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just as much a part of this family as he is. Don’t start feeling guilty. He’s the one who broke up with you.”
    Oh God, I feel the knife twisting and turning, and I feel the grief bubbling up from the pit of my stomach. I don’t think I’m going to be able to hold it in.
    “I know, what about you two alternating Sundays? You can come one Sunday, and then Max can come the Sunday after that, kind of like child custody,” he says delivering the final twist.
    That was it. There was no more trying to control it. I tried to think of the babies in the nursery to sooth my aching heart, but it didn’t work. I let go of the pent up emotion I’ve been holding in for the past few days. I had no control of the sounds or sobs that escaped my lips or my soul.
    “What did you say to her, you big hairy ape?” Ava asks coming out to the porch.
    “What? I don’t know, we were just talking, I didn’t say anything bad. I was just trying to comfort her about Max,” he says.
    “You were talking to her about Max? What are you, an idiot? Get out of my way,” she says and pushes him off the step.
    “Now look what you did, you dill wagon,” Asher says and slaps him upside the head.
    “I didn’t say anything!” he insists.
    Ava ended up taking me home. It wasn’t Adrian’s fault. There’s just too much going on, and I can’t deal with it all. I locked myself in my room for a few hours, and then after I knew Ava was asleep, I snuck out and went to Deuce’s. I take a seat at the bar and before I could even take my purse off my shoulder, Savvy slips a club soda in front of me.
    “You look like shit, what happened?” she asks. Leave it to Savvy to be blunt and say it like she sees it.
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” I say and just like the lonely men sitting next to me, I stare into the depths of my glass hoping to see a reason, a purpose to go on.
     
    Max
    When Levi called and told me that Chloe had a breakdown on the steps at the Wellington house, my heart sank. She’s not taking this breakup well at all. I honestly knew that she wouldn’t, but this really doesn’t look good. She’s been through too much. She’s had to deal with way too much and to add me breaking up with her may just push her over the edge. I give Levi the rest of the night off, and I park my Explorer outside her condo. When I see her leave at midnight, I knew this was much worse than I thought. I followed her to Deuce’s and waited across the street. I’m fucking pissed that she’s coming to a place like this. At two in the morning, her and Savvy finally walk out of the bar. I watch Savvy put her in her car and my blood boils. She’s been drinking for two hours, and Savvy’s letting her get behind the wheel of her fucking car to drive home. What the fuck is she thinking?
    I call Chase and order him to my location, and then to follow Chloe home. I need to know that she made it home safe. I’d do it myself, but Savvy and I need to have a few words. Chase is only a few miles away and tails Chloe home. I get out of my truck and storm in the bar.
    “Sorry, we’re closed sugar,” she says, not even looking to see who’s just come into the bar.
    “What the fuck were you thinking letting her drive home? She’s been here for two fucking hours drinking. Are you out of your fucking mind?” I yell at her.
    “Do you really think I’m that irresponsible? Not that it’s any of your business, but all she drinks is club soda,” she says stunning me silent. Well, that’s a good thing. I’m glad she’s not drowning her sorrows in a fifth of vodka.
    “Then what does she do here for hours?” I ask confused.
    “Is it really so hard to believe that I’m an interesting person, and that just maybe she’s coming here to talk to me,” she whirls around and spits out angrily.
    “What the fuck?” is all I can say to that. She has her twin brother and Ava and the rest of the Wellington family, not to mention her parents. Why is she talking to a