Page 42 of Tangled Hearts (Mended Hearts #4)

Nic

“ I can’t believe your dads didn’t freak out,” I say as soon as we get in the car. I can’t think too hard about how they heard us earlier, or I’m never going to be able to look them in the eyes again, but hey, a win is a win.

Eli laughs. A big belly laugh, like the fucking brat he is. “I can’t believe they heard me getting my dick sucked. Ugh. We’re never doing that again.”

Somehow I don’t believe him. I know damn well he’s going to continue to push boundaries, and I’m going to continue giving in to him because apparently, I’m a sucker for pretty green eyes and pouty lips.

My phone goes off in the console. “Can you check that?”

Eli leans forward and picks up my phone, opening the text. “Ew. It’s from Silas.”

My stomach drops. “What did he say? ”

“He says, ‘I hope you’re doing okay. Call me if you ever need me. I’ll always be here for you.’” The disgust in Eli’s voice is adorable. I truly love how put out he gets on my behalf. “Can I tell him to fuck off?”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Nah, just ignore him. That’s what I usually do.”

Eli closes out of my app and slides the phone back in the console. “Does Leo ever text you?”

“No, not since the night I got into town.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Eli hums. “Do you miss him? Like… would you take him back?”

The question hangs between us. It’s not so much the question but the insecurity in his tone. This is a conversation that we need to have face-to-face and not while I’m driving down the road, so I pull off the highway, flipping my hazards on.

When I turn in my seat to look at Eli, he’s studiously avoiding my gaze.

“Look at me, baby.” He huffs out an annoyed sound, but he does what I’ve asked.

“I need you to hear me when I say this, okay?” Eli nibbles his lower lip, then nods.

“I don’t miss Leo at all. Not even a little, and I definitely don’t want him back. ”

Eli nods, eyes wide. “Okay,” he whispers. “I’m sorry I’m insecure. I try hard not to be, but I—” He stops talking, choosing instead to bite his thumbnail.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I promise.” I gently pull his hand from his mouth and press my lips to his. He lets out a shuddering breath, kissing me back. “You’re all I want.”

It takes a second for him to open his eyes, and when he does, he smiles. “Okay. Thank you. I would apologize again, but I’m sure that would make you mad.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I’m not sure it would be possible for you to make me mad, doll. Do you feel better about things? ”

“Yes, sometimes I just need a little reassurance.”

“Perfect.” I drop another soft kiss to Eli’s lips. “I’ll always give you any reassurance you need.” I sit back in my seat the right way and signal that I’m getting back on the highway. “Let’s get home.”

“Perfect,” he echoes.

I love seeing the pleased little smile on his lips.

“Eli, hurry the hell up.” He doesn’t. Why would he? “Doll, you’re stunning and gorgeous and perfection, and if you make us late to dinner at your dads’ house, you’re gonna give me an ulcer.”

Eli turns slowly from the mirror where he’s meticulously applying his winged liner. “It’s family dinner, bro. It’s fine.”

Bro ? Bro. “Did you just call me bro?”

Eli cackles. “I sure did.”

I force a deep breath into my lungs. “Why?”

He shrugs, turning back to the mirror and applying his mascara.

I swear it makes his lashes three times as long.

I love watching him do this. I even love the way his mouth opens as he concentrates hard on getting it perfect.

I’m so far gone for him that it’s sickening.

But wait a damn second, I’m getting distracted. “Why did you call me bro?”

“In like… a romantic way,” he says, waving a hand through the air like I should have gotten that already.

“Is there a romantic way to call someone bro?”

Eli steps away from the mirror, adjusting his shirt and slightly tousling his hair. “I just did it, so yeah.”

I close my eyes for a second. “You’re a brat, you know that, right? ”

Warm lips press to mine, and I startle, opening my eyes. Before I can even kiss Eli back, he’s stepping away. “I’m aware. Well, let’s go. God, you’re gonna make us late,” he says in an overly sing-songy tone.

With that, he strides past me and disappears down the hallway.

Little. Fucking. Brat. I can’t help the grin on my face as I follow him out of the house.

Like always, as soon as we climb into the car, Eli grabs my hand. God, I fucking love him. Oh shit. I glance over at him, my heart pounding against my ribs. I’m in love with him. “What?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

I shake my head, trying to calm the frantic thrumming of my heart. “Nothing, doll. You ready?”

His other eyebrow joins the first as he gives me an incredulous look. “Uh, yes. You’re just looking at me like a weirdo.”

“Am I?” I ask, throat dry.

“Yeah, kinda. You okay?” The incredulous smirk falls away, vulnerability taking its place.

“I’m perfect, baby.” I give his fingers a little squeeze and back out of the driveway to head to Beck and Roman’s.

It’s so fucking refreshing to walk in the front door of Eli’s parents’ house still holding his hand. Like a weight’s been lifted off my chest, off my heart. Eli deserves to be loved loudly. He deserves to be shown love everywhere he goes, no matter the company or the circumstances.

We’re so close to the finish line, so close to the end.

I almost can’t wait. I’m having a brother day with Holden in a couple of days.

We’re going to spend the entire day together, just the two of us, and on one hand, I can’t fucking wait.

But on the other, I’m dreading it. Not that I don’t love Holden.

I do. So much. I love the time we spend together, and I love the relationship we’re building, but spending time with him also fills me with immeasurable guilt.

I hate hiding my relationship with Eli from him.

And Holden seems very astute. He watches, he studies, and he takes things in.

I feel like it’s just a matter of time before he finds out, even if we don’t tell him ourselves.

I’m cautious in all my interactions with him.

Careful about how I talk about Eli and especially about how much I talk about Eli.

