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Charlie’s lips twisted into a more natural grin. “Sorry, but my brother got the title of Doc first. I think Kairo started the Doc Will thing as a way of differentiating between the two of you.”
Will’s brow furrowed for a second and then his eyebrows lifted. “Stephen, right? Little brother?”
Charlie laughed. “He’d smack you if he heard you call him ‘little,’ but yeah. I think you’re both about the same age. He’s a child psychiatrist, but he likes to shrink my head in his spare time.”
“Not surprising since you have the mentality of a child most of the time.”
Charlie smiled at the playful barb. It was one of the first Will had tossed at him in a teasing tone, and he loved it. “I think it’s more that Stephen has a need to be nosy and a meddler in the lives of other people—particularly his older brother. He doesn’t bother with our half sister nearly as much.”
“How is your family?”
Charlie shrugged. He wasn’t meaning to be dismissive or closed off. It was just that he didn’t talk to his family. He wasn’t even sure where his father was at this point, and he talked to his half sister about once a year. Stephen was the only one he managed to keep in contact with.
“Good. I saw Stephen a few weeks ago in Turkey. It’s actually why we’re in Argentina now.”
A low chuckle rumbled from Will and Charlie’s breath caught in his chest to see the slow, warm smile spread across Will’s face. It was the first one he’d seen since they’d been reunited, and it was stunning. That expression carved years off his face and zipped him back in time to when they were sitting in his tiny apartment in Paris. Will’s smile was a shaft of sunlight on a dreary day. It was that first drink of cool water after crossing the desert. It was all the love and joy Charlie had experienced within his entire lifetime rolled into a single look.
And after all this time, it still succeeded in stopping his heart.
“That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, and yet I’m not surprised with you. How are Turkey and Argentina linked? Is that where Stephen lives?”
Charlie had to mentally shake himself to focus on what Will was saying. “No, Stephen has a practice in Denver, which is where he met his new boyfriend, Ehren.” Charlie paused and sighed heavily. “They’ve known each other a short time, but as Ed would say, they are in deep smit.”
“Smit?” Will tossed his head and cackled. “I always loved Ed. He’s such a romantic.”
Charlie groaned. “Yes, he’s not worried about my brother jumping headlong into a relationship with a guy he just met, traveling halfway across the globe, and putting himself in danger.”
Will cackled this time, longer and louder this time. “Oh, my God! How did I not know you were so overprotective of your brother? He’s a grown man.”
“That grown man has never gotten himself into so much trouble before. I didn’t have to be so protective of him until now. It’s like he’s not thinking with the brilliant brain God gave him.”
Will slapped a hand over his mouth, but his face was turning red as though he was struggling not to snicker in Charlie’s face.
“Oh, screw you! He could have gotten himself killed!” Charlie grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
After clearing his throat, Will leaned forward, placing both of his forearms on the table. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize things were that bad. Is this Ehren involved in something illegal?”
Charlie sighed. Okay, maybe he was making a bigger deal out of this than he should be. “No, definitely not. As much as I hate to admit it, Ehren is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in my life, and that’s saying a lot because you know Ed. I didn’t think there was anyone who would ever be nicer than Ed.”
He did like Ehren. He was a good guy, and it was obvious that he deeply cared for Stephen, which was the only thing that mattered to him. Charlie just could have done without Stephen’s life being put in danger.
“None of it was Ehren’s fault,” Charlie conceded. “Ehren’s uncle died recently and left all his possessions to his nephew. Ehren didn’t realize that it included an enormous collection of extremely rare art, which someone else was desperate to get their hands on.”
“That put Ehren’s life in danger.”
“And Stephen’s by extension.”
“Because your brother is a meddler,” Will teased.
Charlie groaned. “He’s thirty-two. He should know better.”
Will’s smile softened and he gazed at his glass of water. “We all do stupid things for love. Even at the ripe old age of thirty-two.”
“Try fifty-two.”
Will’s wide gaze jerked up to Charlie’s face and stared at him openmouthed for a heartbeat. “Is that what you are now?”
