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“Uh, yeah, kind of.” He stood watching his brother, hands on his hips. “Allie was supposed to be here by now.”
“And?”
Jonas gestured to the mess. “And you want her to see this?”
“Uh...” Erik gave him a look as if he was speaking some other language. “I don’t really think it matters one way or the other.”
“Did you wash a single dish all week?”
“Hey.” Erik closed his iPad. “My dishwashing pace is my business.”
“In your own house. Not one we share.”
“Lighten up, dude. No rape, no murder and no kidnapping happened here. I will wash the dishes. The kitchen will be clean.”
“Are you still in your bathrobe?”
Erik chuckled, shaking his head. “Yes, Dad.”
Jonas saw red for a moment. He would really like to punch his brother in the nose. “I wouldn’t have to be like this if you’d taken ten minutes to—”
He locked his jaw shut, appalled that Erik was right. He sounded exactly like their dad.
For a tense few seconds he stared at his brother, still wanting to punch him, but recognizing that maybe Erik was a trigger, not the underlying problem.
“Okay.” He let out the breath he’d been holding. “You’re right. I’m sounding exactly like him. God, Erik, I’m losing my shit.”
“Yeah? Welcome to the club. I can’t find mine anywhere, either.”
Jonas had his hands halfway up to his face when what his brother said hit him, and instead of holding his aching head, he burst out laughing, pleased as hell when Erik joined him. They hadn’t laughed together in a long time.
“You want to go for a run?” He automatically prepared himself for Erik’s refusal. “I need to get rid of this bad energy.”
“Sure.”
Jonas gaped at him. “Yeah?”
“What, you think I don’t know how to run?”
“Hey, I wasn’t sure.” Jonas grinned. “I’ll change and meet you outside.”
Five minutes later, in his running shorts and shoes, Jonas was surprised to find Erik dressed and waiting. And even more surprised when he set a moderate pace and his brother was able to keep up. “You been running in the city?”
“Some. Mostly the gym.”
Gym? Erik? “Since when?”
“Since I found out Allie runs.”
Jonas snorted. “Everything for the women, huh?”
“Been meaning to ask, Jonas, how come you’re here this weekend?”
“Yeah, yeah, okay. Touché.” They turned north on tree-lined Lake Shore Drive, aka Route 9, which meandered along the western shore of the lake.
“I’d say the woman has you.”
“Nobody has me. I’m just up here because—”
“You can’t stop thinking about her, because you have this intense craving for her body and the way she smells and smiles and speaks and—”
“For God’s sake, Erik. You sound like you’re in a movie.”
“But I’m right.”
He was. But Jonas wasn’t going to admit it. “I’m here because we need to talk seriously about selling the house.”
“What is wrong with you?” Erik stopped, then threw up his hands and sprinted to catch up when Jonas kept running. “Why can’t you admit you’re falling for her?”
“I’m not you.”
“I noticed.” He cleared his throat, breathing heavily now. “I’m falling for Sandra.”
“Yeah?” Jonas feigned surprise. “Cool. Who’s it going to be next week?”
“I’m serious, man.” His voice was so somber, Jonas glanced over at him. He did look serious. Or maybe the run was about to give him a heart attack. “I’ve never felt this way about any woman. I think this is it.”
“Come on.” Jonas slowed his pace to go easier on his brother. “Last week you said that about Allie.”
“That was different. I wanted to marry Allie because I thought it was time I got married and that she’d be good for me. Comfortable, you know. Like old clothes.” He looked over at Jonas apologetically. “No offense.”
“None taken.” Though Erik’s thinking that someone as unpredictable and exciting as Allie was comfortable was like...well, like the way Jonas had thought about settling down with Sandra. What had seemed pleasant and possible back then would now feel like settling, not settling down.
They ran on, passing the boat store where Dad had bought their kayaks, a few houses of neighbors he’d met and enjoyed. It would be hard to give this place up.
“I think I’m in love with her.” Erik betrayed his agitation by speeding nearly to a sprint.
