Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
With a small chuckle, Wells said, “And if she’s anything like Matty, I’m sure she’d be pissed you sent him away without her knowledge.”
Jace’s head snapped up then, glaring. “She’s nothing like him. She is good, she is perfect and beautiful.” He then paused and shrugged. “But yeah, she’d be pissed.”
Wells laughed at that, and even Jace’s lips tipped up just slightly, looking every bit his twenty-three years. Matty understood why Avery had chosen Jace—he was fiercely loyal and loved her ferociously—and was also just plain gorgeous. Like drop-dead, Calvin Klein-model gorgeous. Matty didn’t find himself as attractive. He looked older, weathered, which his mom always said was because he frowned all the time.
She was probably right.
Nonetheless, as he took in Jace’s semi-smile and cautious gaze, Matty was on pins and needles. Swallowing hard, Matty asked, “Is she here? Or should I come back?”
Wells pressed his hand to Matty’s chest. “We’ll wait in the car if you don’t want us on your beach.”
As he shook his head, it was obvious Jace was having an internal battle. One that was causing Matty to hold his breath. He wanted this badly, but maybe the effort was pointless.
“She’s here,” Jace finally answered, visibly upset by saying that. “But I don’t know if she wants to see you.”
Matty nodded, but nothing came from his lips. He could feel Wells watching him, even Jace was watching him, yet he couldn’t utter a word. Now that he was at her house and there was a chance to see her, to make things right, he was pretty sure he was having a panic attack.
What would she say?
Would she even want to see him?
“Can you ask? We can wait in the driveway,” Wells asked finally, saying exactly what Matty had wanted to say.
Jace paused for a moment, looking back at the house, his features stricken. When Jace glanced back at Wells, Matty couldn’t read his brother-in-law, and for a moment, he was sure Jace was going to say no. Instead, he said, “Yeah. I’ll ask.”
Relief flooded Matty, but then he remembered that Avery could turn him away at any moment. When Jace turned without a word, Wells followed behind him, but Matty stayed in place. His heart was pounding in his throat, his skin felt as if it was burning, and everything was spinning. Fuck, what had he done?
“You coming?”
Matty couldn’t move. “I don’t know.”
Wells smiled, coming toe to toe with him, his beautiful green eyes sparkling as he looked down at Matty. “We can do this.”
We. Again with the word that meant the world to him. He’d never had someone completely on his side. He had to share his parents, he hadn’t been close to his siblings because of his choices, but that wasn’t the case anymore. He had Wells, and one day it might be just them. We. At that moment, Matty knew he’d be okay if that was the case. Because this man, this man was everything to him. Cupping the back of Wells’s neck, Matty pulled him down to him, pressing his lips to his. He tasted good, his banana ChapStick so damn sweet as they kissed. As Wells pulled back, his eyes were wide with surprise as a slow grin went over those saccharine lips.
“I love you.”
Wells grinned, widely and full of such beauty. “I love you.” With a wink, he turned, nodding his head to the house. “Now, come on.”
Together, they walked to the house, and while Matty was freaking the fuck out, he followed Wells, knowing, or better yet, hoping to God this would work. Once through the gate, they reached the front. But when he looked over to the front porch, Matty’s breath was gone.
Because standing there was his sister.
His twin.
He had always thought of her as beautiful, but now, she was spectacular. Motherhood was suiting her well, her eyes bright and her hair longer than he remembered it. She was practically glowing. Her lips were pressed together, making them plump and thick. She wore a pair of jeans and a tank, looking very much the beach bum he suspected she had become. Her eyes were curious, and the look she gave him made a chill run up his spine.
For a solid minute, no one said anything. Matty’s eyes were locked with hers, his heart was in his throat, and he had no clue what to say. Avery’s gaze moved from Matty to Wells as she pointed to him. “I know you.”
Wells smiled with a nod. “We met about two years ago at Lucy and Benji’s wedding.”
She nodded. “That’s right. Your sister is Markus’s and Baylor’s therapist.”
“She is. I’m Wells.”
“Yup,” she answered with a nod. “How do you know my brother?”
Wells’s smile didn’t falter, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he looked to Matty, and Matty knew it was because he was unsure of what to say. Even though Matty felt like he was going to puke, he cleared his throat for good measure and said, “He’s my boyfriend.”