Read Online What He Really Feels (He Feels Trilogy) by Lisa Suzanne - Free Book Online Page B

her. I was done defending Julianne to my family; that was for sure. Now that I’d backed away from the situation for a minute, now that I’d been with someone else, someone who made my heart beat faster in my chest, someone who allowed me to see past my hurt and anger, I realized an awful lot about the situation that I’d been blinded to because of the pain that Julianne had caused me. “Do you realize what she did to me, Mom?”
    “I know the basics. You really hurt her when you went to talk to Nick.”
    “Why are you defending her? Shouldn’t you be on my side?”
    “T, I taught you to be the bigger man, not to rub your misery in someone else’s face.”
    “She had it coming, mother.”
    “You didn’t need to be the one to tell him. What happened between you and Julianne was between you two. It was up to her to tell him the details.”
    “Mom, I don’t want to discuss this with you.”
    “You need to see her before you leave town.”
    “No, I don’t. She’s the reason I’m leaving. And she doesn’t deserve that closure.”
    She sighed. “I was afraid of that. She really hurt you, didn’t she?” She said it like a statement, not a question.
    “Why don’t you ask Pam?” I said icily.
    “Don’t take that tone with me.”
    I sighed in frustration. “Sorry.”
    “Have you thought about the closure that you might need?” she asked.
    “I’m good, Mom.”
    “No, you’re not.”
    “Yeah, I am. I’m going to San Diego, I’m starting over, and I’m going to be fine.”
    She looked at me with a mixture of pity and sympathy, and it nearly killed me to see that look on her face.
    “Mom, stop. Please.”
    She blinked and the look was gone. “Okay. I love you, T.”
    “I love you, too.”
    “Go play with your nephews. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.”
    I grinned and headed back to the boys, glad to be done with that conversation but at the same time grateful for the loving and supportive family I had been born into.
    My dad grilled steaks, and we had potato salad, broccoli and cheese casserole, and Caesar salad to go with it. It was a fantastic meal capped off with a homemade cheesecake my sister had brought, and I was in heaven. I was really going to miss these Saturday dinners, but more, I was going to miss the time with my family. I vowed to drive into town once in awhile to spend time with them. It was only a six hour drive, and it would be well worth it.
    “We’re going to head to the hospital to see Jamie and meet Hadley. Want to come?” my sister asked me while Wes took care of changing the kids out of their swimsuits and into clothes after dessert. We were standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes after dinner while my parents relaxed out on the patio. It was our deal; they provided us a meal, and we picked up after it. It was only fair.
    My sister scrubbed while I either placed the dishes in the dishwasher or hand dried them.
    I shook my head. “No, thanks.”
    “You sure?” she asked.
    “I’ve got plans tonight. But send my best to Jamie and Brandon. Text me pictures. I’m just not ready to deal with the Beckers at the moment.”
    She nodded. “You’re okay, though?”
    “Yeah. I had a good night last night.”
    She glanced up at me. “New girl?”
    “Don’t be nosy. It’s not becoming.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “ Ew. Not with my sister.”
    “Tell me what happened.”
    “No.”
    She splashed some dishwater at me.
    “I hate you,” I said.
    “I hate you more.”
    This was more like it, the normal banter between my sister and me.
    “I met a girl last night. We had some fun. There’s not much else to tell.”
    “Trav, this is huge.”
    “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. It’s not huge. It’s not some big deal. It was a one-night thing.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    “Because you seem more content today. I haven’t seen you like this since…” She paused, thinking. She handed me another dish. “God, maybe since high school when you