Page 91 of Silver Brewer

Silence falls between us another minute. It’s one of the best qualities about my relationship with James. We don’t need to fill any quiet with useless chatter.

Cricket certainly could chirp, and I almost chuckle with the thought until I remember how sad I am not to hear her voice, her sounds, her hum. My dick weeps at the same time it jolts for attention. My entire being misses her.

“Evie didn’t call.” The admission startles me as much as him sitting next to me. Evie Pepperly was the love of James’s life, and he never mentions her name. Never. But I know about his pact with her. Once a year, she guarantees to call him. It’s always around this time. Fuck. I don’t know who has it worse. Then I peer over at my brother. Him, he definitely has it worse than I do.

“I’m sorry, man,” I reply to him as he did to me. He shrugs, but he isn’t so nonchalant over this missed call. He won’t tell me more, and his demeanor tells me not to ask.

“You know,” he begins after another moment. “If she was my girl, I’d fight everything in my way to keep her.”

Considering Letty is the main thing standing in my way of obtaining her, I snort.

“I’m serious. A baby wouldn’t keep me away from a woman if I loved her. It would redouble my efforts to be with her instead.”

Oh man, this is going to get real deep, real fast if we start talking about kids, but then a thought occurs to me. An elderly voice fills my head.

Never let anything divide you.

Sam Calder. That man had loved someone deeply. Enough that he wanted to rebuild a resort in hopes his lost woman would return. What could I build for Letty to bring her back to me?

“It isn’t the baby that’s holding her back,” I mutter although I’m not certain that’s true. She wanted everything: love, marriage, family.

I sit up straighter on my stool.

Family. Did she misunderstand? Did she not see I wanted it all with her as well?

Don’t do this, I said, but did I explain myself to her? It wasn’t only adopting Finn; it was about marrying her as well. It was about building a family.

Fucking hell.

I scrub a hand down my face. “Love sucks,” I mutter although I don’t mean it. The love I’ve had with Letty has been everything to me. I’m not certain I’ve explained myself to her, and now, it’s too late.

“Don’t I know it,” James mumbles. Then he taps my empty glass with the edge of his and downs the rest of his whiskey. “You win. You look pathetic, old man.” His lips twist as the corner crooks into a half-ass grin, and I’m reminded once again of us when we were younger, always trying to one-up each other. God, how I’ve missed him.

“Speak for yourself,” I snark, reaching out to ruffle his hair as though he were still a kid. His hand catches my wrist before I can touch him, and our eyes lock. The hold he has on me is tight and meaningful, a warning. My sign he’s no longer my kid brother. “Sorry,” I mutter.

“Me too,” he says, releasing my wrist and lowering his hand to his thigh. His fingers spread and then clench together. He closes his eyes for a second. His body trembles.

“Still having nightmares?” I question, pushing him another inch. “You know I understand.” It’s my olive branch. My hope that he’ll turn to me as his big brother, like he once did when we were kids. Turn to me like he should have when things turned sour for him.

“I’m not doing this with you.” He immediately stands. His hand hovers in the air, and then he retracts it to his side. “Happy Birthday, big brother.”

I’m surprised he remembered. The marker of my birth coincides with a low time in his existence.

“Thanks,” I mutter, but he’s already walking away. Fifty years old. Why do I feel like this is the story of my life? People always walking away. My wife is dead. My girls live in Atlanta. And the woman I believe to be the new love of my life doesn’t want me involved in hers.

I continue to watch James retreat until a woman saunters up to him, wrapping herself around him, and he kisses her temple. The affection looks forced. His emotions are locked back within his jaw.

To brothers, I decide as I lift my empty glass. Then I pick up my phone to call Charlie for a ride. I’m too buzzed to drive.

An email alert catches my attention before I make the call, and I absentmindedly click the notification when I see the sender is Mullen Realty.

The court settled in her favor after the mother signed over her maternal rights. Thought you’d like to know she’s finally free and gets to keep the baby.

All the best, Marcus Klurg.

What the fuck? Was Letty in jeopardy of losing Finn? Why hadn’t she told me?

I stare at the message.