Page 57 of Run to Me

“Jensen?”

Leaning back in my chair, I attempt to appear relaxed and give Jake my attention. “Yeah?”

“Did you hear anything I said?” he asks.

Shit.

“Sorry. This migraine is messing with me. What did you say?”

His features soften, and pride graces his lips. “I said Tatum’s pregnant, and we’re getting married at the end of the month.”

Several reactions crash into me at once, and I sort through them in a hurry. I’m thrilled for Jake and Tatum because they deserve happiness after everything they’ve been through. However, I’m heartbroken that my relationship with him is so fractured, he didn’t share the good news with me right away. They returned from California days ago. In the past, I would’ve been the first person he called with good news.

Doing what I do best, I force a grin. “That’s great, Jake. I’m happy for you both.”

Being the astute man he is, he assesses me. Too close for comfort. “You don’t seem happy.”

“I am. Truly.” I round the desk and reach out a hand, pulling him from the chair and into a hug. “You deserve this, Jake. All the good things.”

“Thanks.” We give each other a solid squeeze before letting go.

“Let me know what I can do to help with the wedding.”

He chuckles. “Oh, I’ll definitely be putting you to work. And your first job is to stand beside me as my best man.”

My eyes widen. “Really? After everything?”

With his hands on my shoulders, the sincerity and hurt are clear in his eyes as they hold my gaze. “You’re my brother. You’re allowed to make mistakes, and I’m allowed to be pissed at you. But in the end, we’re all we have as far as family. That means we forgive each other for what we can and leave the rest to our conscience. I don’t plan to hold anything against you because I know you. You’ll carry the burden of your regret for longer than you should. So what good will come from me adding weight to it?”

I clear the ball of relief burning a hole in my throat. “You’re a good man, Jake.”

“I was raised by a good man.” He grips my shoulder harder, fighting back his own emotions as he gifts me a dimpled smile. “The best man, some would say.”

Unable to help myself, I laugh and yank him into a hard hug I wish would never end. “Love you, dork.”

“Love you too, man.”

Sniffling, we end our embrace and wipe our teary eyes. “I needed this today. Thank you.”

“You gonna tell me why?”

My pursuit of Maisy, the pressure to run for mayor, the countless bar-related tasks I forget to complete, the mental spiral over the festival…these confessions sit on the tip of my tongue. But I’ve never burdened Jake with my problems because he had so many of his own. I’m the older brother, the bearer of responsibility, and I refuse to drop my worries into his lap.

“Lots of shit going on that I’m sorting through. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m here if you want to talk. I’m not as wise as you, with good advice and long lectures, but I’m pretty to look at and know a lot of funny jokes.”

I point to the door. “Get out. I have work to do.”

“Always so serious,” he grumbles while leaving my office. “I’ll call you about the suit fitting.”

“A suit?” I shout. The only response is his raspy laughter fading into the distance. Welcome, familiar laughter that soothes my soul just enough to make it through the rest of the day.

19

MAISY

Seated at the kitchen table with Tatum and Pam, I check emails on my phone, something I do often in hopes another job opportunity comes my way. I’ve been in Walford for five whole days, and I’m already claustrophobic. Like the town’s spinning me in its web to trap me here. I haven’t left Pam’s house aside from one visit to check on Vera.