Page 37 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

I could easily lie. Or just…not answer him. My brother’s house is coming up, and it would be all too easy to just…slip away and pretend this conversation didn’t happen.

Pretendlast nightdidn’t happen.

Or this breakup.

But my heart doesn’t want to stay quiet. It wants to cry out, and something tells me I can do that with Tommy and he won’t say anything. He’lllisten.Because he wants to.

And that makes me feel safer than it should.

“Yes,” I say softly. “I thought we were going to get married and have kids, you know.”

Tommy frowns.

The truck grows silent as he pulls up to my brother’s house.

Neither of us make a move, though, not immediately. Just as I swallow and move to open the door, he speaks.

“Yeah,” he says softly. “I mean, I don’tknow, not personally, but…” He lets his hand fall from the steering wheel as he looks at me with a sad gaze. “I want those things too.”

It’s not the words themselves, but the sadness in them. The pain. His ache can be felt like it’s a being all on its own.

I squeeze his thigh once more. “And one day you’ll have it. I know you will.”

His gaze falls to my hand as he licks his lips. He doesn’t look at me.

“You’re still young, Tommy. You’ve got plenty of time to fall in love and find your happily ever after.”

He looks up at me with glistening green eyes. “Maybe.” He licks his lips. “Maybe we’ll both find what we’re looking for, someday.”

I give him a soft smile as I open my door. “Thanks for the ride.”

He nods as I shut the door. “Any time, Nora. I’m—” He lets out a heavy sigh. “We’re…friends, right?”

It’s the way he asks. So innocently. Like he truly doesn’t know what our relationship is. And maybe he doesn’t know, because technically his brother left me and we shouldn’t even be here right now. It’s a weird sort of limbo I didn’t plan on wading into, but now that I’m here…

I answer him honestly, because I get the feeling honesty is best with Tommy.

“Yes,” I say with a smile. “Yes, Tommy. I’d say we’re friends.”

He nods at me. “Okay, so…friends are…always there for each other…right?”

The pure sweetness in his voice makes my chest warm.

I smile, and it’s genuine. “Right.”

He smiles back, and I swear it’s the most beautiful grin I’ve ever seen. It makes him look youthful and warm and full of hope, and that speaks to me on another level.

“Then, as yourfriend, I am always here. If you need me, I mean. To talk or…to listen.” He hurriedly rushes to add, “I mean, if that’s okay…”

I nod. “I appreciate that. And yes, it’s okay.”

He clears his throat. “I have to uh…get to class, but…” He straightens his spine, his gaze holding mine carefully. “Do you have my number?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so.”

He nods at my dress and clothes in my arms, my phone on top of the pile. “Give me your phone?” he says shakily, then adds, “You know…in case you want to uh…talk…”

I don’t think about it, I just hand it to him. I know this interaction is a lot for him, and honestly it’s the most words he’s said to me since I’ve known him, but I feel a connection to him.