Page 73 of Good Time Boyfriend
Luca flinched. “I know. I should. I just don’t know what there is to say about Ashleigh. We loved each other. She was my best friend. And she died. Now I’m here. You met her though. You got to know her at least a little.”
I rubbed my hand over my heart as Luca spoke about Ashleigh for the first time in what felt like months. He never mentioned her. She was the reason for most of his decisions when he was younger, the reason for the path he chose. The reason he hated our parents. And the reason he lived here.
And there was nothing I could do as a big brother to help him. To protect him. Just like I hadn’t been able to protect Greer or August.
“Don’t get that look on your face,” Luca snapped. “You’re my big brother, I get it. But you do not have to solve all of our problems. You couldn’t have saved my girlfriend. Nobody could. And yes, it took me a while to fucking figure that out on my own. I couldn’t save Ashleigh. Apparently August and Paisley weren’t right for each other, but Greer’s happy. She’s so damn happy.” He grinned over at Greer, who just snorted and shook her head. “But you? Why did you push Devney away?”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Because I’m just going to hurt her. Did you not hear what you all just said? What our parents did? They constantly cheat on each other and hit each other and use us as pawns. They were going to do the same to her.”
“Then you protect her,” August said, so softly, it was barely above a whisper.
“I’ll just hurt her.”
“You did hurt her,” Luca said. “Why do you think that you can’t move on from what our parents did? Why do you think that you can’t have a relationship?”
“I would like to know that, too. Because I have a relationship with two men I love. I’m going to marry them. We’re going to raise a family. You can do it, too. Do you just not love her?”
“She’s everything,” I ground out.
“Then why?” August asked. “I know why Paisley and I didn’t work out. And it doesn’t have anything to do with what you think.” He held up his hands. “I can’t talk about it. It’s not my place. Just know that I will hate our parents until the end of my days. They hurt us and they hurt who we love. But they don’t matter. They’re nothing. If I never saw them again, it would be too soon. Butwematter. The four of us in this room. You have always taken on the mantle of big brother. Always wanted to protect us. But protect yourself. We’re not going to have the same problems our parents did. Fix it. We know you love her. Take a chance.”
I ran my hand over my heart as I looked at my siblings, the people I would do anything for, and realized I was a fucking idiot.
“But what if I make a mistake? What if I hurt her?”
“Then fix it and say you’re sorry and mean it. Life isn’t perfect. Relationships aren’t perfect. They take a lot of work and a lot of communication, but you can make it work. You just have to try and commit.”
August’s phone rang, interrupting the moment, and he frowned, looking down at the readout. “Why is Paisley calling me?” he asked.
“Answer it. If she’s calling you, it’s for a reason.”
August nodded at Greer’s words and answered.
“Paisley? What’s wrong?”
The phone was loud enough that I could hear the other end, and my blood turned to ice. “Don’t speak. I can’t. I can’t think. But it’s Devney. She’s hurt. I don’t know how bad, but please come to the hospital. Addison’s on her way, too. But just please come. Bring the family.”
“Paisley?” August asked.
“She’ll need him.” And then she hung up. I was running towards my car, my family on my heels. Luca grabbed the keys out of my hand and pushed me towards the passenger door.
“You’re shaking. It’s my turn.”
“Get us there. Just get us there.”
“I’ll get you there.”
Greer was on the phone, talking to her men, while August leaned forward from behind me and gripped my shoulder.
“She didn’t say what kind of accident?” I asked, my hands shaking.
“No,” August said. “You heard the whole conversation. She just said the hospital.” August named it again and I nodded. Luca drove quickly, but safely. My hands shook so I was grateful he was there.
“She has to be okay. She has to be.”
“She will be.” I looked back at Greer, who met my gaze. “She will be. And you’re going to grovel and say you love her, and everything’s going to be fine. Do you want the guys there?”
“If you need them. But if her family’s there, that might be too many people.”
