CHAPTER 19

Julie

Michael hurried back out to his car. I watched him through the window until he drove off down the street. When he was gone, I slowly made my way back into the living room and collapsed on the couch. My hand flew to my head, covering my eyes and blocking out the world.

“This is fucking nuts,” I said to myself.

I lay there for a few minutes, unable to make sense of my new situation. As much as I wanted to be with Michael, I still didn’t know if I could handle his connection to Joshua. How could Michael and I let our relationship progress when my ex-boyfriend was also his brother? What was that going to look like?

My life suddenly felt like a soap opera. It was as if I was living in a movie I didn’t want to watch in the first place and, yet, I couldn’t help but be happy. With Michael in my life, everything seemed bearable. Even this mess with Joshua.

Still, I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything for the rest of the day. My head was too full, and my chest was still tight from all the emotions that flooded my body over the past twenty-four hours. I tried to sit down and write, but no words came to mind. I couldn’t work on my assignment. I couldn’t work on my book. I couldn’t focus on anything.

Finally, I gave up and grabbed my phone. I called Andrea and closed my eyes, listening to the ringing and letting it comfort me.

“Hey!” Andrea said when she answered. “How was dinner last night?”

“Can you come over?” I asked. “I know you have to work today, but—”

“I just got off,” Andrea said. “I can be there in an hour.”

“Thank you.” I sighed, relieved that I would soon have my best friend to help me make sense of everything.

“What happened?” Andrea asked nervously. “Was dinner that bad?”

“It was…” I tried to find the right words, but just like with my writing, nothing came to mind. “I’ll fill you in when you get here. It’s too much to explain over the phone.”

“Okay,” Andrea said. “I’m on my way.”

***

An hour later, there was a sharp knock on my front door. I ran through the entryway and wrenched open the door to see Andrea standing on my front porch. She smiled and let herself inside, holding up a bottle of wine and waving it in the air.

“You sounded really upset on the phone,” Andrea said. “So, I thought wine was in order.”

“You thought right.” I nodded eagerly and hurried into the kitchen to get us glasses.

Andrea poured us each a good amount of wine, and then we settled in on my couch. She didn’t speak at first. Instead, she watched me closely while I sipped my wine and let the alcohol embolden me slightly.

“Dinner was a fucking disaster,” I finally said.

Andrea nodded. “I figured that much,” she said. “But why? What happened?”

“Well,” I said. “Do you remember me telling you that Michael was adopted?”

“Yes,” Andrea said. “A weird coincidence considering everything that happened with Joshua.”

“Not so much,” I said with a dark chuckle. “Not even remotely a coincidence actually.”

Andrea frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Michael is Joshua’s brother,” I said. “The very same brother I spent months trying to find two years ago. The very same brother that Joshua never wanted me to meet.”

“You’re kidding.” Andrea stared at me blankly. “This is a joke.”

“I wish,” I said. “It feels like the universe is playing an elaborate prank on me or something.”

“You’re serious?” Andrea asked. “You’re not screwing with me right now?”

“I’m serious.” I stared at her to let her know this wasn’t a game. “Michael and Joshua are brothers.”

“Holy shit.” Andrea shook her head and took a long swig of her wine. When she swallowed, she looked at me with narrowed eyes. She still didn’t want to believe me.

“It’s crazy,” I said. “I know.”

“It’s more than crazy,” Andrea said. “It’s like Shakespearean or something.”

“That’s a little dramatic,” I said, though Andrea wasn’t wrong. I’d been thinking the same thing since I first saw Joshua sitting in the restaurant.

“This is dramatic!” Andrea said. “I can’t believe it.”

“That’s how I felt,” I said. “My head has been spinning since last night. I can barely think straight.”

“Have you talked to Michael?” Andrea asked. “I mean, did he know who you were? Did he know you and Joshua had a history?”

I shook my head. “He says he had no idea,” I said.

“And you believe him?” Andrea asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I shrugged. “I didn’t know who he was. We never met. There’s no way he could have known who I was.”

“Unless…” Andrea said slowly.

“What?” I pressed. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing,” Andrea said. She shook her head hard. “I’m just being paranoid.”

“No,” I said. “What is it?”

“Unless this is some sick game,” Andrea said. “Some weird thing he and Joshua cooked up together.”

I was shaking my head before Andrea even finished talking. I’d only known Michael for a short time, but I couldn’t imagine him being so deceitful. What we had was real. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind.

“Michael isn’t that kind of man,” I said firmly. “I know you don’t know him, but I do.”

“And you trust him?” Andrea asked.

“Completely.”