It’s just… Eli consumes my every waking thought, so it’s strange to think about, or talk about, anything else.

“Hey, guys!” Beck says the second we step into the house.

“Hey,” Eli and I say in unison.

Much to my dismay, Eli pulls his hand from mine and walks to Beck to give him a big hug.

I haven’t been here yet, so I take a quick look around.

It’s cozy. It feels like my childhood home.

Like love lives in the walls. Behind the couch on the wall is a giant canvas photo.

It’s Beck and Roman with a smaller Eli tucked between them.

His eyeliner isn’t anywhere near as perfect as it is now, but they’re all wearing matching smiles.

“This was the day our adoption was finalized,” Roman says, sidling up beside me.

That makes me grin. “You guys looked happy.”

“That’s because we were.” It’s a simple answer. It’s the truth too. I can hear it in the tone of his voice, and when I glance at him, I can see it in the tilt of his lips. “Are you ready to eat? Beck made potato soup for dinner. It’s one of Eli’s favorites.”

“I’m good with anything.” I take a look around. Beck and Eli aren’t in here anymore. “Are you, um—about to give me a Dad Talk?”

Roman laughs, patting my back. “No. Beck is the Dad Talk parent, not me. Eli seems happy. Settled. That’s enough for me. It’s enough for Beck too, by the way.” I nod, my heart feeling light. “Let’s go, kid. I’m starving.”

Now is probably not the time to remind him that I’m actually not all that much younger than he is in the grand scheme of things. Instead, I follow him out of the living room and into the kitchen. The table is set, and Eli is sitting across from Beck with a wry grin. “No. We can’t do that.”

“And why not?” Beck asks, scoffing.

“Because I’m not going to subject him to that.”

“Who and what?” I ask, curious.

“Dad wants to show you pictures of me as a kid,” Eli says, turning to me with a smile and flushed cheeks. “No one needs to see Eli with braces.”

“I bet you looked adorable with braces.” I return his smile, chuckling a bit when his cheeks flush even deeper.

“No.”

Roman sits by Beck, gesturing for me to come too. I take the seat beside Eli, and when I sit down, he rests his head on my shoulder. “I won’t let him show your braces pictures, Eli,” Roman says.

“At least one of my dads cares about me,” Eli grumbles.

Beck and Roman laugh in unison. “We both love you very much,” Beck says. “But what’s the point of being the first to know about your boyfriend if we don’t get to tease you some?”

“Mia was actually the first to know,” Eli says, sticking his tongue out.

My chest goes hot. Shit, I actually kind of forgot about that. We should probably tell her that Beck and Roman know now .

Roman glances at Beck. “Why does that not surprise me? Nosy woman.”

“I think she threatened me worse than either of you did.”

“Checks out,” Roman says.

We keep an easy conversation as we eat dinner. Upcoming things in the community, special events at the center, and Eli’s teenage years. And then comes the portion about me.

“So Roman says you’re a vet tech,” Beck says, lifting his spoon to his mouth.

“I was.” I nod. “I’d like to get back to it. But when my mom was sick, I took time off to take care of her. I’m sure I’ll need to do some continuing education.”

Roman raises an eyebrow at me. “You could just work at The Hart Foundation. I pay well.”

I laugh. I’ve actually really been considering it. It feels like a waste of my degree, but then again, vet tech Nic feels like a completely different person from who I am now. “You know? I might actually do that.”

“Really?” Eli asks, blinking at me with his pretty green eyes.

I nod. “Yeah, I mean, it’s really fulfilling, and I enjoy it quite a bit. Lexi really won me over, I won’t lie. What’s her story? If you don’t mind me asking. I obviously know her mom passed.”

Roman watches me for a second before blowing out a deep breath.

“Her mom passed away, yeah. It was actually quite tragic. Lexi’s dad struggled with substance abuse.

He was trying to get his life together, and Kylie—Lexi’s mom—had started letting him come around again.

He had been sober for about six months. He unfortunately relapsed.

Heroin laced with fentanyl. Kylie tried to help him, but she didn’t know.

It was incredibly strong, and it got on her skin. They both overdosed. Lexi found them. ”

My eyes burn a little as my throat tightens. God, that poor baby girl. “How old is she?”

“Six,” Eli whispers, reaching for my hand under the table.

I twine my fingers through his, giving them a little squeeze, so grateful for the contact I can barely speak.

No one that young should have to go through so much.

Losing my mom hurt, of course it did, but to lose both parents at only six? Especially after just getting one back?

“There’s no other family?” I ask, throat still tight.

“Her grandparents on Kylie’s side passed away when she was in high school.

Her dad’s parents have declined to take her,” Roman says simply.

“It’s probably for the best. I’m not sure that they would be any better for her.

She’s working hard to adjust, but she hasn’t done well in foster homes.

She does pretty well at Safe Haven. Especially when Eli is there.

She follows him around like a little duck. ”

Eli lets out a soft laugh. “She’s a sweet kid. She’s just afraid of losing people. Understandable, given what she’s gone through.”

I nod. “You know what? Yeah. I think I would like to work for you full-time. What does that look like?”

Beck grins. “Another one bites the dust.”

Roman rolls his eyes playfully, then looks at me. “Come on Monday, and I’ll go through all the paperwork with you.”

Eli gives my hand another squeeze, and my heart nearly lurches right out of my chest. God, I didn’t expect all of this when I came here. I didn’t think I’d change my career. I didn’t think I’d meet all these amazing people. I didn’t think I’d find love.

Beck gives me a knowing look, his lips turning up in a smile. “It’s funny how life works sometimes, huh?”

“Yeah,” I say, laughing a little. “It really is.”

I wouldn’t change it for anything. Not when every single bit of it has led me to right here.