Credence

As he leans in, though, I plant my hands on his chest. “No.”

I shake my head, keeping him back.

“You love him?” he asks.

“

I don’t know.” I frown.

I don’t love you, though. Not like that.

Noah needs his brother a lot more than he needs me. I don’t want to be in the middle.

“Don’t use all the hot water,” I say, and I leave the room.

Heading downstairs, I go for the kitchen to check the stew in the crock pot, but a faint yell hits my ears, and I look up, seeing Jake on the phone.

“If you don’t put her on the phone, I swear I will have her airlifted out of there!”

“Jesus, fuck,” Jake growls, pulling the receiver away from his ear and glaring at me. “Tiernan…”

He tosses me the phone, holding his coffee in his other hand.

“I don’t want that woman calling here anymore,” he tells me. “Answer your phone.”

Huh?

I hold the phone to my ear.

“That woman?” Mirai repeats in disdain. “What does that mean? He’s a barbarian.”

“Hey.”

“Hey,” she snips, suddenly realizing I’m on the line. “Happy holidays, Tiernan.”

I wince. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”

We’ve been sticking to email and texting for the last ten weeks, and even though she’s called, I haven’t answered. I didn’t feel like conversation. With texting, we can state our business quickly without trying to make up shit to talk about.

“Tiernan…”

“I’m really sorry,” I tell her again. “I’ve just been…”

“Living your life,” she finishes for me. “I get it. You’re not getting rid of me, though, okay?”

“I know.” I lean on the island as Jake hangs back, looking in the fridge and trying to look like he’s not eavesdropping. “You got my present, right?”

She lets out a laugh. “Yes. Very generous. You saying I need a vacation?”

“Or an affair,” I tease. “A raging, hot, and mad affair with a man. Or men.”

Jake turns his head, looking at me over his shoulder.

I bought Mirai a trip to Fiji. Her and a plus one.

“What do you know?” Mirai laughs again.

“Is she hot?” Jake whispers to me.