Page 112 of Mr. Flirt

“Sounds like it,” my mom said softly. “You will meet a woman who is your match, Shep. You’ll need a special one who can take care of herself and put you in your place. You get a little rowdy sometimes.”

I nodded, knowing Lucy was just that person.

She never let a second slip where she didn’t remind me of who I was and that she didn’t need me. She just liked me. And I liked her.

And then I fell in love with her.

I’d planned on telling her that day. I knew during breakfast that I was going to confess everything I felt, and then...

My dad showed up.

The guy I’d tried to impress from a distance. The man I wanted to prove I wasn’t, but I suddenly felt like the spitting image of the dude.

A bachelor with the ability to break someone’s heart over a senseless act.

“How’s Mike taking things since it was his phone that got hacked?” Winter asked.

“Not well, considering he had a lot of photos and videos of Skylar and him.”

“Like together?” Winter’s brows rose. “As in compromising pics?”

I nodded. “They’re newlyweds. I guess he wanted to document that.”

“Oh, my gosh.” Winter grimaced. “I am so glad I’m technologically challenged lately. I was doing fine with social media and my phones, and then the next thing I know, there’s like a million more apps and phones that take 3D video and filters that make Hunter look like an alien, and I just tapped out.”

“Good plan,” my mom said, nodding. “It’s obviously not doing wonders for your brother, either.”

“I blame you for this,” I said, pointing at Winter but teasing.

“Me? What did I do?” She feigned innocence.

“You told me to go ahead and do the spread for Seattle’s Most Eligible Bachelor.”

She laughed and shook her head. “How does that have anything to do with this?”

“It just does.”

“I got an idea.” Winter stood up from her stool and reached for more beans.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“How about I text her?”

“And what would you say?”

“That my brother’s an ass, but he has a heart of gold and never meant to hurt you.”

“I tried that already, but without the ass part, and she didn’t take the bait.”

Winter rolled her eyes. “That’s because it came from you. Listen, we all make mistakes. Sometimes, it’s easier if things are explained by someone other than the perp.”

I scowled. “Perp?”

“Sorry. I’ve been on a true-crime binge. All I’m saying is that maybe if she hears that your heart was in the right place, she’ll listen.”

“I’ll try anything, but I don’t think she’ll believe anyone who’s connected to me.” My chest tightened at the thought of Lucy losing all trust in not just me but humans at large. I did that to her.

She’d finally broken down her walls piece by piece to imagine a life where she could be free and vulnerable, and that was all stripped away by a completely juvenile act that I hadn’t even remembered.

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