AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I throw my arms out wide. “Ask me anything.”
He shoves my shoulder, and I pretend to stumble. “It’s more fun if you fight it.”
I bat my eyelashes and add a false vibrato to my voice. “Oh no, Beckett. Don’t ask me questions about my feelings. I don’t know if I can stand it.”
Phoenix points to River. “This one was afraid to talk about his feelings until a few months ago.”
River grunts. “I wasn’t afraid.”
Phoenix snorts. “Yeah, you were.”
“Remember when he ran away when we were watching football because he was scared?” Rowan adds, and I frown.
I’ve missed way too much by staying away for the past decade. I should have spoken to my parents earlier. They’ve never acted in any way to indicate they didn’t love me and yet I was quick to believe they didn’t based on something I overheard when I was a teenager.
Rowan throws an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t beat yourself up too hard. Everyone makes mistakes.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “Why do you think I’m beating myself up?”
“I know you, little brother.”
“You’re barely a year older than me. I’m not your little anything.”
He puffs out his chest and stands to his full height. “You sure?”
Rowan is six-foot-five to my six-foot and doesn’t hesitate to rub his additional height in my face.
“Size isn’t everything.”
“That’s what she said!” River says and Phoenix high-fives him.
We reach the falls, and everyone starts to strip. Rowan elbows me and gestures toward Beckett who’s wearing a full bodysuit covering his arms and legs.
“Beckett’s wearing a mankini,” Phoenix teases.
“It’s not a mankini. A mankini shows flesh. He’s wearing the male equivalent of a burkini,” River says.
“I’ll have you know this is a wetsuit similar to what professional surfers wear,” Beckett argues.
“Are you planning to surf in the falls?” Rowan asks.
“Not wanting to freeze my balls off, causing them to crawl back up my scrotum, makes me smart.”
“Has Lilac seen you in this outfit?” I ask.
“My fiancée doesn’t approve my clothing choices.”
I lean close to whisper-shout to Rowan, “Which means she hasn’t.”
“The lot of you are supposed to help me question Cedar and his commitment to my sister, not make fun of me.”
River raises his hand. “I can do both.”
“So can I!” Phoenix adds.
“I’m a wonderful multi-tasker.” Rowan wiggles his eyebrows. “Just ask my wife.”
“Please don’t ask his wife,” I grumble.
