Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
But what if his story was more like Grump’s or Shawn’s prick of a twin? What if his love was one-sided, and he ended up alone and bitter?
Maybe his brother was the one-off, and he and Kate just weren’t built for long-lasting, healthy relationships.
Maybe you’re talking out of your ass because you’re scared of getting your heart broken.
“Matty.” William sounded impatient, as if it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get his attention.
“Busy,” he said, his knuckles aching as he pummeled the bag. “Don’t need a lesson today.”
William grabbed the bag, holding it still and studying Matthew’s face. “I’d disagree because your form is a mess, but let’s give it a rest for a minute.”
“What do you want?”
His brother’s glare was a thing of legend, but today it barely phased him. “Since this is my place, how about a little respect for a start, brother?”
Matthew scowled, tearing at the tape on his hands and turning away. “Good point. I’ll go. Sorry.”
William gripped his shoulder and spun him on his heel. “What the hell is going on with you and Calamity today? She keeps calling and hanging up on me, and you show up just to be shit to my face. What have I done now? How have I failed you? I have to be honest, Matty, I don’t enjoy these little walks down Dysfunctional Memory Lane. And I didn’t do anything to deserve it.”
Fuck. Kate. He’d been too wrapped up in his own insecure bullshit to check on her. “Give her some slack, okay?”
“And why should I do that again?”
“Zo didn’t know about your anniversary party. When you told her about it and she realized she’d been left out again, she broke things off with Kate.”
“Jesus,” William swore and rubbed his hand over his face. “That’s why she’s mad at me.”
“Yeah.”
“She okay?”
Matthew shrugged. “She will be. You know how she is.”
“And you?” William put his fists on his hips, as if bracing himself. “What are you doing here when I moved your schedule around because Ollie was coming over?”
“I’m letting off some steam.” Matthew tugged off his damp shirt and used it to wipe the sweat off his face. “And before you start in on me, I already had the family pep talk with Brady.”
“What pep talk?” He scowled. “And why would you be talking to Brady when I’m right here?”
He sighed. “It’s sorted, Billy. I’m handling it.”
But William had never been easy to put off. “What’s sorted? Is this about Oliver not moving in with you?”
Matthew’s eyes widened and William shook his head. “You think I don’t know what’s going on in my brother’s life? That I don’t worry about you anymore, as if it’s something I can turn off like a faucet now that you’re grown? Love doesn’t work like that, Matty.”
“I’m fine,” he said defensively. “And you’ve got enough on your plate now, don’t you? Bronte, Little Wiley, this place. You’ve got a good life now. We can’t all be that lucky.”
Shit. Fuck. Hell. “I didn’t mean to sound—”
“Resentful?” William finished wryly. “The way you did when I wouldn’t let you come to the fights with me because you were too young, and I wanted more for you?”
“That was different.” Matthew walked over to the bench along the wall and sat down. “We were all different then. And you know how much I love Bronte and the baby. How happy I am for you. I’m just feeling sorry for myself, that’s all.”
William joined him. “I’ve been happy for you, too. Until today, anyway. Happy. And worried.”
Matthew’s shoulders hunched. “Because I’m in love with a guy?”
He supposed the whack on the back of his head wasn’t as hard as it could have been. Still. “Oi.”
“Go on, use that brain of yours for something besides a hat rack, Matty. Because you’re in love with a guy,” he mocked. “Oh, sure and you’re the very first Finn to ever admit to loving another man. I’ve never heard of such a thing. How will the family survive the horror?”
“I get it.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about. You’re in love, your self-defense class is drawing more members every day and you’ll finally be putting your evil genius to work with the proper supervision. It’s Oliver who has me troubled.”
“Why?”
William held up his hands as if he didn’t know where to begin. “Because he looks at you like you’re about to disappear. Because he’s obviously exhausted and you barely see each other, but he hasn’t moved in yet. Because he says he scared that asshole harassing him away, but he’s still wearing the same haunted look I saw when I gave him his membership. Pick one.”
“Hell.”
“See? My plate might be full but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to what’s going on around me.” He grimaced. “Except when it comes to our sister, apparently.”