Ollie dropped me off about a mile from the Thomas's house, which I was fine with. I'd rather show up by myself then potentially be spotted with him getting out of the car by people with cameras.

And sure enough, there is a small grouping of people wondering around outside with their cameras.

When I get inside the house, I know Ollie is already there. And by the loud boisterous male voices echoing down the hall I know Ty is here as well.

"Is that her! Mur!" I hear everyone stop talking as I shut the door behind me. When I turn I'm snatched up into the best hug ever and whirled around, "I fucking missed you, you little shit!" Ty squeezes me nearly popping me like a balloon.

"I missed you too!" The tension in my body and everything else weighing on me disappears in a second with him in my presence.

He set me to my feet and I look up...up...and up at his face.

"Oh my god! How are you still growing!" I ask beaming up at his handsome face.

"No clue, I can tell you it's not the McDonalds I eat every day." He shrugs pulling me back in to his massive body. He's taller than Ollie, and Ollie is tall. He's also built like a tank. The muscles aren't new but now with the height he just looks like a giant.

"You know your mum taught you to cook, Tyson. You best start using it before that skill is gone." George appears in the hallway along with everyone else, including Ollie.

"Nah, I'm getting plenty to eat." He wiggles his brows at his family and they groan in disgust, but I'm lost on the metaphore. "Come on, then. I want some time alone with you since someone else has been hoarding you all weekend." He throws Ollie a mischievous smile, causing my heart to drop. However, these brothers bicker constantly so I know the secrets of this weekend are safely between only Ollie and I.

"Don't be too long you two, I want to hear about Cornwall." Jane chimes sweetly.

"Mum, stop." I hear Ollie scold as Ty and I head up the stairs and go into his room.

His room is clean but cluttered with football memorabilia everywhere, "So spill. What's going on in that mind of yours?" Ty launches himself on his bed, practically breaking it in the process,  while I take a seat on a glider chair set up in front of a large flatscreen.

"Besides that my dad is driving me insane? He actually called me and told me he was canceling my cellphone line and putting a hold on the trust fund until I came back to New York."

"Bloody wanker. If you ask me he should be kissing your arse after what he did."

"I honestly just want him to leave me alone. I've got plenty of money to live off of just fine, especially if I don't have to pay rent in New York."

"You and Jeremy aren't getting back together, then?" Ty leans up onto his elbows and glances towards his door with wide eyes.

"No. He cheated and...and I don't think we were even very good together." Now, I can see we were absolutely horrible together. My palms begin to sweat and my chest twists as realization builds inside.

"Really? We all thought you two were getting engaged soon? I mean, he is boring as fuck, but an alright bloke."

I snort a laugh and let out a sigh. "How did I get here, Ty?"

"Well first Dad was a cheating bastard then you hopped a pl-."

"Yeah, I know you smarty-pants." I laugh again. Everything is just better with Ty around.

"Soooo, Mur, how was the weekend in Cornwall?"

I can not tell Ty about what's happened with Ollie or the activities that took place... he'd be understanding no doubt and actually give me good advice instead of fuck it. But, I can't face it. When I admit it outloud it'll complicate everything.

"It was fine." I shrug.

Ty tilts his head to the side and attempts to hide a smile behind his shapely lips waiting for me to divulge more.

I shrug and keep eye contact knowing he can nearly read my mind, so if I break eye contact he's going to know I'm hiding something.

"Fine?" He presses not blinking.

"Fine." I agree shrugging again.

His brows furrow and he glances to his door with a look of confusion, "Nothing happened...Ollie didn't...it was just fine?"

"Yup." I'm not sure what he's eluding to but it's...making me nervous.

"You're...okay..." He laughs awkwardly then sucks on his lips again considering something for a moment, "He didn't...tell you something? Or do anything...weird?"

My face heats, and I know I'm turning bright red. His eyes spot the blood rushing to my face and chest and his eyes go wide, "Holy fuck! You little liar!"

I've been busted so I just drop my head against the back of the chair I'm in.

"He did tell you!" Ty smiles wide and sits on the edge of his bed.

I snap my head up glaring at him, "You knew?"

Ty laughs and rolls his eyes, "Everyone fucking knows. Well accept Maggie."

Everyone knows? How is it I'm the only one who had no clue? Am I really that clueless I didn't see it?

"What the heck, Ty? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he would have kicked my scrawny arse back in the day. And now, I want you to to be together so I wasn't going to ruin his chances by telling you."

I'm officially stunned.

My mind whizzes all around trying to remember moments I should have seen with Ollie growing up and now trying to understand Ty wants me to be with him.

"I don't want to be with Oliver." Okay...I'm lying but if I say this outloud multiple times maybe it'll start to sink into my thick skull. "He's impulsive and selfish and always gets what he wants, this weekend just proves all he thinks about is himself."

