Page 32 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

In the distance I can hear Freddie banging around in the kitchen, and I’m acutely aware of the tension, the unspoken words between us.

“What, um…” She tucks some fiery red hair behind her ear. “Do you remember what?—”

“Not really,” I admit, running a hand through my own messy hair. I don’t look at her when I say it, because I can’t. I can’tremember much. Just bits and pieces, and not everything makes sense. “Given we’re still clothed, though, I doubt anything much happened,” I say carefully.

Nora’s eyebrows furrow and she bites her lip. “Right. Of course. I mean…I wasn’tthatdrunk,” she says defensively.

“I mean, neither was I, but?—”

But I can’t remember what happened after walking in the door.

Shame and guilt wrecks me.

The sound of footsteps pull my attention and I note that Tommy is up, walking down the hall already dressed like every other morning. His gaze carries over to me before he looks at Nora.

She turns to look at him, and I note her pink cheeks as she says, “Oh, good morning, Tommy.”

He grunts out a sound as he waves, and I notice his pace speeds up. “M—morning, Nora.”

He stops, looking between me and her, and I realize whathemust be thinking, given the fact that Nora is not the first woman to grace this house. Or this couch. With me.

“Freddie gave Nora a ride last night because she got sick. At the club.”

I have never felt so judged by my baby brother before. The way he’s looking at me, I swear if he could murder me, he would.

All he does is nod at me, his gaze drifting to Nora. “Hope you’re feeling…better,” he says carefully.

Nora lets her knees down, her bare feet grazing the top of the carpet. Her shoulders relax as she looks at him, and a spark ofjealousy bounds inside me, which is weird. I have nothing to be jealous about when it comes to Tommy. Especiallywomenand Tommy.

I love my baby brother, but he’s not exactly Cassanova or anything. He’s never had a girlfriend that I know of, and I’m pretty sure he’s still a virgin. I’ve offered to help him before, build his confidence or whatever, take him out…but he always declines. Refuses to get on dating apps. If he gave a shit, maybe putsomeeffort into talking to women or dating, I know he’d give me a run for my money in the pussy department.

He’s got that whole boy next door vibe going on with his big green eyes and dishwater-blond hair. Can’t grow a beard to save his life, so he’s always got that sleek, clean-cut look, and underneath all those big anime shirts and athletic pants he wears, he’s just as built as me, though no one would ever know it.

I try to shove the weird jealousy away. I’m definitely hungover. That’s probably all this is. The weirdness.

“Yes…well, a little, I guess. My head is killing me, and I feel exhausted, but then again I’m not exactly twenty-one anymore,” Nora says with a nervous laugh.

Tommy laughs, but it’s awkward. Like he’s forgotten how, or like he’s trying to mask.

But why would Tommy need to mask himself in front of Nora? He knows her. Even if it’s odd to see her here, it’s not like she’sneverbeen here. It’s not like she hasn’t been around for a whole year.

Because she was dating your brother.

And now she’s single, wearing your clothes, on your couch, and you can’t remember what fucking happened.

Freddie waltzes back into the room. “And…Sleeping Beauty has awakened,” he says, his voice softer than it was earlier.

Nora stiffens. She shakes her head, pushing herself off of the couch. “I need to go,” she says hurriedly, looking around the room. “Where the hell are my shoes?”

Tommy coughs. “Think I saw them in the bathroom…” He points down the hall.

She nods, running off toward the bathroom, and I don’t think. I just get up and follow her.

Along with TommyandFreddie.

We nearly knock one another over trying to get down the hall, but Nora is in and out of the bathroom, holding her heels, within seconds. She stops, nearly knocking into the wall that is the three of us.

Freddie moves to the side, giving her ample space to move, and I don’t miss the blush in her cheeks as she does so.