Chapter 45


    Mark


    Grumbling, I wake up to the sound of birdsonging from outside and find an unnatural weight on my


    arm. When I nce to my right, my heart swells at the sight.


    Winnie is wedged between Jake and me. She is a small little thing but surprisingly strong. Her hand is


    gripping my forearm with such force I feel bad about removing her fingers.


    “I’m sorry, Princess, but I’m a morning person,” I tell her and stifle augh when Winnie cuddles with


    Jake instead. They are both heavy sleepers and would probably sleep through an earthquake.


    I smile at that thought and slide out of bed. I pick up my clothes and head for the kitchen. Someone


    needs to make breakfast. I’m not


    the best chef in the house-that position


    belongs to Jake.


    He is interested in baking and cooking, whereas I only do what is necessary. Photography and modeling


    are my hobbies. and also side hustles. Not that I need more money since I’m ying in the NHL, but… I


    don’t n on ying hockey forever.


    I shove that thought away for now and find bacon, bread, and eggs inside the fridge. I’m making food for


    all three of us. The kitchen smells like breakfast, and the hospital calls


    while I cook the bacon.


    With the phone tucked between my neck and ear, I’m relieved to hear my mom is stable. I


    make the decision to take Jake and Winnie to


    the hospital after we have eaten.


    It’s when I’m ting that I hear footsteps enter the kitchen. Judging from the slight


    tremors, it’s probably Jake.


    “Hey…”


    I nce over my shoulder. “You didn’t wake up Winnie?”


    “No…” he scratches his neck. We both have the same kind of hair that never seems to


    stop growing. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something…”


    “Hmm?”


    Jake pulls out a chair, grimacing. Whatever it is must be important. We might be twins, but Jake is the


    silent type. He isn’t


    extroverted and flirtatious like me and


    usually has trouble expressing himself.


    I curiously watch Jake’s face as he folds his


    hands over the table. He looks concentrated and conflicted. It sets my twin senses in full motion, and I


    bring his te to the table.


    “Eat and tell me what is wrong.”


    He lifts his eyes,ughing. “How the fuck do you just know when something is up? It’s


    creepy.”


    I shrug. “I’m your big brother, and we just


    know.”


    “Dude, you are like one minute older than


    me.”


    I grin. “It still counts, baby brother.” I emphasize the word “baby” and try not tough too hard when Jake


    res at me.


    “You’re lucky that you’re my brother…”


    “Oh?” I pick up my coffee cup, smiling from the back of it. This is what I’m good at, using my teasing


    personality to make other people feel better. Jake is smiling now, but I can do better than that. “Are you


    saying you will beat my ass if I wasn’t? Because I could take


    you.”


    Jakeughs, and it feels like an achievement. Making other people smile is a huge part of who I am. I’ve


    always seen myself as the ” middle” child in the family despite Jake being my twin, and I’ve heard the


    child in the middle usually turns out like this.


    “So… about what I wanted to talk about…”


    Jake clears his throat and gazes up into my


    eyes. “The threesome was hot, but…”


    “Yes?” I ask. “Go on.”


    “But Winnie is more than sex for me.”


    My heart sinks. I’ve always suspected Jake had a huge crush on Winnie, but his words. imply that I’m not


    in the same spot. And even though I joke around a lot, I’m not as


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    stupid as I may seem.


    Jake thinks I agreed to the threesome


    because I’m not as serious about Winnie as


    he is. He thinks the threesome was a simple fantasy of mine, which it wasn’t. I like


    Winnie too, but Jake, he…


    He has never been interested in a girl before. Not like this. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen


    Jake with any girl. He usually grunts and grumbles when they dere their love for


    him.


    “And since I know you don’t like her,” Jake continues talking. “Can I ask you toy off? Sorry if it’s a lot,


    but… I’m serious about her.


    I want to ask her, even though it might be a bad idea…”


    My head clears, and I suddenly get angry at my brother’s low self-confidence. “And why the fuck would it


    be a bad idea to ask her out? You’re a catch-Winnie would be lucky to have you!”


    Jake stares down at the table with a sullen.


    expression. “But she isn’t into me,” a bitterugh leaves his lips. “I’ve liked her for


    years, but life is fucking cruel. First, Winnie


    fell for Tobias when we were kids. We watched a Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty, and she tried to make


    Tobias kiss her by pretending to be sleeping on the couch.”


    Iugh. “Oh shit, I remember that! Winnie


    was so cute. She followed Tobias like a tail-


    I remember how devastated she was when


    he calmly told her he was too old for her.”


    “Mhm,” Jake grins, but it falters when he focuses on Winnie again. “And then she fell


    for Nathan… after that, it was Andrew, and


    now when she finally isn’t in love with


    anyone…


    Guilt gnaws at me, and the words are painful to say. “Winnie asks for a threesome with us


    both… shit, I’m sorry, man… I didn’t realize that wasn’t what you wanted… you said yes, but it was for


    her, wasn’t it?”


    Jake nods. “It was for Winnie, but I wonder if she even realized I was a part of the sex? Like fuck, what


    must I do for this woman to


    see me?”


    “You hated the sex?” I ask.


    “No, absolutely not. The threesome was way sexier than I expected it to be. Very spicy.


    But realistically, I’m unsure how to be three


    people in a rtionship. And since you don’t


    like Winnie in that way, I bet it was just sex to you, right?”


    “Yeah, you’re right…” Jake isn’t right, but


    I’m not about to tell him that I also like


    Winnie and take this away from him. He is


    finally admitting to his feelings, and that’s a huge step for my introverted little brother.


    Jake sighs. “Yesterday and this morning were the best of my life. I finally got to touch her, but I needed


    this conversation…”


    “I can tell,” I smile at him. “But for me to stay away from Winnie, you actually have to promise me to ask


    her out. How about you go and wake her with breakfast in bed?” I


    nod at the tray on the kitchen counter. ”


    Bring her that and tell her you made it.”


    Jake smiles. “You sure?”


    I keep my smile because my brother’s happiness is everything to me. Family is


    important, and even if it hurts, I say, “Yeah,


    take it. Go charm thatdy and ask her out,”


    I wink at him. “Remind her of your dick if


    she seems reluctant. She wille around.”


    Jake snorts and shakes his head. “You’re


    unbelievable… I don’t know how you do it…


    “Do what?”


    “How you can be so carefree all the time… I’m fucking jealous.”


    I ster on a smile and shrug. “Beats me…. anyway, the food is getting cold. You might want to serve it


    right now.”


    “Right!”


    Jake takes the tray, and I watch him hurry out of the kitchen. I genuinely hope that he gets the girl.