Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Max walked in to find Andrew looking like a shadow of his former self, just slumped on the couch, staring blankly as if the world around him had ceased to exist.

Meanwhile, Jaired, that goofball, was casually cracking open a beer right next to him.

"Hey, man. It'll be alright. Try to shake it off."

Over the past few days, Jaired had done some digging and discovered that Aubree was now seeing some 18-year-old kid.

Eighteen? Seriously?

Aubree was seven years older than him.

"Andrew, come on, pull yourself together. Even if those two have got something going on, who's to say this Matthew kid won't wake up one day and call it quits? Maybe they're just testing the waters." Andrew's lips quivered, and suddenly, he buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly.

He didn't want Jaired and Max to see him like this.

He felt like he had brought this upon himself.

Jaired glanced over at Max, lost for words.

Max felt helpless too. When it came to affairs of the heart, there was only so much an outsider could do.

He gave Andrew's shoulder a reassuring pat.

Back when Andrew had taken Aubree for granted, Max had a feeling this day would come.

full circle. The pain Aubree felt because of him was now

Max had a good

Aubree, had asked him

had life experience that rivaled someone in

family,

Matthew wouldn't face any pushback from Casey and Pauline. Their love for their son was clear in their willingness to let him choose

And he wasn't someone

side, Andrew had a family that kept butting into his relationship with Aubree. Desiree couldn't stand Aubree, and the rest of the family wasn't

en novelxo

SWI

the wounds his family had caused. Every

only child, Andrew was

to cut ties with them

didn't lose. But when

bit of sense would know how

you, marrying into that family was like signing up

was no

wrong between Aubree and Matthew later

just sat there,

seen his buddy struggle with love, trudging through the messy world of romance, and he

game he

cried through most of the night,

twirling his drink, not really