“Dude, you’re starting to piss me off. Get off your ass and at least go take a fucking shower.” Lukas kicked my sneaker clad feet until they fell off the sofa and I groaned.

“I don’t recall asking you to come over.” One arm was flung over my face to shield it from the overhead lights. Maybe if I hadn’t gotten shit-faced on sixty year old scotch last night I would have anticipated the pitcher of cold water that splashed all over me. “What the fuck, man?”

“Get. Up. This shit has gone on long enough, and you’re such a sad fucking bastard that I can’t even be pissed at you for treating my sister the way you did!” He sounded disgusted and one look up at him confirmed that.

“Go ahead and punch me if it’ll make you feel better.” I deserved it, and I wouldn’t even fight back because I’d broken the bro code by hooking up with Lacey. “I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Why did you?” His words were tense, but not angry and when I looked up at Lukas again, his expression was sympathetic. I didn’t fucking deserve his sympathy, not after the shit I said to Lacey.

“I wanted her so bad. She was all sexy and funny and completely unimpressed by me. And then she did something I thought impossible, Luke. She impressed me.” She was beautiful, powerful and privileged, but she was nice to everyone from the assistants, wait staff, children and old people. She smiled at people and listened when they talked. She was good. Too damn good for me. “I fucked up. I hurt her and I did it on purpose. Hit me.”

“I want to, more than anything, but it wouldn’t be a fair fight since I’m pretty sure you’re still drunk. Also, I have a feeling my sister might not want me to rearrange your pretty mug.”

I laughed at that, unable to keep the bitterness from creeping in. “She’d probably line up to do the rearranging.”

Lukas turned to the kitchen. “You smell like ass and stale booze. Go take a shower so we can have a normal conversation.” He didn’t wait for my agreement, just went to the kitchen, probably to brew some coffee the way I had for him plenty of times over the years.

I took a quick shower, my thoughts once again drifting to Lacey and the way she looked at that meeting. She’d been pale and she’d lost weight, but the most gutting sight of all was the lack of spark in her brown gaze. I’d done that to her, and I hated myself for it. By the time I stepped from the hot steamy shower, I felt energized. Still hungover and dehydrated, but also ready to try something else, anything else to get Lacey to talk to me.

“I needed that.”

“Drink this.” Lukas slid a cup of black coffee my way and I picked it up, letting the lot liquid burn my throat and get rid of the last of the booze.

“Thanks.”

“Right.” He looked at me for a long time, expression as blank as his sister’s had been a few days ago. Carefully blank while he assessed me, decided if I was good enough for his sister. “Just help me understand something, Walker.”

“I already told you, I couldn’t resist. I wanted her and I went for her, end of story.”

“Finished?” I nodded, arms crossed defensively. “Good. Now what I need help understanding is why. Why is it that you’re at home getting drunk when you clearly have feelings for Lacey.”

“You’re wrong,” I insisted automatically, though I should have censored myself when I caught his nasty look.

“Lie to yourself Walker. I saw photos of you in San Diego, bodies wrapped all around each other and you with that goofy fucking grin on your face.” He shook his head, disgusted. “Look at how you’re acting, like a lovesick fool. You weren’t even gone like this over Eve.”

Eve. Shit. “She said the same thing.” Before his dark look could turn murderous again, I gave him a quick rundown of my run-in with Eve. “Shit, she was right.” The last words she’d hurled at me had been right. I’d stood there feeling smug and self-righteous when she stormed off, confident I hadn’t punished her for anyone else’s wrongdoing, only I had. Even tried to rope me into taking care of her with a false paternity claim and I’d instantly turned Lacey’s illness into morning sickness. “Fuck I’m an idiot.”

“I’m not going to argue that point, because you are. And I appreciate you sparing me most of the details.” I didn’t bother to tell him the lack of disclosure was more for my sake than his. “But I am going to help you.”

“You are?” I was grateful because I had a feeling if left to my own devices I’d be at this forgiveness thing for a long fucking time.

“Yep. I just need one thing in return.”

“Name it.”

He smiled and took a long sip from the heart patterned coffee mug Lacey had left behind. “Tell me how you feel about her.”

“I don’t know.”

“Bullshit,” he spat. “You’re miserable without her?”

“I am.” Sometimes I woke up at night and reached out to pull her against me, only to end up disappointed and angry.

“You can’t stop thinking about her?”

“What gave it away, the five thousand dollars’ worth of scotch I drank last night?” Because the bottle was nearly empty and just looking at the amber liquid made my gut churn. It hadn’t helped erase thoughts, sounds or images of Lacey. “Nothing fucking helps.”

“You love her. You know you do, so don’t bother denying it.” He set his mug in the sink before dropping an envelope on the table. “This is where she’ll be tomorrow night, if you figure out what she means to you and if you’re ready to give her what she deserves. If you don’t know, don’t come.” It was advice as much as it was a threat and I nodded.

“Thanks, Luke.”

“Don’t make me regret it.”

I wouldn’t. Tomorrow meant I had about eighteen hours to get my shit in order. I scrambled eggs and toasted bread while I finished the coffee pot, making plans for all the things I needed to do before tomorrow.

In less than eighteen hours I would be face to face with Lacey and she deserved a man who had a vision for the future, a plan for a future with her. I didn’t know if commitment was in my skillset but for Lacey I was willing to try.