The Mix-Up (Southern Hearts Club #3) - Melanie Munton Page 0,94

finally know my parents.

One week.

It’s been one week since my blowup with Ryder in his office.

Yesterday was my first day back after my “sick” leave, but I didn’t tell anyone except Regina, and she’s sworn to secrecy. I’ve been working in the focus group viewing room because I’m still building up the nerve to face Ryder and say what I need to say. He was out of town yesterday anyway, but today I have no excuse. Despite the nausea churning in my stomach, today is the day I lay it all out for him.

I’m sure of my decision. I am. But this is a huge step for me, and I’m not entirely sure how he’ll react.

The door to the focus group room suddenly swings open, drawing my attention to the two-way mirror in front of me.

Myles? What’s he doing—

“Get in here,” he commands in a curt voice. “I need to talk to you.”

Ryder follows him into the room and closes the door.

Damn, he looks good. But tired. There are dark circles under his eyes, and it looks like he hasn’t shaved in three days.

“What is it?” Ryder grates out. “I have an office we can talk in, you know.”

“I prefer neutral territory for this, if you don’t mind.”

Ryder’s laugh is gritty. “I wouldn’t call this neutral. I own this entire floor.”

Myles props his hands on his hips, his expression serious. “When was the last time you spoke to Gretchen?”

My eyebrows reach my hairline.

Myles dragged him in there to talk about me?

Ryder’s face darkens. “Why the hell are you asking? It’s none of your business.”

“Isn’t it?” Myles takes a step toward his brother. “I told you what I would do if you screwed things up with her. She hasn’t been to work all week, and she’s refusing to speak to you. Sounds to me like you blew your shot.”

Ryder rises to his full height and meets Myles chest-to-chest. I’ve never seen that level of fury on his face. “Don’t even fucking think about it. Do you hear me? Stay away from her.”

“Why should I? She’s a beautiful, smart, funny woman. I told you that I’d back off and give you time with her. But I also gave you fair warning that if you struck out, I’d pick my bat back up.” He shrugs. “Looks like I’m stepping up to the plate.”

“The fuck you are,” Ryder snarls. “The only reason she even gave you a second of her time is because you look like me.”

Myles snorts, shaking his head. “No, bro, that’s why she said yes to a date. Trust me, she would have said yes to a lot more if I’d had more time.”

Oh, is that so?

My blood boils with anger. These Colson brothers are too damn cocky for their own damn good.

Ryder shoves Myles, hard. “You really think you have a shot with her? After all the lies you told? She thinks it was you that night!”

My mouth falls open.

Yeah, I’m going to need him to repeat that. Did I just hear him say—

“You’re damn right she does!” Myles shouts back. “Because you didn’t have the balls to speak up and tell her it was you she screwed a year ago!”

I.

Knew.

It.

Motherfudging knew it.

At least, I was pretty sure up until now. I just couldn’t work out all the specifics. But it had to have been Ryder that night. Frankly, nothing else makes sense. No two men are that similar in bed. Same facial expressions. Same phrases groaned while they’re in the throes of passion. It’s just not possible, twins or no twins. But it was what Ryder said the first night in New York that really tipped me off.

Somehow, I’m going to find a way to make you mine.

He said the exact same thing the first night we met.

I may have been tipsy that night, but I distinctly recall him whispering those words to me as we were falling asleep. Because the seriousness in his voice jarred me so violently. I remember convincing myself that I heard him wrong, that he couldn’t possibly have meant it after only just meeting me. He was surely drunk and didn’t realize what he was saying.

But it definitely happened.

I really did sleep with my boss a year ago.

It really was Ryder, not his twin brother. I never had sex with Myles.

And both of these bastards lied to me about it.

“You had ten months to come clean with her before I showed up, but you didn’t,” Myles spits out. “So, yeah. You’re goddamn right I