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Collin cleared his throat and wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m happy for you, Jud. I am. It’s just…”
When he trailed off, I felt like punching him in the throat. “Spit it out, Collin.”
“I slept with her. I didn’t know she was anyone to you, Jud.” He finally met my gaze and winced at what he saw.
“You slept with Ada.”
Joe sat forward. “Jud…”
Collin scowled at Joe. “You’re not about to say what I think you’re about to say.”
Joe glanced at me and then stared at his hands. “I slept with her, too.”
I stood up so fast that I knocked my chair over. Joe and Collin both stood up and held their hands up like they thought I was going to attack them. I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t love that you both touched her, but I found her after all these years and I’m not letting her go. As long as you both know that going forward, you need to keep your hands to yourselves.”
“Wait a second.” Collin frowned. “I understand that you have history with her but she’s been here all this time and you never showed any interest. I can’t just turn off my interest in her because you came out of hiding, Jud.”
“Well, if we’re all being selfish, I’ll throw my hat in, too. She makes me fucking nuts but I want more.” Joe didn’t see my fist coming and he grunted before pushing me away and landing his own solid punch to my cheek.
Collin swore and hurried around his desk to separate us but he got punched for his effort. He stepped back and held up one hand while his other cupped his nose. “Fucking knock it off. I have a meeting later today and I can’t afford to look like an asshole with a black eye.”
I shook out my fist and felt the area around my cheek where Joe hit me. “She’s mine.”
“No, she’s not. There’s a reason she slept with me, Jud. I’m sorry that she’s your fair girl, but that was a decade ago. You don’t even know if you guys still have the same chemistry as the first time around.” Joe worked his jaw back and forth and scowled. “We’re even, Jud. Punch me again and I’m tossing you in the lake.”
“We still have the same chemistry. We had it all last night and this morning.” I regretted the words as soon as they were out. I didn’t want to brag about what we’d done together. I just needed them to back off. “You guys don’t believe in the relationship thing. If you just want sex, you can go out and find it anywhere. Leave Ada alone.”
Collin gritted his teeth. “Maybe we should just talk to Ada and see what she wants.”
I nodded. “That’s fine with me.”
Joe shrugged. “Fine. She’s down at the lake. Let’s go.”
32
***Joe***
Irolledmysleevesup to my elbows as we walked down to the lake. My slacks were too hot and I felt sweat beading already. My pulse was racing and I didn’t know what I was doing. I was Jud’s older brother. I’d practically raised him. I knew how much his fair girl meant to him but I couldn’t just give up Ada. I wasn’t even sure I liked her, or she liked me, but there was something there.
Guilt ate at me for not just giving Jud what he wanted but I couldn’t make myself do it. The reason was in knee-deep water in a pink bikini, pointing in the water for Milo, who clung to her side and hip like a monkey.
She looked up and spotted us all coming her way and her eyes went wide. I saw her blush from the edge of the beach and took in a deep breath. I didn’t even know what I wanted from her. I should’ve just backed off and acted like a decent brother.
Then Ada gasped and came jogging towards us and I forgot how to swallow. She sat Milo down on a towel and then moved to Jud. She gently cupped his face and turned it to see the bruise already forming. Then she moved to Collin and did the same, wincing as she took in his quickly forming black eyes. When she stood in front of me, her hands felt like silk on my chin as she looked at the side of my face.
She met my gaze and her bright smile was nowhere to be seen. She swallowed and then moved away from us. She stared out over the lake and when she turned back to us, her eyes were full of sorrow. “This is my fault.”
“The fuck it is.” Jud stepped forward to grab her but she held up her hand. “Ada…”
“You should fire me.” She was staring directly at me. “I’ve made a mess of things. You want to fire me anyway, Joe. Just do it. I deserve it.”
I shook my head. “No.”
She looked frustrated. “You hit each other. Right? That’s what happened, isn’t it? And now the three of you are down here, looking at me with your eyes all soft and cuddly and I don’t have an answer.”
“Soft and cuddly?” Collin’s humor came back first.
I pointed at Jud. “He started it.”
