I let him in, but he stops right next to me, wraps his arm around my waist, and cups my cheek. He pushes my chin up with his thumb and then lightly kisses my lips. The press of his familiar mouth and the grip of his comforting hold reinforce why I have feelings for him. Because he’s everything Matt was not.

When he pulls away, he whispers, “Missed those lips.” Then he walks into the living room, and I shut the door behind him. He takes a seat on the couch, and I grab my phone off the coffee table.

“Just one second.” I hold up my finger.

“Do what you need to do, Pips.” He drapes his arms over the back of the couch. “I’m just going to get comfortable.”

“Okay,” I say and then move to the back of my apartment and into my tiny closet that is stifling hot, but I don’t care, because I need privacy. I click on my group FaceTime with Denise and Mika and wait impatiently for them to pick up.

Denise is the first one to answer. She’s eating a peach and cleaning her makeup brushes. “Where are you?” she asks.

“In my closet,” I answer as Mika picks up as well. He’s wearing his earbuds, and he’s walking down the street, probably on his way to work.

“What’s going on? Why is it so dark where you are?”

“Listen,” I whisper in my closet. “I don’t have much time, so I need to be quick about this. Wilder is in my living room.”

“Then why the hell are you in your closet?” Denise asks.

“Is that where you are? What is that paisley fabric next to your face? Ma’am, that’s a no from me.”

“Please, can we not do this right now? I need some advice.”

“If it’s if you should go out with my brother, the answer is yes,” Mika says.

“I agree,” Denise says. “Is that it? Did we solve the problem?”

I mean…sort of…

“There’s more to it than that,” I say.

“Okay, then what’s the problem?” Mika asks. “Because as far as I know, he’s the greatest guy you will ever meet.”

“I can vouch for that. Derek has had him over a few times, and he’s a really stand-up guy. Super respectful and always helpful.”

“I know that,” I say.

“Okay, so once again, what’s the problem?”

“Yeah, because I don’t really see one. The guy is hot, he’s rich, he has an upstanding personality, and we know if he’s there, his intentions are pure, because he’s not going to do anything that hurts his brother’s best friend. We all know how much he cherishes his brother. Therefore, he would never do anything to hurt him.”

“Very poignant, Denise,” Mika says as a car honks in the background.

“Thank you.”