Page 140 of Manhattan Secret

“We are not having sex in your brother’s house.”

“Hell yeah we are. I have to, mouse.”

Oh, god. Save me from sibling rivalry.

All the Fierro’s are notorious one-upper’s on each other.

“You know he took great pride in telling me he did Bexley on our back porch the last time they visited. We’re doing it somewhere in his house, get on board.”

He bosses with a smirk and goes to see to Ellie.

God help us all.

But I can’t wait to go back to Manhattan and see all the Fierro’s again.

My husband might be twenty-eight now, but when it comes to getting one over on his siblings, he’s permanently eighteen. That sweet, arrogant boy I first met forever ago.

My secret gave me a new life.

A life I didn’t even know I wanted until he was in front of me, offering the sinful apple of temptation.

Lachlan might not be Adam, but I’ll walk directly into Hell for him, no questions asked.

Because my beloved student, my perfect secret is my whole life.

* * *

Lachlan

“Your wife is white girl shitfaced,” laughs Sage, sitting around the pool, watching my daughter and niece swimming like dolphins, I glance over to Laney dancing in the marquee tent with Bexley and my sister, Bunny. I know Bexley doesn’t drink, she’s a health nut—but for a good reason since she’s survived the big C a while back. But the other two look smashed, giggling together.

I smile to myself.

My mouse is happy.

We’ve loved our life in Washington, but finally I’ve been able to put a transfer in back to Manhattan, so in the next few months, we are coming home.

It’s the perfect anniversary present for my parents.

Of course, mom cried and then immediately grabbed her phone to house hunt with Laney.

Those two are thick as thieves, even as far apart as we live.

It only took mom a second to warm to Laney once she saw that we were serious.

Mom loves her kids and she loves those who we choose to love.

I think Ethan and Kian were happiest to know we’d be back in town again. Turns out I’m not Ethan’s best client. Kian is. He’s definitely living up to the MacNamara name. And now we’re coming home, I can finally witness Ethan with my own two eyes, my best friend losing his shit chasing the girl he’s into.

I told him one day the mighty would fall.

Seeing how happy Laney is now, makes me think back to those dark days of being apart. And then I glance over to my parents, celebrating thirty years of marriage and how absorbed in each other they still are and a piece of advice from dad around that time comes back through my mind.

He’d said. “It hurts now, but if she’s worth it, nothing else matters. You’ll find a way back to each other. And you’ll sacrifice whatever needs to be sacrificed to get there.” It’s true I’ll sacrifice anything for Laney’s love.

“Glad you’re coming home, bro.” Sage says, slouched in his chair, beer in one hand. Any Fierro summer party always ends like this as it winds down at the end of the night. Packs of people in little groups, chatting and enjoying the last remnants of the anniversary party. It’s good to see our parents as happy as they are, they’ve always been the benchmark for all our marriages.

Not even boasting when I say Laney and I have that kind of life together.

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