Free United Eden by Nicole Williams

the Council to read.
    What . . . I whispered, letting what hed just said sink in. Are you saying what I think you are?
    If it involves you and Wil iam getting it on while I lie alone crying myself to sleep every night, then yes.
    This was too much information to take in within ten minutes time. Everything had changed between Patrick and me and I wasnt sure if we could ever get back to where wed been. But what about you?
    Il be alright. I always am, he shrugged it off, but I could see he was touched by my concern. Unfortunately, Id been concerned about something else.
    Your eyes, I said reviewing the pale color. I think someone would notice if mine changed and yours didnt.
    Il figure something out, he said. Ive got everything figured out. I dont want you to worry about anything, okay? He placed his arms around me and gave me a quick hug. Your last name wil be Hayward, you can be with Wil iam every minute of every day if you want. His face turned a few shades of red. And every night for that matter.
    For al the digs I made at Patrick, Id always known he was a good man. Whereas Wil iam wore his goodness on top of his skin, Patrick wore his beneath, but Id never doubted it, even when wed been at our worst after Id left Wil iam in my efforts to protect him. But now, after confessing the sacrifice he was wil ing to make for Wil iam and me to be together, I realized Id severely underestimated just how deep his goodness ran.
    Youd do that for him? My voice broke, but I wasnt embarrassed to let Patrick see the emotions hed invoked in me. He deserved to see me in my raw form.
    He nodded once, staring into my eyes. And for you.
    I didnt verbalize it, but the why was written on every wrinkle of my expression.
    Because I love my brother more than I love myself and I have that nauseating ˜Id do anything just to see you smile kind of love for you. He rol ed his eyes to lighten the mood, but my guess was it had more to do with keeping the glassiness in his eyes from spil ing over. Who would have guessed Id turn into such a romantic, right? Or an insufferable martyr?
    I might have, I said, stil feeling like I hadnt caught up to the conversation yet. In his own twisted, thoughtful way, Patrick had managed to make whatever outcome came from tonight bearable. Even a Betrothal to him meant being with Wil iam. It was a win-win, although things would be infinitely simpler if it was Wil iams name paired with mine. Things like living in the house Wil iam had built for us, family dinners, holidays, Al iance functions, leaving everything and everyone behind for some far-off place, but al that aside, Patrick had given me Wil iam no matter what. Thats al that mattered anyways. Wed work out the details as we always did, on the fly.
    I dont know what to say . . . I bit my lip, not having the first idea how to go about thanking someone for such a gift as Patrick had given me.
    Dont say anything. Besides, Im kinda digging this state of confoundedness youre lost in. He grinned. Its nice youve final y decided to stay quiet and listen now that Im done saying what I need to.
    I was thankful Patrick was able to diffuse the moment with his sarcasm. Does Wil iam know?
    Patricks head tilted. Is my head stil firmly attached to my neck?
    At present, I said, keeping my smile from forming.
    Precisely. Do you think it would be if I told him I was in love with his girl? It was a rhetorical question, but those were the fun ones to answer since no one ever expected a response.
    Heck no, I said, not sure why I was able to conjure up a laugh after everything that had transpired between Patrick and me, but Im sure it had something to do with Patricks easy-going way. He approached everything like it was no big deal, nothing to get al worked up over, professing love to his brothers woman included. So what now?
    I asked, sure he had something in mind.
    He spread his arms wide. We hug it out.
    I went into his arms, wrapping my own around him and squeezing into a ful -blown bear