AllFreeNovel
Share Us
At this precise moment, he looks ready to sit on me until I tell him why I’m a mess.
“Jolene,” I say. The source of all my angst. Except she’s not to blame for my nonsensical behavior. No one’s responsible for my present circumstances but me. “She got hurt last night.”
He startles and swallows hard. “Is she okay?”
Right there—that worried tone, the concern widening his eyes. He still loves her.
Asshole, table for one, please.
“Yeah, she’s fine. Fell and hit her head. My neighbor checked her out, and I stayed with her last night to make sure she didn’t wake up confused or show signs of a concussion.”
“And she’s okay?” he asks again. The worrier worrying, but there’s no missing the way his voice softens too. Worrying with a side of heartache.
“She hurt her back, but she’ll be fine.” Or she’s feeling as gutted as me, and she’s not okay.
I rub my eyes. I swear there’s grit in them. Some must have leaked down my throat too.
Jake makes a growly sound I’m not used to. I open my eyes, and he’s glowering at me.
“You and I…” He points to me then to himself. “We’re taking the day off and going to Sugar and Sips.”
“No, we’re not. We’re working.” I plan to hammer and saw until I can’t feel anything but the burn of my muscles.
He snarls, looking concerningly like Desmond. He shoves me to get walking toward the door. Forget looking like Desmond. He’s a cranky ship captain walking his mutinous crew member toward the plank.
We don’t speak as we trudge to our respective trucks. I follow him into town. Catch him glancing in his rearview mirror, checking that I haven’t tried to shake him. We don’t speak when I get out and shut my door. My feet move by muscle memory as I walk toward my doom, otherwise known as an inquisition from my oldest brother.
He won’t let my behavior slide. He’ll stare at me until I crack. But I won’t just crack. The secrets inside me are knocking around, growing bigger. Scarier.I kissed the woman you love. I’ve loved her most of my life. I tried to split you two up before WITSEC and broke your heart.
Someone pass me a paper bag, stat.
Jake turns, likely sensing my instinct to flee, and points toward Delilah’s coffee shop. “Get in there.”
Yep. He’s going to stare a hole through my head.
Once inside, the pretty pastel decor does zilch to calm my rioting nerves. The space is warm and inviting as always, half full with laptop workers and chatting friends. Sandra and her immovable perm are in their usual stakeout position, where she can eavesdrop to her heart’s content. The chalkboard menus are decorated with summery doodles. The air smells like melting sugar. I should relax, breathe more steadily. I’m a gas leak too close to an open flame.
“Hey, guys!” Delilah beams her usual smile from behind the coffee counter. “Shouldn’t you be working now?”
“Yeah.” E sidles up to us, his brown eyes darting from Jake to me. “You’re always working at this hour.”
As is he, but he’s usually in here, where he can work on his illustrations close to Delilah. Also, he’s not my only family in this pretty shop. Apparently, this daycanget worse.
Desmond and Lennon are converging on us from a corner table, where they were likely discussing the adventure programs they run together. A vein in my forehead throbs. Nothing good happens when all my brothers get their briefs in a bunch. Three pairs of squinting eyes are darting between Jake and me.
Desmond crosses his arms. “Why aren’t you two working?”
“Cal needs a break,” Jake says, not beating around the bush. “He and I are gonna have a talk.”
“Count me in,” Lennon says way too eagerly. “I’m an excellent listener.”
“Meddler,” E corrects. “He’s an excellentmeddler.”
Don’t I know it—shoving me toward Jo on benches, getting up in my business about her.
I attempt not to grind my teeth.
Lennon hooks his thumb toward Sandra, who’s sitting at a far table, conspicuous as ever. “If there’s a meddler competition, Sandra wins, hands down. Last week she told me not to let Mrs. Ward from Ruby Grove sign her son up for my mountain bike program, like she runs our business.”
