Ethan Brooks gripped the steering wheel tighter as he drove past the university café. Two weeks. Fourteen days of forcing himself to stay away from Noah, convinced it was the right thing—the only thing—to protect him from the family fallout. But seeing Noah sitting at an outdoor table with another man shattered every noble intention he’d clung to.
The guy was around Noah’s age—lean, smiling, leaning in close as they shared a laptop screen. Noah laughed at something he said, that soft, genuine laugh Ethan had come to crave. Jealousy burned hot in his chest, sharp and unexpected.
He parked across the street, unable to drive away. This is what you wanted, he told himself. Noah moving on. Living without the drama. But the sight made him feel hollow. He had made a terrible mistake.
Later tha
