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“Makes sense,” Darcy said

“You haven’t heard the bad part yet”

“Oh, sorry, continue”

“He’d come all the way from Ireland to see Gavin Turns out their dad is sick Like, death’s door sick after years of drinking and drug abuse, and Gavin is down as the next of kin They won’t listen to the other brothers, and Gavin is screening his youngest brother's calls Apparently, he had a rough childhood in a really, really bad part of Belfast”

“Wow,” Darcy said and blew out a breath

“I know, right?”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure I think I love him” I sed down a sob “Or I’m at least totally infatuated—”

“Oh, love schmove It’s too early to think about the L word! Hoas the sex?” Darcy asked, ever so practical

I gave a watery laugh

“Earthshakingly a, but that’s not the point I mean, it’s a factor, but I don’t really knoho he is I thought I was getting to that point, but if he could hide a ? Does he do drugs too? Was he violent? Iscars It looks like he’s been stabbed at least twice”

“Hard core!” Darcy said, sounding thoroughly impressed

“Yeah, I suppose, but I’ for”

“Guess not You went through enough with he-who-shall-not-be-named”

“Not quite the sah but would run away if you shouted boo,” I pointed out “I would be fine with Gavin andvery different pasts, and even fine with hi up about it until I found out froiven that we really only just met and are just in this dumb fake relationship—”

“A fake relationship with very real hot sex,” Darcy interrupted

“Right But the thing is that we kind of had aonhio to therapy for, and he said there wasn’t”

“Well, what guy is going to admit that?” she pointed out “Plus, he probably knows he needs it but doesn’t want to even admit it to himself, let alone you”