Page 6 of Tangled Hearts (Mended Hearts #4)

Eli

A s soon as I wake up, I can tell The Dads are already gone.

For one, the house always has a certain… empty feeling without them here, but also, Kassie is shoving her wet nose in my neck and they’re hard-asses and won’t let her on the bed with them.

I wrap my arms around her and pull her in close to me, burying my face in her thick fur. It doesn’t take long for her to start squirming. I’m not sure if she’s been out yet or not, so I force myself out of the warm blankets and stand up with a big stretch.

I slept so damn good last night. So good, in fact, that it almost slips my mind entirely that my whole family shifted last night.

I almost roll my eyes at myself. It didn’t shift our family dynamics.

I’m just a big baby with a fear of abandonment.

My therapist would be proud of me for recognizing that one.

A note on the table by Beck’s side of the bed catches my eye, and I pick it up, reading over his scratchy handwriting .

Eli, Sorry we both left before you woke up. We figured you could use the extra sleep. Uncle Hold wants you to call him when you get some time today. Love you, kid. —Dad

I can’t help the smile on my face as I read over his words.

They’re a note family. I guess it started when Roman was trying to win Beck back after they weren’t together for a few years, and then Beck proposed to Roman the same way.

They like to pass them back and forth like we’re in high school or something.

This could have easily been a text message, but I’m highkey glad it wasn’t.

Now I get to add it to my box of notes from them that I’ve been saving since I was fourteen.

I am going to be ignoring the call Uncle Hold part, though. At least for now. I’m not sure I’m ready to unpack all of that and work on figuring out why I had such a visceral reaction to the thought of being replaced after all these years.

Instead, I grab my phone and slide it into the pocket of my sweats before patting my thigh for Kassie to follow me.

She jumps off the bed, running circles around my feet.

She’s almost eight, but she still acts like a puppy most of the time.

She follows me through the house and out the back door into the fenced-in backyard.

When she runs off to do her business, I sit down on the porch swing and check my messages.

Molly

Wanna meet Liam and me for coffee? Noon or so?

Uncle Hold

Give me a call. I’ve gotta talk to you.

My stomach does a flip. Nope. Won’t be calling Holden anytime soon. Thanks.

I fire off a text to Molly, letting her know I’ll be there, and usher Kassie back into the house so we can lock up and head home. I’ve gotta take a shower and get ready.

By the time I’m out of the shower and standing naked in the middle of my bedroom, I’m feeling a lot better about life.

Sometimes we just need a good everything shower to get our minds right, you know?

And there’s just something about using body scrub from head to toe and a good shave to make you feel like a new man.

It’s only 11:00 a.m., so I still have plenty of time before I need to make my way across town.

I open the top drawer of my dresser and pull out my favorite pair of underwear.

If I know anything about myself, it’s that I’m going to need an extra boost of confidence, and even if no one sees them—haha at that one, considering no one even knows I have this drawer filled with lace—I’ll know they’re there and feel good about myself.

The lace slides up my freshly shaved legs, and when I get them situated, I look down with a slight grin.

Sure, my clothing choices tend to be all over the place—from dresses and skirts to a more sad emo boy aesthetic—but my lacy panties are probably my favorite item in my entire collection.

Something about the way the lace cups my balls and cock makes me feel like I can take on the world.

I’d probably be mortified if anyone ever found out, but hey, there’s no reason anyone will.

It’s not like I don’t have normal boring underwear too. I just… don’t prefer it if I can get away with wearing lace. And since no one sees me, I can always get away with it.

My phone rings, and without even thinking, I answer. “Hello.”

“Eli.” Fuck. Uncle Holden.

“Hey, Hold.”

There’s a pregnant pause on the line and then a sigh. “I need my little bestie in my corner right now.”

Ugh. He’s called me his little bestie since I was fifteen, and I’d probably ask him to stop if it didn’t fill me with so much fucking warmth every single time he says it. “Oh?” I question, trying to play dumb. I recognize how stupid that is. He knows I know .

Holden hums. “Yep. My brother—Nic, his name is Nic—is coming to dinner tonight. I called Ro, but he said he and Beck can’t make it tonight. You’re my last hope, kid.”

I snort, my heart feeling light. “I’m your last hope? Damn, your options are bleak. ”

“You little shit,” Holden says, laughing. “I know it’s last minute, but do you think you can come? Last night was amazing, but also awkward as fuck. And I love Julian, but the man is not good at telling me to keep my damn mouth shut.”

