Page 65 of Floodgates

“But back in the day, when he was yours, did he really enjoy being an ER doc?”

“I thought so.”

“But you’re not sure.”

“No.”

He was quiet a moment. “So what does Breckin really want?”

I grunted. “Well, obviously I don’t know anymore.”

“But that’s what I mean. I think Celia Hughes is more his kind of long-term commitment.”

“Oh, this is helping,” I groaned, rolling over away from him.

“I should shut up.”

“Just… I wanna know what you think.”

He sighed. “Well, to me, Celia looks like the kind of person I would imagine he would be with, if he were just a buddy of mine. She looks like she would look good next to him on a Christmas card. I wasn’t surprised when Cord told us he came from a wealthy family; he’s got that thing about him that tells you that’s how he was raised.”

“Like what?” I asked, my voice muffled in the pillow.

“Like I said before, you can tell he’s about money and prestige. He wants more. He wants to be wherever he used to be. It chafes him that I make more money than he does.”

“Oh, it does not; he could care less.”

“You’re deluded.”

And maybe I was and had been so the whole time.

“I always thought you’d end up with a guy like Cord.”

“Cord,” I scoffed, rolling back over so I could see my brother. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Why?”

“Because you’re exactly alike.”

“Yeah, no,” I grumbled. “We’re nothing alike.”

“You’re wrong. Everything he wants, you want.”

I shook my head.

“Yes.”

“How do you even—”

“What?”

“You don’t know Cord.”

He scoffed. “I’ve known him just as long as you have, but unlike you, I’ve been out drinking with the man. I’ve sat and listened to him and Alex talk about what they want their futures to be and about their dreams and everything.”

“You have?”

“Of course I have.”

“Huh.”