AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I thought you’d got a new family.” It was a quietly spoken statement. One that ripped a hole through my chest.
“No, Scottie. No. That’s not…” Dad looked to me for help, but he was on his own on this one. I’d spent years picking up the pieces after him.
Awkward tension descended over the four of us as Dad frantically tried to dig himself out of the hole he’d created. But he couldn’t do it.
Because he was a coward.
“I…”
“Why don’t you tell your dad about the junk model you made at the center today?” Harper suggested, and his shoulders sagged with relief.
“I would love to hear about that, Son.”
As Scottie launched into an in-depth description of his robot, Harper caught my eye and smiled. Thank fuck she was here because I’m not sure I could have restrained my frustration and anger if she wasn’t.
I reached for her hand across the table, and she entwined our fingers together. A silent promise that she was here.
That she wasn’t going anywhere.
* * *
“Well, that was interesting,” I said with a weary sigh as Harper and I lingered by the car, waiting for Dad to say goodbye to Scottie.
“I can see where you get your patience and heart from… your mom.” Harper grinned up at me. “I know it’s hard for you, but Scottie is happy, and that’s all that matters.”
“Yeah.” I looked over to where he was hanging on Dad’s every word, trying to ignore the stab of jealousy I felt. “But what happens when one day he does get the new family? What then?”
“You’ll deal with it.” Her expression softened. “You’ll help Scottie come to terms with it. Because that’s who you are, Mase. You put your brother first.”
I hooked my arm around her waist and pulled her flush with my body, gazing down at her with so much fucking gratitude. “Right now, I’m not thinking about putting Scottie first. I’m thinking about doing very, very bad things to you.”
“Mason!” Her eyes lit up, lust shining there.
“You’re amazing, blondie. You didn’t have to do any of that back there, but you did.”
She looped her hands around the back of my neck and leaned in. “Yeah, well… you Steele brothers are kind of important to me.”
“You mean that, don’t you?”
“Every word.”
“Harper, I—”
“Mase, Mason brother, guess what?” Scottie bounded over to us with Dad in tow, and Harper let go of me, moving to my side. “Dad said he’ll buy me some collectors cards. You know the rare ones I’ve been trying to get. He has a friend who can get them.”
“I bet he does.”
“Be nice.” Harper nudged my ribs. “That’s awesome, buddy,” she said. “I want to see them all when you get them.”
“You like hockey, Harper?” Dad asked.
“I… something like that.”
“Harper’s dad is James ‘the Real Deal’ Dixon,” Scottie said.
“He is? I… I didn’t realize. You must really know your hockey then. No wonder Mason has taken a shine to you.”
That awkward tension returned.
