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“It should be easier by now, shouldn’t it?”

“What?” I asked gently

He spoke the next word so softly that if I hadn’t been leaning across the table, I definitely wouldn’t have heard him

“Choosing”

With any other person, the single ould have been their way of conveying that there was too much on theat all

Iinside ofa choice hurt so fucking much?

And he was in pain

With his back hunched and his fingers biting into the cera, Aleks looked so damn broken

But I kneas anything but

The fact that he was sitting there with me was proof of that

I alht it would be easier for hiht myself in time “Tell me about breakfast at home,” I said instead

“What?” Aleks asked in surprise

“What are breakfasts like at home with your brother and his boyfriend?”

“Fiancé,” Aleks automatically corrected

“Dante and Magnus are engaged?” I asked, relieved at the opportunity to momentarily take Aleks’s mind off the topic at hand

“Magnus asked Dante about a month after…” Aleks’s voice dropped off

“After you came home?” I asked

“Yeah,” Aleks whispered “Dante was so surprised when Magnus asked, he said no,” Aleks said, a rare s on his lips He pulled in a breath and I saw the sheen of tears start to fade “He said yes about two nus first Told him that he was crazy and it was too soon”

“What did Magnus say to that?” I asked as I took a sip of my coffee

“Nothing He just asked hiain”