Page 78 of Zach
Luis hums low in his throat. “It is horrible sometimes. It’s like having your heart outside your
body, just hoping that the person holding it will take care of it. There have been moments so…terrible
that, for a second, I wished I could escape. Go back and make it so we never met in that diner. But
then all the good stuff floods in, and I realize I’ll take the bad moments because there were so many
more good ones.”
I groan and scrub my hands over my face. “You couldn’t have just told me it’s horrible and let me
live with my illusions, could you?”
Luis chuckles, shaking his head, and meets my eyes briefly in the rearview. “You pay me enough,
so I’ll say whatever you want me to say. But that won’t change the truth. Human beings are built to be
in relationships with other people. We need the connection. You’re proof of that.”
“Me? How the fuck am I proof of connection? What I do has nothing to do with connection.”
He makes a dismissive sound. “You’re wrong. It’s all about connection. You may not want long-
term with these women I see you with, but you do want something from them. Warmth, touch, sex.
They’re basic needs. We all crave them.”
“Maybe,” I mutter, slouching in my seat. “I don’t have room in my life for the kind of relationship
you’re talking about, though. I have my brothers, and now their women. I have lots of people to care
about already.” Too many to care about. Too many to worry about. It all adds up to sleepless nights
and antacids to battle the stomach ache.
“There’s always room for more, boss. People are like that green guy from the Christmas movie.
You know the one? His heart grows. Ours do too.”
“Are you seriously comparing me to the Grinch?”
“Yep, that’s the one. You’re not a grump. But you do guard yourself against people. You keep them
at arm’s length. I see you hiding, even with Mr. Jonas.”
“I don’t hide anything from my brother,” I say flatly, done with this conversation and the armchair
physiologist driving my car.
“Really? My mistake, sir.” The grin curling his lip tells me he’s not at all sorry. Fucker. Why the
hell did I think having this conversation was a good idea? I don’t hide anything from Jonas.Do I?
This conversation has killed the urge to hook up tonight. I can’t deal with any more woman drama. All
of it is too big for me to solve, though as an iconic sign catches my eye, I realize there is one problem
I can solve.
