Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
The former Demir patriarch had been beyond rich by all accounts, so he could probably afford to change a few families’ lives without it even making a dent in his world. He was practically in the “I can build a phallic spaceship for kicks if I want to” club.
“So he gave you a tutor and his name, and enough money to help keep your mother worry free.”
“He managed his problem and utilized an asset to its fullest potential,” Michael corrected, the remaining warmth in his expression disappearing so swiftly I almost shiver with its absence. “But we weren’t worry free. Which is why I mentioned avoiding town. People talk in small towns. And our family gave them plenty to talk about.”
Oh. I can imagine. Two confirmed bachelors and a pregnant, unmarried sister mysteriously coming into large sums of money. That would do it. People could be such cruel, nosy assholes.
I almost apologize for bringing it up, because that is a truckload of baggage he’s holding on to. Not that I don’t have a similar set labeled “Fashionably Resents Parental Figures.” I just like to hide it in the back of my closet and try to forget about it whenever possible.
Great job, Win. He saves you and cooks for you, and you send him into a depressive spiral about his shitty dad. Why don’t you talk about LBJ’s dick again, you ruiner?
I can’t leave things like this. Something tells me he’s been simmering in it for a while now, especially with this whole brother situation. He said it wasn’t going well. Are his feelings about his father getting in the way of him connecting with Bellamy?
“You know, I’m supposed to sing Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel at the party on Sunday,” I say casually, feeling him out. “The matriarch of the Finns is a Piano Man fangirl. Did they ever tell you about the time your brother tried to win Seamus back by hiring him to sing for his future mother-in-law?”
“What? No. No one’s mentioned that.”
“My information is only thirdhand, since I heard it from Bex, who heard it from Brady Finn. But from what I understand, he closed down the entire block, enlisted most of the Finns for help and brought in Billy to sweeten the pot before he proposed to Seamus. It was insane, but very romantic. They’ve been married for almost ten years now, and his devotion appears unwavering. To Seamus and their children.”
I’m not out here trying to be Bellamy’s fluffer or anything. I just want Michael to know that he doesn’t sound like their unfaithful father to me.
“I always thought he was like the rest of them,” he says, confirming my thoughts. There’s a hint of regret in his voice. “Spoiled. Shallow. Careless with money and oblivious to the human fallout they leave behind.”
I hold up my hand. “I won’t lie to you. In my paycheck-to-paycheck opinion, Bellamy Demir is obviously a little careless with his money. And if he hadn’t funded Bellamy House to shelter and protect victims of sexual abuse, or donated a ridiculous amount to the city, I would probably judge him a little for it. I’m pretty sure his husband did when he first met him. Seamus is a well-known champion for the underdog.”
“He’s a good man,” Michael agrees. “And his kids are… Well, they’re great kids. Kind and smart and clearly well loved. Maybe they rubbed off on Bellamy. Changed the way he saw things.”
I cover his hand with mine. “I’m sure they did, but we’re all more than one thing, Michael. We can be bad with money and loyal. Loving and selfish. We are a jumbled collection of our scars and medals. And all our moments, good and bad, keep shaping us throughout our lives.”
“Is that a teacher’s way of saying people are shitty, but we shouldn’t judge them because we are too?”
“I’m all about teachable moments. But that was my way of saying that if you want to give this thing with your brother a chance—and you must, since you accepted the invitation—you should go into it with an open mind instead of misplaced preconceptions. Don’t make him carry someone else’s sins. Give him a chance to piss you off with his own flaws instead.”
His lips quirk. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.”
We stare at each other, everything we just shared hovering in the space between us. We come from different places and we’ve had very different experiences, but underneath it all is this connection I still can’t shake or deny. In spite of the constant low hum of arousal that surrounds me in his presence, I actually feel comfortable with him. Eating and talking over coffee, sharing our histories with no expectations or judgement. Just acceptance.
Is it the man or the moment? It could be because we’re cut off from the rest of the world by a white wall of snow, safe in this warm cabin. Our own island. Where there’s no future to worry about and no obligations to fulfill. Just two men baring our souls and two tiny dogs that snore like lawnmowers.