This is true. Uncle Julian would quite literally rather walk over hot coals than ever tell Holden no or let him know he should maybe be quiet lest he come off like a fucking weirdo.

I sigh. I wonder if I could come up with some excuse.

I think it over as I step into the closet and grab my favorite holey jeans and fishnets, along with a cropped shirt that hangs off my shoulder.

“Eli?” Holden prompts.

“I guess,” I finally say. At the end of the day, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure Holden isn’t uncomfortable. It’s what he did, and still does, for me, after all.

The sigh of relief I get in return lets me know I definitely made the right choice. “Can you be here around six?”

“Definitely.” I take my clothes to my bed and sit on the edge, gripping my phone as my stomach goes wild.

I can’t let my anxiety take control of me, though.

Nothing will hurt my place in my family.

I know it as well as I know my own name.

I may have to give myself a pep talk or two, but I’ll manage.

And well, if I can’t, I’ll suck it up and put on a brave face for Holden at any rate. “Do I need to bring anything?”

“Just yourself,” Holden says, and it’s easy to hear the smile in his voice. “Thanks, Eli.” There’s a loud crash and an even louder wail. “Shit, gotta go.”

He hangs up the phone before I can even respond. I chuckle to myself as I get dressed. With a pat to Kassie’s head, I walk out the front door and climb into my car to go to the bakery.

“Well, don’t you just look adorable today?” Mia, one of the owners, smiles brightly at me the second I walk through the front door of the bakery .

My cheeks heat at the compliment, but I smile back at her. “Why, thank you.”

“What can I get for you, cutie?” she asks, drumming her fingers on the counter.

“Nothing yet. I’m waiting for Molly and Liam. Your hair looks nice down,” I say, walking up to the counter and leaning against it.

She gives it a little flip, and the scent of cherries hits me in the face. “Thank you.” She leans over the counter and gives me a conspiratorial wink. “I’m thinking about switching it up.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Oh?”

She nods, pulling her phone out and turning it around to show me a picture. “How do we feel about pink?”

My eyes fly to her. “Really?” She’s had bright-blue hair as long as I’ve known her. Longer, even. Roman worked here as a teen, and she had the same electric-blue hair then.

“Why not? Yolo, or whatever you kids are saying these days.”

I roll my eyes. “Wrong generation, Mia.”

The door dings, and Molly and Liam come strolling in. They’re arguing about something, no surprise there. The two of them basically got stuck together after meeting me. I love our little trio, though. “Hey, guys.”

At the sound of my voice, they both look up and grin. Molly waves, looping her arm through Liam’s and skipping to me. Liam follows along, reluctantly. I’ve learned that Molly’s charm is irresistible, though, and even his grumpy ass can’t resist.

They greet Mia, and we place our orders. I sit down at our booth and take a sip of my strawberry-kiwi boba—Liam and Molly can keep their gross coffee—popping the boba between my tongue and the roof of my mouth .

“So get this,” I start, after swallowing my mouthful of lemonade and boba. “Uncle Hold has a brother.”

Molly gasps, and Liam’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline. “You’re joking,” Molly hisses, leaning over the table like I’m sharing state secrets.

“Nope.”

“What’s he like?” Liam asks. “Does he look like Holden? Fuck, Eli, your Uncle Holden is hot as fuck. Is the brother married?”

Molly giggles and I fake a gag. “Stop talking about Holden like that, first off. And second off, I have no idea.” I blow out a breath, taking another sip as I collect my thoughts. “I haven’t met him yet, but I guess I will tonight at dinner.”

“I volunteer to go with you,” Liam says, smirking. Molly smacks his arm.

“No thanks. I’ll manage fine on my own.” I eye him over my drink. “Real question, though, aren’t you worried about mooning over Holden? Julian would squish you like a bug.”

Molly laughs. “True that.”

Liam lets out a wistful sigh. “Imagine being in the middle of that sandwich.”

“Fucking gross, dude. They’re my uncles. ”

“But not by blood,” Liam argues, earning him another slap from Molly. How kind of him to point that out to me when I’m already spiraling about being replaced by the elusive Nic.

“Anyway,” I say, trying to change the subject. “I’m going to dinner tonight because my dads can’t make it. I’m kind of freaking out a bit.”

Molly gives me a knowing smile. “You know Holden would send someone to the fiery pits of hell with his bare hands before he’d let anyone hurt you. ”