Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Thank you, but it's a part of my past. He’s my past, where he belongs and can be forgotten. Pushed inside a box in the back of my mind, never to be reopened again. I'm fine. I've worked through it, but I'm just—he's ruined my trust and my faith, and I don't know that I'm willing to put my trust and my faith into someone else when I know what the outcome could be.”
“Not all men are like that. I can tell you for certain, having known the love of a good, honorable man. Having my brother and their friends around, they’re the good ones. There are good men out there. It's awful when there's one bad apple that ruins it for everybody,” Corie says. I can hear in the tone of her voice that she’s appalled that there are men out there like my ex. She’s not the only one.
“Thank you, truly. I really don't think it's something I want to talk about, but if that ever changes, I will definitely let you know. So yeah, nothing to talk about here.” I laugh nervously, hoping like hell the conversation gets switched. I’m racking my brain with what to say next when I hear a deep voice behind me.
“What are we not talking about?” Landry asks, walking into the room. I turn to face him, my mouth hanging open. Surely he didn't hear any of that, did he?
“Don't you worry your pretty little head about it,” Sloane tells him before turning and winking at me.
Landry narrows his eyes. “I see how it is. You ladies don’t want to let me in on your secrets. Keep your girl talk. That's fine. Me and the boys have our own secrets that you're not a part of, so there.” He crosses his arms over his chest.
He’s pouting, and it’s adorable. I’ve yet to see a side of Landry Reynolds that’s not endearing, and that’s rare for me to say about any man.
“You do realize that I married your sister, right? And I don't keep secrets from my wife,” Knox tells Landry.
“What?” Landry gasps. “Bro code.”
“Wife code,” Knox volleys back with a laugh.
“Beckett.” Landry shakes his head like he’s disappointed. “That’s not even a thing. Wife code. There is no wife code.”
“When you get married, you’ll get it.”
“Get what? That your wife has you by the balls?” Foster asks with a laugh.
Knox shrugs. “If that’s how you have to refer to it to understand, then sure. We can go with that.”
“Explain it,” I say quietly. I immediately slap my hand over my mouth because it’s not my place.
“She took the words right out of my mouth,” Sloane says quickly. Her eyes flash to mine, and she gives me a subtle nod. She’s got my back, and that feels like a warm hug on a cold winter’s night.
These are my friends. Not people who are talking to me because of who I’m dating. They’re mine. They’re supporting me, no matter how small. Corie and Sloane will never know how much their friendship means to me.
Knox looks at Corie, and if I were not witnessing this for myself, I wouldn’t believe it, but I can see the love shining in his eyes. “It’s not that I can’t keep a secret. It’s that I don’t want to. I married Corie because I want to share my life with her. If there is a secret that I truly need to keep to myself, I will. However, I won’t like it.”
“You can keep your boys’ secrets,” Corie tells him. She’s smiling up at him as if he hung the moon, and in her eyes, I really think he did, or at least attempted to for her sake.
“I do, and I will, but if it’s something I’m allowed to share with you, I’m going to. To be honest, I might, even if I’m not supposed to. You’re my person, Corie Beckett, and that means something.”
Tears burn the back of my eyes, and I swallow back the emotion. I’ve never met a man who was so open and unashamed about his feelings. Corie did marry one of the good ones. Knox glances over at me, and I offer him a smile, my way of thanking him for answering my question that I had no business asking.
“Fine. How can we compete with that?” Landry says. “Besides, it’s my little sister who’s got you looking all googly-eyed. How can I fight against that?”
“Single as a Pringle over here.” Reid points at his chest. “That’s a lot of power to give one person.” He shakes his head as if he can’t even fathom allowing someone to get that close to him.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I understand and that he’s right. He should steer clear, but when I look back at Knox and Corie and the embrace they’re sharing, it’s hard to find the words. Seeing them together is the complete opposite of everything I’ve ever known, and it’s fascinating to me. I guess this is what a healthy relationship looks like.