try to snap myself out of this mindfuck I’ve gotten myself in.
When I’m on my way back up, I run into Dean on the steps.
“Having a good time?” Dean eyes me up and down.
I purse my lips and nod. “Yeah sure, and Happy Birthday, by the way.”
Dean laughs and shakes his head. “Not really the point of tonight, but I get why you, of all people, would choose not to notice that.”
My brows furrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Something tells me you’re not the marrying type, Doc,” Dean says as he walks down the three steps separating us so we’re on the same level.
I narrow my eyes. “I really don’t know why you think you know me so fucking well, but it’s starting to get on my nerves.”
Dean shrugs. “I know that you’ve had Lynsey under your roof for months now, and you guys are still just what…fucking?”
I bristle at the fact he knows about our situation. It exposes and irritates me because I’d rather Lynsey not confide in Dean about anything pertaining to us. Dean isn’t in my corner, so I’m sure he’s doing everything he can to get her away from me.
I exhale and level him with a glower. “My situation with Lynsey is of no concern to you.”
Dean shakes his head. “Everything pertaining to one of my best friends concerns me.”
“What the fuck do you want from me, Dean?” My temper boils over. This douchebag has been eyeballing me all night. At this point, I should just knock him out so we can stop this stupid dance. “I really don’t enjoy these little face-offs you seem hell-bent on every time we see each other.”
Dean props himself against the wall and slides his hands into his pockets. “I just want to give you some friendly advice, Doc.”
“Friendly advice.” I give a dry laugh. “I can’t wait to hear this.”
“Maybe advice is the wrong word.” Dean rubs his bearded chin and looks up before saying, “Perhaps I should say a word of warning.”
I roll my eyes and wait for this discussion to fucking end.
He pins me with a serious look as he says, “If it’s not going to be you, it’s going to be someone else.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I grind out through clenched teeth.
“A girl like Lynsey won’t stay single forever, man,” he says, shrugging like he’s talking about the weather. “She was raised Catholic. She wants a traditional family, not a baby daddy she lives with for the rest of her life. And if you won’t give that to her, it’s only a matter of time before someone else will. Hell, I’d marry her if she’d have me.”
“She won’t have you,” I growl, my hands balling into fists at just the idea of Dean and her together.
“You’re right.” Dean’s brows lift, and he takes a step closer to me. “She won’t have me because she’s not in love with me. But you do fucking realize she’s in love with you, right?”
I jerk backward, nearly tripping down a step as I process the words. “What are you talking about?”
Dean laughs and grips the back of his neck. “Max said you were oblivious, but I thought he was just protecting you. I figured you were just a dick and ignoring the fact she’s head over heels in love with you. That you were just going to continue to string her along so you can keep control of her and the baby. Max also says you’re kind of obsessed about their safety.”
I swallow the knot in my throat because everything he’s saying sounds dangerously close to the truth, and the sensation is like he’s pushing his finger into a painful bruise.
“I care about Lynsey,” I grind out, the words like chunks of glass in my throat.
Dean nods and gets a somber look on his face. “Then you’d better do right by her because at this point, I shouldn’t be the one to catch her if she falls.”
I need to marry Lynsey Jones.
She sleeps beside me. The morning sun is just beginning to stream through the windows, illuminating her beautiful features.
I’ve been up all night thinking about what Dean said.
Fucking Dean, I grumble, and that ache in my chest returns with a vengeance all over again.
I hate that he called me out like that last night, but he’s fucking right. I could very easily lose Lynsey and the baby if I don’t do something. Lynsey isn’t the type of woman to just let us stay as we are