other.
"Damn, Darkwater. I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was a fling. It's over. What's there to talk about?"
"You're just going to let her walk away without making an effort to win her back?"
I inhaled slowly. "Why do you assume she ended it? How do you know it wasn't a mutual decision or that I didn't end it?"
"The few times I saw you two together, I saw how you looked at her. And just now when you said it was over the tone in your voice…Besides…"
I waited for him to point out that I'd never asked him to make sure any other woman was okay after a breakup. He didn't, but I knew him well enough to know he wanted to mention that fact.
"You know what Dad used to say, Darkwater. A burden or pain shared is one easier to bear."
"Who said anything about pain?"
"You sound as if the breakup might be painful for you. Are you sure you don't want to talk?"
"Since when do we discuss flings, Michael?"
"If all you were interested in was a fling, why start one with Am's best friend when we all agreed dating the girls' friends was a bad idea."
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I said.
"You really sound like you need to talk."
"I don't. I've already told you what I need from you."
"Okay. I'll go see her."
"Thanks," I said and hung up before he could ask any more questions I didn't want to answer. Three hours later, I was drowning my remaining sorrows and regrets in the arms of a pretty, passionate woman with smooth dark skin not unlike Sherlyn's. Despite what Am and Michael clearly thought, I didn't need or want to talk. I might need a little time, but yeah. I was going to be more than all right. I was going to be fine. Really.
* * *
Sherlyn
My bell rang just after I'd given up trying to force myself to eat. I really didn't want to see anyone, but I answered anyway, thinking it was Am or Janine. Instead, I saw a tall, dark haired male who bore a striking resemblance to Darkwater standing in my apartment lobby.
I frowned. Was this Michael or Jeffrey? I'd never been able to tell either of the two sets of Darkwater twins apart. "Yes?"
He smiled into the lobby camera. "Hi, Sherlyn. Sorry to drop by unannounced but I wondered if I can see you for a few minutes."
I had a moment of fear when I wondered why Darkwater's brother was in my lobby. Then I calmed my nerves. If anything had happened to him, it would be Amber bringing me bad news.
"Sure," I said and buzzed him in.
Ten minutes later, I opened my apartment door to him.
He smiled. "In case you're wondering, I'm Michael."
I smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Michael. Can I get you anything? A drink or a cup of coffee?"
"No. I'm fine. I won't take much of your time."
"This is a surprise," I said. Like Darkwater, Michael and his brothers had visited once after Don's death to offer their condolences. Unlike Thomas, the other four Darkwater brothers called several times after the funeral to see if I needed anything. Once I assured them I would be all right, I hadn't seen them again except at an occasional Darkwater family function.
He leaned against the closed door. "I won't take up much of your time. I'm here because Thomas asked me to come and make sure you were all right."
I wasn't quite yet, but I would be. I nodded. "I am. Thanks."
"If there's anything you need, please feel free to call me or Jeffery."
"Thanks."
He hesitated and sighed. "I know it probably doesn't mean much, but he regrets hurting you."
Actually, fool that I was, I was touched that he'd asked his brother to visit me. "Tell him I accept his apology and I'm okay."
"That will mean a lot to him."
Like Am, he was vastly overstating my importance to Darkwater.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Sherlyn?"
"No, but I appreciate the offer."
He took two cards from his breast pocket and handed them to me. "Here's my and Jeffery's numbers. Call either of us if there's something you need that we can do."
I took the cards but didn't foresee calling either one of
"Damn, Darkwater. I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was a fling. It's over. What's there to talk about?"
"You're just going to let her walk away without making an effort to win her back?"
I inhaled slowly. "Why do you assume she ended it? How do you know it wasn't a mutual decision or that I didn't end it?"
"The few times I saw you two together, I saw how you looked at her. And just now when you said it was over the tone in your voice…Besides…"
I waited for him to point out that I'd never asked him to make sure any other woman was okay after a breakup. He didn't, but I knew him well enough to know he wanted to mention that fact.
"You know what Dad used to say, Darkwater. A burden or pain shared is one easier to bear."
"Who said anything about pain?"
"You sound as if the breakup might be painful for you. Are you sure you don't want to talk?"
"Since when do we discuss flings, Michael?"
"If all you were interested in was a fling, why start one with Am's best friend when we all agreed dating the girls' friends was a bad idea."
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I said.
"You really sound like you need to talk."
"I don't. I've already told you what I need from you."
"Okay. I'll go see her."
"Thanks," I said and hung up before he could ask any more questions I didn't want to answer. Three hours later, I was drowning my remaining sorrows and regrets in the arms of a pretty, passionate woman with smooth dark skin not unlike Sherlyn's. Despite what Am and Michael clearly thought, I didn't need or want to talk. I might need a little time, but yeah. I was going to be more than all right. I was going to be fine. Really.
* * *
Sherlyn
My bell rang just after I'd given up trying to force myself to eat. I really didn't want to see anyone, but I answered anyway, thinking it was Am or Janine. Instead, I saw a tall, dark haired male who bore a striking resemblance to Darkwater standing in my apartment lobby.
I frowned. Was this Michael or Jeffrey? I'd never been able to tell either of the two sets of Darkwater twins apart. "Yes?"
He smiled into the lobby camera. "Hi, Sherlyn. Sorry to drop by unannounced but I wondered if I can see you for a few minutes."
I had a moment of fear when I wondered why Darkwater's brother was in my lobby. Then I calmed my nerves. If anything had happened to him, it would be Amber bringing me bad news.
"Sure," I said and buzzed him in.
Ten minutes later, I opened my apartment door to him.
He smiled. "In case you're wondering, I'm Michael."
I smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Michael. Can I get you anything? A drink or a cup of coffee?"
"No. I'm fine. I won't take much of your time."
"This is a surprise," I said. Like Darkwater, Michael and his brothers had visited once after Don's death to offer their condolences. Unlike Thomas, the other four Darkwater brothers called several times after the funeral to see if I needed anything. Once I assured them I would be all right, I hadn't seen them again except at an occasional Darkwater family function.
He leaned against the closed door. "I won't take up much of your time. I'm here because Thomas asked me to come and make sure you were all right."
I wasn't quite yet, but I would be. I nodded. "I am. Thanks."
"If there's anything you need, please feel free to call me or Jeffery."
"Thanks."
He hesitated and sighed. "I know it probably doesn't mean much, but he regrets hurting you."
Actually, fool that I was, I was touched that he'd asked his brother to visit me. "Tell him I accept his apology and I'm okay."
"That will mean a lot to him."
Like Am, he was vastly overstating my importance to Darkwater.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Sherlyn?"
"No, but I appreciate the offer."
He took two cards from his breast pocket and handed them to me. "Here's my and Jeffery's numbers. Call either of us if there's something you need that we can do."
I took the cards but didn't foresee calling either one of
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