“Yes, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know if I would say this if I hadn’t just watched Micah and Kade fall for their women.” The corner of his mouth quirks. “Colt asked about you every single day, Evie. And when he brought you here, brought you home, it was clear as day on his face.” I search his face, holding my breath. “He’s yours, Evie. Completely. You two may have just started dating, but he’s been yours the entire time. No fucking way he’s walking away from you now. So everything, his happiness, his future, is in your hands.”
I can’t figure out if that thrills or terrifies me. “That’s a lot, Ransom.”
“I know. But if I’ve learned anything in the last twenty years, it’s when to show your cards. Kade nearly fucked things up with Becca because he had his head up his ass. Not saying Colt has his head on completely straight, but I’m hoping if you know where he stands, you’ll hang in there if he fucks up.”
“Why does it matter so much to you?”
His chest deflates. “All of this, everything we built? It’s about family. And for a long time, that was just the nine of us. But it isn’t anymore. Priorities have changed.”
“You’re afraid you’ll lose them.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “You’re too perceptive.”
“You guys are solid. You live and work together. You won’t lose him.”
“You know better than most, that isn’t always true. I’ve seen all their hearts break over the years. Most of us have been damaged in a way that won’t ever heal. I won’t watch my brothers fade away, or end up in a fucking spiral because they wouldn’t fucking talk.”
“So you’ll interfere, say things they might not want you to say?”
He scowls at me. “Colt!” he yells. Becca and Colt break apart, panting, hair mussed. “Evie thinks I’m breaking your confidence. That I shouldn’t tell her you’re head over fucking heels for her. Is she right?”
Colt rolls over, propping his cheek on his hand. “Nah. It wasn’t a fucking secret. I’ve been in love with her for months. Everyone knows it.”
Everyone knows it, except me, apparently.
29
COLTON
My palms are sweating.
After I dropped my love bomb at Ransom’s the other night, I’ve been avoiding Evie. Like, still seeing her every day, and visiting with Mia. I won’t miss that. And telling her she’s pretty. And I text her a lot. But talk about feelings? No way.
So yeah, sweaty palms, and I’m not even on her floor yet.
I bang my fist on Declan’s door. “Hurry up, asshole. If you make Evie late, there will be hell to pay.” I hear his muffled yell and turn towards the stairs.
“Fucker. I’m ready.”
“Took you long enough, what you needed time to fix — holy fuck, Dec.” I can’t look away.
“Stop fucking staring.”
“I can’t. I haven’t seen you with hair this short since…never. I’ve never seen you like this. I saw you a couple of hours ago, man.”
He shifts uncomfortably, reaching up to rub at his buzzed hair. It’s as short as mine. I open my mouth to fuck with him about it some more, but see a hint of something in his eye that worries me.
“Brother, it looks good. It’s just a huge change. What made you do it now?”
He drops his hand, fiddling with the zipper of his hoodie, eyes darting around the foyer. “Aren’t we going to be late?”
“We’ve got a minute. Talk to me. Just you and me. It won’t go any further if you don’t want it to.”
“Don’t psychology me Colt!”