“I don’t know what you want me to say, Zander. But yes, I love your brother. I love him with my every breath, with my every heartbeat. I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone in a long, long time.”
A wide smile pulls on their lips, but I can’t imitate it.
“What’s the problem, then? He, too—” Zander says, but I interrupt him.
“His feelings are not for you to express, Zander.”
Zach’s eyebrows furrow. “He’s our brother, Vi. We know he wants you.” He leans forward. It’s a rare occasion to see the serious side of his personality.
“You’d be surprised by how much we don’t know about the people closest to us,” I whisper.
But Zach doesn’t believe me. “Zane is like an open book to us.”
My teeth dig into my bottom lip. A fluttering develops in my stomach as I look between the two men.
Zander’s sharp gaze focuses on me. “What is it you think you know about Zane and we don’t?”
I take a deep breath, knowing that I have to do this, not for anyone else but Zane. “He blames himself for what happened to you…with your mother”—Zander blinks rapidly—“your father, and with the man—”
“We got it.” Zach jumps out of his seat. “You know all about our fucked-up childhood.” His head shakes as he paces back and forth.
I jerk at hearing Zach’s furious voice for the first time. “I…I don’t know anything, Zach. What I know is that whatever happened, Zane blames himself for it.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” Irritation drips from Zach’s every word.
“He thinks if he wouldn’t have fallen sick so often, your parents would still be married. You wouldn’t have to suffer the pain you went through. He has so much guilt”—my throat suddenly feels as if I’ve just swallowed hot coal—“for something he didn’t do.”
Zach drops down in his seat. I feel the pain radiating from them. Zander grips the arms of his chair. Disbelief, guilt, anger, and regret flashing on his face.
“I told him he should talk to you both, but as always, Zane kept his pain hidden for everyone else’s happiness.”
A flicker of understanding and affection shines in their eyes as they both look at me before meeting each other’s gaze.
“And that’s why I can’t be the first to express my feelings. I’ll never know if he accepted me and my love because he feels the same or because he thinks he shouldn’t turn me down.” Distaste fills my mouth at the thought of taking advantage of Zane more than I already have.
Thankfully, his brothers don’t disagree as I continue. “This doubt will seep into our relationship, and that’ll be much worse than a fake marriage where I lied to everyone. Believe me when I say, I want Zane more than anything else in my life, but this time… I want to be with him for the right reasons.”
* * *
I’ve taken a few days off from the café, and it’s been three days since Zander and Zach visited me. I’m in the kitchen planning to prepare a bowl of granola for breakfast when the doorbell rings.
I’m surprised to find Zach leaning against the doorframe with a paper bag from Cakes for All swinging in his hand.
“Hey. What are you doing here?”
“I brought breakfast.” Zach takes a step forward, forcing me to step back before he saunters inside coolly. He acts as if he brings me breakfast every day, and I’m not someone who lied to him and his family.
“It’s tart week at the bakery.” Zach’s eyebrows wiggle as he opens the pastry box, and beautiful fruit mini tarts make an appearance.
“Hope is so talented.” I’m pulled to the kitchen counter by the delicious magic.
“She sure is.” Zach takes a huge bite of one before offering the box to me.
I grab two napkins from the cupboard and hand one to Zach before picking a mini tart from the box.
“Why are you here?” I look up after taking a bite of the heavenly sweet.
Zach dusts his hands, but his sharp gaze never leaves me. “You’re still my brother’s wife.” His head cocks toward the engagement ring and wedding band still on my finger.