Page 5 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

He didn’t run after me. He didn’t call.

The only communication was that one text.

It’s over, Nora.

No explanation. No “baby, I’m sorry, I can explain.”

Nothing.

Because I meantnothing.

I don’t know what I expected, but the cold shoulder and brush-off certainly wasn’t it. Not after I’d moved in and started to build alifewith Brett fucking Sterling. Sports Illustrated’s number one ice hockey star on the rise.

The home-cooked dinners, the family gatherings with Brett and his family—including his three brothers—the games…

The sex…

I’ve hovered over that text all day, unsure of what to say. What can I say? Do I want Brett back? Can I ever forgive him for what he did?

I don’t know. I don’t know what to say or what to do when I can barely process how everything that felt so perfect went to shit so fast.

It was all for nothing.

My stomach twists again, and I turn my phone off so I don’t continue to torment myself by staring at those three words.

Maybe it’s better this way.

I slide my phone in my pocket as Zayne comes through the door with a fresh order of Starbucks.

“One caramel latte, for you,” he says softly with a smile. “Extra whipped cream.” He winks.

I take it from his hands, mouthingthank youas he hands the mocha to Pam and the flat white to Abby. Krystal squeezes in and grabs her Frappuccino which looks more like a milkshake than an actual coffee, but I digress.

Pam takes a seat in her chair, sighing as Krystal sucks down half her drink in one go before heading to the dryer to pull the towels.

“You know what you need?” Abby says as she sets her drink down on the counter of her station.

Zayne plops down on the couch—the client couch, which we’renotsupposed to sit on—and spreads his legs, looking at me with a raised eyebrow as he sips his venti caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso. The man certainly doesn’t need the extra jolt of caffeine, after all he’s practically a shot of espresso himself, but I digress.

“A day at the spa and some rebound D?” Zayne suggests.

Pam rolls her eyes. “Must everything be about the dick with you, Zayne?”

He shrugs. “I’m gay, I can’t help it. I have a two-track mind.”

“Dick and—” Pam purses her lips.

“Hair, of course. Duh,” he says with a laugh.

Abby rolls her eyes. “Please. You’re just sour because you’ve been single longer than the rest of us.”

“Not like I’m nottryingto find Mr. Right,” Zayne huffs before sucking down a gulp of his hot coffee.

“You know, maybe if you want a boyfriend, you should stop swiping on hook-ups.” Krystal says with a judgmental glare.

“Oh! Krissy went there!” Abby says with a giggle.

Zayne flips her off. “We’re not talking about moi, here, Krys. We’re talking about Nora and her fragile mental state.”