Page 79 of Somehow You Knew

My pulse starts to climb. “Why do you say that?” I debate how much I should divulge to my older brother, but at this point, maybe I need a man’s opinion.

“I have eyes, Hazel. I know that look on his face.”

“Things are…complicated.”

“Would that have anything to do with Nathan?”

I whirl around so fast I nearly topple over. “How do you know about Nathan?”

“Gage came to my restaurant for lunch that day, remember?”

It hadn’t even occurred to me that Gage might talk to my brothers about Nathan’s visit.

“What did he say?”

“He was asking about him, wanted to know if he should be worried because—”

“Are you two plotting world domination in here, or just talking shit about me?”

I whirl around, finding Penn leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, smirking like the pain in the ass that he is.

Dallas sighs. “Don’t you knock?”

“It’s my parents’ house. What am I knocking for?” He steps inside, shutting the door behind him before dropping onto the bed. “So, what’s this about?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Dallas was just telling me that my brothers have been gossiping about my exes with my husband, apparently.”

“You talking about lunch the other day?” Penn asks, and I nod, growing more irritated. “Yeah, well, he wanted to know if Nathan was a threat.”

“And what did you all tell him?”

Dallas exchanges a glance with Penn before answering. “We told him the truth.”

Fury starts to boil in my veins as I point at my two oldest brothers. “You had no right.”

Penn stands and takes a step forward. “That’s where you’re wrong. We have every right to protect you.”

“Buthedoesn’t,” I say, jabbing a finger toward the living room where everyone else is.

Penn’s eyebrows draw together. “Last I checked, you’re married and he’s living with you, so yeah, he has a right to know if there’s a potential threat to your safety. And frankly, if he didn’t care, I’d be more concerned.”

I shake my head, vibrating with anger. “I’m not some defenseless little girl! I have been surviving just fine on my own for years, and he is just counting the days until he can sign the divorce papers and leave Carrington Cove.”

Dallas takes a step closer to me and lowers his voice. “Hazel, listen to me. Any man who is that concerned about your safety? Who stands up for you in front of your entire family? Who declares that he’s on your team over anyone else’s? That’s not just a boy playing house. That’s a man who has real feelings for you.”

I stand there, blinking, because I don’t have any words left.

Is Dallas right? Has all this back and forth really been because Gage is struggling with his feelings as much as I am? That’s what the girls suggested too, but this is coming from my brothers, two of the men that I respect the most. Sure, my brothers annoy the hell out of me, and their protectiveness is borderline barbaric sometimes, but I don’t know what I would do without them in my life.

It still doesn’t change the fact that I don’t have answers to their questions or that I care to admit that they could be right. My annoyance is skyrocketing and all I want to do is leave—now.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’d appreciate it even more if you two would mind your own business for once.” I march to the door, but as I move to open it, Penn’s voice stops me.

“You and Gage don’t have all the time in the world, Hazel. If you want to know if there’s real potential for you two, put yourself out there and figure it out. At least then you’ll know where you stand.”

His words strike me square in the chest—because I know he’s speaking from experience. He almost lost Astrid before he finally pulled his head out of his ass.

I know my brothers are just trying to look out for me, but I need time to process everything they just threw at me. So, without another word, I leave the room.