"Hell, that's harsh, Mur."

"Well it's true. He knows I'm lost right now, but he throws all this ontop of me? I'm being stretched so thin right now, Ty. I need to sort myself out before I can even think about considering Ollie as more than just a friend."

"But you're open to it?" He makes a snyde face that would have me giggling if the topic wasn't stressing me out.

"No. I'm not." Again, I think I'm lying, but it needs to be said.

"Mur, you are so infuriating." Ty drops his head in his hands and runs his fingers over the short buzz of his cropped dark hair. "I don't know how Ollie hasn't snapped on you, I really don't."

"Wow, thanks, Ty."

"You get in your own way. Sure my brother is sometimes self-centered but he l- errm, he'd do anything for you."

"Okay, then he can back off." I shrug spewing even more lies.

Since when did I become such a liar?

Besides the point of my sudden drop in character and morals I straighten my spine and stand from the chair, "I need to get my head screwed on straight. I've never been single before and I think this will be...good for me."

Ty stands from the bed and huffs a long breath, hooking his huge arm around my neck pulling me under the nook of his arm, "I reckon you'll be an amazing Wing woman."

🦋🦋

Ty and I head to the back garden where the Thomas clan is lounging and chatting with each other under the shade of a large patio umbrella.

I avoid Ollie's gaze and stick to Ty's side. He pulls up a wrought iron chair and cracks a beer from a nearby cooler.

"How's the barn, going Olls?" George asks Ollie who I feel staring at me but I ignore the burning on my face and take a seat on the end of the chaise lounger Jane is on, remaining close to Ty.

"Good. It's going well. I thought I'd have the roof finished this weekend but got a little distracted."

I tense every muscle from my head to my toes and throw him a look silently telling him to shut up. His lips twitch into a crooked grin from my obvious panic.

"I'm sure you'll have it finished soon, son. Good work, regardless." George clinks his wine glass against Ollie's beer bottle.

"Cheers, dad." He presses the bottle to his lips and keeps his green eyes focused on me while I become even more unnerved.

"What did you think of all the work Ollie's done, Muriel?" Jane asks me adjusting her large sun hat on her head.

"Um, good. I didn't know he was so handy." I smile at her squinting under the bright sun.

"This weekend was a real eye-opener for you, wasn't it Murry?" Ollie smiles and tilts his head while I'm melting in my chair afraid of what the heck else is going to come out of his mouth.

"Really? Did he show you the gazebo he built down by the pond?" Maggie asks flipping through a fashion Magazine oblivious to the hidden connotations of the current conversation.

"Um, no-." I say nervously but Ollie interupts me.

"I showed her lots of things, I reckon she fancied them all."

I deliberately glare at him while the others stop what their doing and watch what's going on between what he's saying and what I'm not.

I pin him with my eyes warning him to drop this little game. I don't know why he's being such a jerk right now, well actually I'm lying again. I know exactly why he's being a jerk.

If it wasn't so awkward I'd get up and leave, but getting up and leaving will show everyone he's getting to me and therefore elude to the fact that something happened this weekend.

"Ain't that right, Murry?" He takes another slow drink from his long neck beer bottle and everyone's eyes land on me.

My cheeks burn but I try to remain unbothered, "The barn and everything looked very nice. Good job, Oliver."

"Just tell him to shove it." Ty says next to me.

"Oh shut it, Ty. Are you ever going to stop kissing her arse." Ollie barks.

George, Jane, and Maggie gasp and look at each other confused.

"What am I missing?" Maggie chimes with a wicked smile.

"Nothing." I say quickly and stand from the chair, "Excuse me, everyone." I need to get the heck out of there before everything gets spilled out for everyone to see leaving me horrified with embarrassment.

I get inside shutting the glass door behind me taking a deep needed breath after that.

"What a jerk."

I glance over my shoulder and gasp when Ollie's reaching for the back door.

Shit!

I twist the dead bolt above the door handle just as he's pulling it, locking it before he can successfully open it. He chuckles, but his green eyes are anything but happy. "Open the door." He says, his voice muffled by the plane of glass between us.

I shake my head and watch as he sets his beer down and reaches for where I know they keep a hideaway key.

"You're screwed when I get in there." I hear him say.

I'm filled with something like excitement or fright, I don't know what it is, and I don't have time to figure it out while he's sticking the key in the door. So I spin and sprint right for the front door knowing he won't come out the front with those cameras out there.

"Murry!" He yells behind me as I reach the front door and throw it open quickly. "Don't!"

I glance at him over my shoulder but step outside turning to face him knowing he sees the cameras across the street.

"Please come back inside." He says remaining back in the foyer hidden from the outside.

I shake my head again and turn ignoring him calling for me again.
______________________________________

Oh!

Short chapter for today!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

CC