfort.

“But you’ve become his parent, and even if I wanted that, he’d never allow it. He’d just run back to you,” Aly said.

He lifted his head. If she wasn’t saying it was a mistake to leave Andy… His heart skipped a beat.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice a whisper. He raised his head and studied her, afraid to hope even as the feeling grew inside him.


Tags: Jenni Bara Romance