Page 83 of Singled Out

West shrugged. “She’s probably right. It was overdue. But my girls…”

He had six-year-old twins and a three-year-old.

Anxiety tightened in my chest before he could say more, because I knew where he was going.

“They’re heartbroken,” West said.

At their ages, those girls would bond readily with any woman West moved in, at least the first time. They’d just had a dose of the same lesson I’d learned as a kid. Same lesson my cousin Jamie had learned. Sometimes people you loved left for good. April might’ve only been there for eight or nine months, but for those little girls, that was an eternity.

“Damn,” Ben said. “That’s rough.”

West crossed his hands in front of his mouth, and his eyes watered as he tried to regain his composure.

“I’m sorry, man,” Luke said. “That’s gotta make it hurt double.”

“Quadruple,” West said. “Once for each of us. I might be more upset on my girls’ behalf than my own. Which says a lot about where our relationship was.”

“In all the years since Erin died, I’ve never introduced a woman to Sam,” Chance said. “I never want her to hurt like that again. There were times when I didn’t think we’d get through her mom’s death.”

“Yeah.” Ben nodded. His wife had also died too young.

“April loved those girls from the first time she met them,” West said. “I didn’t think it’d end up like this.”

“Maybe she’ll still want to see the girls?” Luke asked. He was coming from a unique spot among us. He and Addie’s mom were on good terms. Not romantic and never married, but cooperating when it came to parenting. Jessie was full-time military, so Luke having custody worked for both of them. But he didn’t have experience with losing a parent or a spouse.

“I don’t know if I want her seeing the girls,” West said. He sat up straighter. “Hell, I don’t know much of anything other than I hate that my daughters’ hearts hurt because I made a mistake and trusted the wrong person.”

My mouth had gone dry, and my throat was clogged with emotion. Because that was exactly one of my biggest fears with Danny. He’d already lost his biological parents. I never wanted him to experience a loss like that again.

“You didn’t know she was the wrong person,” Ben said. “You need to cut yourself some slack.”

“You’d never do anything to hurt your girls on purpose,” Luke said.

“And yet they got their hearts crushed anyway.” West shook his head. “Fuck, guys. I’m sorry to bring the party down.”

“No need to apologize,” Chance said. “We get it like no one else gets it.”

I got it so fucking much I hadn’t been able to say anything at all. I tipped my beer back and poured some of the cold liquid down my throat, barely tasting it but appreciating the coolness.

“The biggest bitch of it all?” West said. “We hadn’t even had sex for weeks.”

“Ouch,” Chance said.

“I miss sex,” Luke said.

“Who doesn’t?” Chance said with a laugh.

I felt Ben’s weighted stare on me and tried to ignore it.

“I suspect Max might not,” he said, grinning.

Everyone’s attention turned to me, and I flipped Ben the bird.

“You got a girlfriend you forgot to tell us about?” Chance asked.

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” I said. “You asshole. I caught your fucking llama for you.”

“That’s what the whiskey’s for,” Ben said.