Silence.
It was the loudest fucking silence I’d ever heard.
I propped my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands, rubbing small circles on my forehead to dull the ache I knew was going to form any second now.
“What? You’ve been… kissing my sister?” I couldn’t look up at Andrew. When he was angry, those dark eyes grew wild, feral. When I was little, he used to remind me of an enormous bear ready to attack a little lamb.
I felt Nate’s hand touch my leg, and I wasn’t positive if it was to comfort me or himself. This was not a situation I wanted to be in, but we understood the risk when we gave in to our attraction.
“Are you touching her right now? Come on, man.” I heard the sound of scraping and glanced up to find Andrew standing in front of his chair. Beside him, the twins’ chins trembled from his outburst. They were not fans of yelling. I was about to tell him to calm down, but Nate spoke up instead.
“Dude, calm down. You’re freaking out my kids. And it was just a couple of times, okay?”
Maybe it was the embarrassment, or perhaps it was the stress I’d been under, but as Nate threw in one more lie, I had enough.
“Really, Nate? A couple of times?”
“Alex, please,” he said through clenched teeth. His grip on my leg tightened, but it wasn’t painful. I turned to look at him and was surprised by how pale he was. He resembled more a teenager caught for stealing his dad’s car than a billionaire CEO who demanded everyone’s attention in a room.
He was scared. And that gutted me.
“Andrew,” I said as calmly as I could muster. My voice shook to my own ears. The twins openly wept as my mom tried to hurry them from their seats. “I love you so much. But if you don’t stop right now, you’re going to say something you can’t take back. So what if Nate and I kissed, or whatever? We’re adults, and we’re both on the same page about whatever this is. So, please, I’m begging you to just let it go.”
Andrew seemed to mull this over for a moment, letting my words marinate and seep in. “But… he’s going to hurt you. He doesn’t do relationships, Alex.”
“First off, he’s right here,” I said, blindly gesturing to Nate. “Secondly, I’m well aware that he doesn’t want a relationship. Newsflash—neither do I. So, just let it go.”
“You’re what? Fu—,” he started, but Nate slammed his fist on the table.
“Watch your language.” It had been the hand on my leg, and I instantly missed the comfort of his touch.
“Friends with benefits then?”
“It doesn’t matter what it is, Andrew.” Nate pushed up from his chair and skirted around the table, heading toward the kitchen. “It’sours.” He addressed my mother and thanked her for dinner, then rounded up the girls to leave.
Andrew stood frozen to his spot at the table while the rest of my family looked on as if they just witnessed their favorite soap opera play out in real life. Chins on fists, sneers directed at Andrew, heart-shaped cartoon eyes aimed at me and Nate’s vacated spot. They were held captive.
The front door slammed, and I jumped up as if my chair were on fire. My heart definitely was.
“Nate!” I shouted and then repeated until he turned around. He’d been busy loading a crying Molly into her seat while Eloise whimpered at his leg.
“I need to get them home.” He sounded so forlorn, so defeated.
“I know. Nate, I’m so sorry that happened.”
Once he snapped Molly into place, he lifted Eloise and moved around the truck. I followed like a lovesick fool.
“Nate, he’ll get over it. Andrew won’t stay mad forever.”
“I know he won’t. I don’t even know why he’s mad.Hedoesn’t even know why he’s mad.”
“He thinks he’s protecting me.”
“But it’sme. I’m his best friend. He knows me better than anyone and should trust me. But by his reaction in there, he made it clear he doesn’t trust me at all.” He secured the belt for Eloise and then closed her door. I took a step back so he could open the driver door.
“He’s going to realize he made a mistake, Nate.”
“I know. Please tell your mom I said thank you again and that I’m sorry for the mess tonight. I’ll make it up to her.”
