Page 2 of Bound Hearts

I used the drive to decompress. As soon as I left the suburbs and drove west, I began to feel my body ease. Not even the brown of the flattened cornfields, with a thin layer of snow between the rows, could hinder my impending relaxing weekend. Lake Spark County is a special place. It’s home to Lake Spark itself, a weekend hotspot where the Spinners hockey team trains, and the other end is Everhope, with an idyllic Main Street, the Schoolhouse Inn, and people who are ridiculously happy even when it isn’t state farm competition season.

Julian’s place is not quite a mansion, but probably the biggest historic home in the area. When I arrived, he welcomed me with a wide grin and led me straight to the living room, where Easton and Hayes were already wallowing in his current mood since Hayes was in a disagreement with Elodie, who he found out had his daughter years ago and hadn’t told him. But that’s a whole other story. We listened to his woes and offered advice. Julian went on about his upcoming wedding to Savannah, and Easton headed into town for more alcohol which is needed for tonight.

And then it happens.

All eyes are on me as we lounge on the sofas with a fire going in the fireplace.

"So, how’d family lunch go?" Julian winces.

I chuff a laugh. “I’ll get you back one day for even asking that.”

"Was it pressure or a warning this time?" Hayes asks.

They are aware of my sometimes-fractured relationship with my family. For the most part, though, I’m reserved. Most definitely social, I just don’t share much about my personal life. Not the finer details, at least.

“Pressure from my asshole brother and a delicate reminder from my father of family expectations. I'll only become the golden child who ruins the family.” I’ve chosen never to discuss the exact terms of the will, partly because they are out-of-this-world crazy. Not exactly with the times, either.

“So be it. You don’t need the money. I pay you enough,” Julian jokes.

I feign an unimpressed look. “I’m not sure they have yet accepted that I’ve made my own career and will do things my way, or if they’re in denial. Waiting for a change of tune, perhaps.”

"Try being more blunt," Hayes suggests, sipping his drink.

“At work, sure.”

Julian laughs. "Same with women. Flash them a line or sexy grin. Works every time."

I shrug. "I’m a straight shooter. I’m not bad dating material. I’m a gentleman—sometimes." My last girlfriend and I parted on good terms. The spark just wasn’t there.

Julian speaks up while he reaches for a block of cheese from the snack board in the middle of the coffee table. “Everyone handles their personal life the way they wish. We don’t judge, we observe.” He has a cocky grin while he chews.

“Can we put the topic to rest for the night? Tell me, what is on the agenda for the weekend?”

“Self-pity,” Hayes replies flatly, but there is humor laced in his tone.

“There’s a donut festival this weekend. I can meet you both there after I have breakfast with Savannah’s aunt.” He has a close bond with his fiancée’s aunt, who owns a restaurant in town.

“Walking around with no plan also works, now that I think about it,” I decide.

“We can do that, too,” Hayes agrees.

I eye the half-empty bottle of Scottish whisky that we only opened tonight. This might be one of those nights that remind me of a normal day, when I haven’t had to share time with my brother or have conversations of doom. I’m a laid-back guy. Strange for a man who is rigid with numbers and shows no mercy when dealing with clients and budgets. But out of the office, I just want to enjoy life.

We hear the front door close. “Gentlemen, I have supplies,” Easton calls out.

We watch him enter, holding up a bottle and a case of specialty beer. “Just throwing out options, but if Julian and Hayes want to stay in their settled-down cocoon, then Foster, you should join me, and we can head into town. There are swarms of women visiting this weekend. Some festival is going on, and I happened to chat with a pair who own a food truck. They’re fun, and they might meet up later at a bar. On the younger side, early twenties, but I find that often equates to being a little wilder. Who am I to ignore their needs?” He’s the guy who is rigid in the office, and out of the office, always living carefree.

Sometimes it is tempting to join him. But I prefer that my life is about discovering good places to eat, hitting up a hockey game, or watching my friends enjoy life from the sidelines, it seems. Some people say I have humor; I could see that. However, as fun as his offer is to enjoy baseless conversations at a bar with women who flutter their lashes at us… not tonight. “I’ll take a pass. I’m content here, and it’s been a week.”

Plus, when I entered Everhope, my relax mode turned on.

“And if anybody ends up here later, then consider your guest room rights forever abolished.” Julian glares a warning at Easton.

Easton eases with a grin as he sets the bottle and case of beer down on the table, then flops onto the other side of the sofa. “Relax, I’m only joking… partly.”

It causes me to chuckle. Looking around, it doesn’t faze me that I have a solid group of friends. The kind that have every intention of ensuring success in business and that we don’t lose our bond as friends.

I consider myself lucky.