“Then, that’s good enough for me.” Andrea smiled.

I smiled back gratefully and sank farther into the couch cushions. There was still so much I wanted to tell Andrea. Everything about Michael’s company party, everything about the almost-dinner with Joshua, everything. But my head was too busy spinning itself in circles for me to formulate coherent thoughts.

A distraction came seconds later, shaking me back to reality and pulling me out of my head. My phone vibrated on my desk. I frowned and moved over to grab it. Andrea watched my face closely as I opened the unread text message and felt my heart drop into my stomach.

It was Joshua again. He’d texted me the night before to ask why I was with Michael. He even went so far as to insult his own brother, but this? This was something different entirely.

“What is it?” Andrea asked. She pushed herself off the couch to stand next to me. “Is it Michael?”

“No.” I shook my head. “It’s Joshua. He wants to see me.”

“He what?” Andrea grabbed my phone and read the message herself. I could see her growing angrier by the second.

“I guess he wants to talk,” I said. “I mean, it makes sense.”

“No,” Andrea said firmly. “It doesn’t. He’s only doing this because you’re with Michael now. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even think about reaching out to you. You know that.”

“I know.” I nodded. “But that doesn’t change anything. I’m seeing Michael.”

“So?” Andrea asked. “What does that have to do with Joshua?”

“They’re brothers,” I said. “I can’t ignore that fact.”

“But—” Andrea began, but I cut her off with a look.

I knew Andrea didn’t want me to get involved with Joshua again. I couldn’t blame her. After everything Joshua put me through, I never wanted to see him again. And yet, I couldn’t deny the fact that I was dating his brother.

Andrea handed my phone back to me, and I walked over to the couch. Sitting down, I reread Joshua’s text message. It was simple. To the point. Just like Joshua.

“I’d like to talk to you,” it read. “In person. Is that something you’d be willing to do?”

I didn’t know how to answer him. Part of me thought it would be best to ignore him, to pretend like I never saw the text message. Another part of me wondered if I should call Michael and tell him about his brother’s invitation. Neither option seemed like the right one.

“What do you think I should do?” I asked, looking up at Andrea.

She was staring down at me with worried eyes. Concern was etched in every line on her face. When I asked her, she just shook her head and sighed deeply. As she moved over to sit beside me, her head kept moving from side to side.

“I don’t know,” Andrea said. “On the one hand, I don’t ever want you to see Joshua again. He was such a dick to you, Jules.”

“I remember,” I said darkly.

“But,” Andrea said. “It might be a good idea to talk to him. Get some closure.”

“I got my closure a long time ago,” I said firmly.

Andrea shrugged. “Then, ignore him.”

“But,” I said slowly. “Is that really fair? Like I said, I am dating his brother now.”

“Are you sure you still want to?” Andrea asked bluntly.

I narrowed my eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I know you like Michael,” Andrea said. “Okay? I know that. But is this thing between you two really worth all the drama that’s bound to come with it?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but quickly let it fall shut again. My initial reaction was anger. Why would Andrea even ask something like that? Michael made me happy, happier than I’d been in years. Why would she want me to give all that up?

“I’m not telling you what to do,” Andrea said quickly. “I’m just worried.”

“I know.” I sighed. “And honestly, so am I.”

“Maybe it’s not worth it,” Andrea said. “There are other guys out there. Guys that are in no way related to Joshua.”

“None of them are Michael,” I said simply.

Andrea sighed, and slowly, a smile crept onto her face. She nodded, accepting my choice even before I fully understood it myself.

There was something real between Michael and me. I knew that the second we met. When he sat down across from me in the café, I knew he was someone I wanted in my life. After we slept together that first time, I was a goner. Michael got under my skin and, now, I knew I’d never be able to shake him.

“I think I’ll meet him,” I said firmly. “If he wants to talk, then we should.”

“Okay,” Andrea said. “Do it.”

I nodded and quickly typed out a reply to Joshua. Andrea read over my shoulder as I agreed to meet Joshua on Thursday.

“Why Thursday?” Andrea asked.

“So I can change my mind if I want to,” I said simply.

Andrea nodded her understanding, and we both sank back into the couch. We drank more wine and marveled at my screwed-up situation.

“Are you going to tell Michael?” Andrea asked. “About meeting up with Joshua?”

I shook my head slowly. That was something I’d been thinking about since I sent off that last text. What would Michael think? Would he be uncomfortable? Or would he be happy that Joshua and I were trying to mend fences?

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I really don’t know.”

Andrea patted my knee and laid her head on my shoulder. She stayed with me that night, making sure I wasn’t alone with my confusion.