Page 85 of More Than My Hometown

Milo slides the pint glass across the bar in my direction, and I take it from him, the glass cold against my hand, sending a shiver through me. I take a long sip, letting the taste of beer settle over my taste buds, distracting me from the wild swirl of thoughts and emotions trying to take over inside my brain.

“That’s not terribly convincing,” Gus replies, taking a swig of his own beer.

“Sorry, I…” Running my hand down my face, I try to gather my thoughts. “Didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up all night…thinking…and…”

I trail off again, still trying to muster up the courage to have this conversation. To ask the fully loaded question. These are my older brothers, and for as much shit as we all give each other, I know they have my back. I know there’s no judgment here. Not real judgment anyway. Safe space or not, that doesn’t make doing this any easier.

“Ewan, out with it,” Gus presses.

It’s now or never…

“What would it look like if I signed The Booby Trap over to Hayes?”

Both of my brothers freeze, as if they looked Medusa in the eye and she turned them to stone. I don’t even think they blink. The whole warehouse is silent, the proverbial pin drop more than loud enough to be heard. Hell, I think a church mouse could fart and it would echo through here.

“What?” Gus asks, finally spitting something out, quickly followed almost simultaneously by Milo’s “Seriously?”

“What would it look like—” I start to repeat, but Gus cuts me off.

“No, I caught what you said. That doesn’t make it make sense though.”

No, it doesn’t. It also doesn’t make it hurt any less either. I’m damn proud of the business I’ve built—on my own—over this last decade. The last thing I ever thought I’d do was officially sign it over to the family company. But, if that’s what it’s going to take to be able to make everything work…then it isn’t a question.

“I just need to know what it would look like. What my options are.”

“Why?”

Gus’s face turns skeptical, his brow furrowing as he searches me for some kind of answer. Like I’m hiding a major secret that will only come to light after he agrees to my demands.

“Does it matter? You’ve been pestering me about this for years. You brought it up at Sunday dinner a few weeks ago.”

“It does if you or the store are in some kind of trouble and it’s going to put the company at risk.”

Oh, fuck me. Seriously, Gus? That’s where your head went?

I roll my eyes, reminding myself that this is who he is, and that deep down, this is his way of showing he cares. He has a funny way of showing it sometimes.

“August,” Milo chides, giving him a serious case of side-eye. The only one of us who can get away with calling Gus by his full name, Milo takes advantage of that often, keeping him in check.

“You’re not in trouble, are you?” Gus follows up, this time with more concern in his voice.

“No. Exact opposite, actually, from a business standpoint. I’ve actually got a new partnership in the works to potentially expand my touring operation.”

“Fuck, yes!” Milo holds out his fist and I bump it, letting the excitement bubble up in me for a second. But only for a second.

“Then what’s really going on here?” Gus pushes. “Because I know you, and you haven’t been fighting me on this since day one to suddenly flip the second you’re about to level up.”

I sigh. Should have known better than to think he wouldn’t want all the dirty details.

“Maisey has a contract offer. In Reykjavík.”

Silence falls over us again, but this time it’s not as harsh. Nor does it last as long.

“I thought she was applying over in Tifton?” Milo asks. “Brenna said something about there being an open position in their ER, and how she apparently made all sorts of friends during your little field trip.”

I laugh, shaking my head and handing him a single finger salute for bringing up my accident. Although, he’s not wrong. Maisey was the star of the show that day, and every medical professional we encountered made some sort of comment about it. I’m still half surprised the boss lady nurse didn’t try to kidnap her right then and there.

The same woman she met with last week. Whose boss she’s interviewing with right now. No doubt nailing it too.