Page 139 of Can't Get Over You
“You’ve been out here a long time. Don’t want you two starving to death.”
“I’m heading into town to pick up some groceries,” his dad said, lagging a few steps behind. “Want me to drop Cody off for his playdate?”
“It’s early, isn’t it?” Jude asked, but Cody was already scrambling off his lap.
“Yeah, Grampa. Good idea. Let’s go.”
The moment his dad clasped Cody’s sticky hand, he grimaced and shot Jude a look that said,Thanks for the warning.
Jude laughed. “Be sure to wash up before you go.”
“I will,” Cody called.
His brother shuddered. “My nuts’re gonna freeze off out here.”
“Didn’t invite you.”
“Can we at least be sad inside?” Wyatt leaned closer to the fire.
“Again, didn’t invite you.”
“Fine. But if I get frostbite?—”
Jude whipped off the blanket and tossed it at his brother to shut him up.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Wind whistled through the branches, and the fire popped and crackled. “She’s coming back,” Wyatt said.
“I know that. I just don’t know what to do in the meantime. Do I text her?” He wrote her messages all the time but stopped himself from hitting Send. “She’s at her mom’s, and I know she hates it there. Can I send her cookies? Chocolate-covered strawberries?”
A bag hit the back of his head and dropped to the ground. “No, dumbass. Leave her alone.” Boone plunked his ass into the chair on Jude’s other side. “Damn, it’s cold.” He opened the bottle of whiskey.
Jude pulled three red plastic cups out of the bag and held them out one at a time so his brother could pour into them. Once filled, they tapped them together and knocked them back.
Instantly, his blood warmed, and his skin prickled. Which matched his internal situation. Because as much as he didn’t want company at the moment, he appreciated his brothers’ support.
“What went wrong?” Boone asked.
“I left her money. For a spa day.” He paused before adding the kicker. “With Ava.”
Both his brothers gave him a side-eye. “Our former nanny?” Wyatt asked.
“I know. You think I don’t know? I was in a hurry to leave, and I wanted to do something nice for her. Instead, I made her feel like a babysitter.” He tipped his head back. “I fucked up.”
“I don’t think she broke up with you over that.” Boone poured more whiskey. “Finlay’s not like that. She’d have just called you out on it.”
True. But it was the final push. “Acts of service, quality time, and words of affirmation. Those work. But receiving gifts? I don’t think that’s one of hers.”
“What’re you talking about?” Boone set his cup in the snow and reached for the beef jerky.
“Love languages.”
“How about you just speak theEnglishlanguage?” Boone tore the bag open. “I don’t know what you’re saying right now.”
“I love her. And I can’t lose her.”
“You’re not going to.” Wyatt sounded awfully sure about that. “This doesn’t have to do with money or gifts. She needs time, that’s all. But she’s not going anywhere. You guys are great together.”
“She sold her house. I don’t think you get how big a deal that is. She’s always wanted to live on Bloom Lane.”
