Page 106 of Forgotten Desires

“I have to tell everyone something today, before Crew and I head back to New York. It’s not going to go over well.”

Her eyes widen. “Considering you just asked about me and Grady, I’m going to pray to God it’s not about Crew.”

I shake my head. No, that lie we’ll be holding onto. “It’s about me. I’ve been keeping something personal.”

“Brynn, I’m not going to pry, but if you need me . . .”

“It’s about my father.”

A deep sigh of relief falls from her lips. “Oh, that we can handle.”

I raise one brow. “Are you sure about that? The boys hate him.”

“With good reason,” she reminds me. “However, they also love you.”

“This might tip the scales.”

She laughs once. “Brynlee, you walk on water with those boys. There’s nothing in the world you could tell them that will change that.”

“I hope that’s true. Do you think we could go out now? Before I lose my courage like I have the last year.”

“Year?” Addison asks, her voice cracking.

“Come on, let’s go tell them so we can watch the explosion together.”

We head outside, her words circling around my head when I see Crew playing with Jett and Elodie. They’re running around the playhouse Grady built for them as Crew tries to catch them.

Jett leaps in front of Elodie and roars, and Crew reacts by falling on the floor, clutching his chest.

I smile and wait for him to rise, but both kids pounce on him. Addison elbows me. “Kids are a real test of character. They’re so pure and innocent that when they like an adult, I always keep that in the back of my mind. Seems like they love their new uncle.”

“He’s easy to love,” I say almost absently because it’s true. Every day I fall harder. Every day I try to put a brick up only to have him knock it down plus five more. There’s really no chance of stopping it. If this ends, then hopefully my brothers, if they’re still talking to me, will come sweep up the pieces left of me and glue me back together.

Addison calls the kids over and Crew stands, brushing the grass off his jeans and then running his fingers through his hair. His eyes find mine and I nod, hoping he understands it means I’m going to tell my brothers now.

He walks to me, taking my hand in his when he’s at my side. “No fear, Bee.”

Right.

“Ash, Grady, Rowan, I need to tell you something,” I say, keeping my voice steady.

“She’s pregnant already?” Rowan asks, glancing at Crew.

“I’m not pregnant.”

“I knew that’s why she wanted to get married in a week,” he says to Grady. “You owe me fifty bucks.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not pregnant! Idiots.” Asher is who I turn to, knowing it’s going to be him I need on my side. “We talked about this a long time ago. Before you and Phoebe.”

He scratches the side of his head. “We did? You hadn’t even seen him yet. How the hell were you pregnant?”

If I kill them, I’m pretty sure a judge would let me off. “For the love of God, I am not pregnant!”

“Okay, if you say so.”

Crew fights back a laugh and I glare at him. “Not helping.”

“She’s not pregnant,” Crew tells them all.

---