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Talon wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “How about we make a deal?” I nodded because I’d agree to damn near anything right now. “Even though we text often through the week, we’ll start setting aside one hour each weekend to call and talk. It can be every Sunday evening, and we can talk about whatever you want.”
I leaned into him. “I’d like that very much.”
After a heartbeat of silence, he said, “Kenzlee is visiting with her aunt and uncle today, but I know that she would love to see you and Mom.”
I pulled back to look at him. “How long are you guys staying?”
“If Kenzlee feels like driving back tonight, then we’ll head back tonight,” he answered. “If she’s tired, then we’ll head back in the morning.”
“I’d like to see her,” I admitted. “I miss her, too.”
“Well, then you guys can hang out with Mom for a couple of hours while I visit Lars and the Finleys,” he announced, and my stomach immediately tightened with dread. “I knew that I was going to miss Hunter and Lars, but I’m finding out that I miss the Finleys, too.”
“Yeah, Mr. Finley was a great substitute dad when he could be,” I remarked, seeing how it’d be easy to miss them.
Squeezing my shoulder, he said, “Maybe we can all have dinner together. I know that Mom has to work, but maybe she’s willing to take the night off.”
I snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Talon grinned. “It’s possible.”
“Well, this is the first time that her baby boy has been away from home, so maybe,” I conceded. “I know that she misses you just as much as I do.”
“Then I’ll send her a text, surprising her and letting her know that Kenz and I are in town.”
I looked at him worriedly. “You…you’re not going to tell her that you’re here because of me, are you? I’d hate for her to start worrying about me, Tal.”
“Nah, your secrets are safe with me, Edie,” he said, and guilt reached up and gripped my heart again because I didn’t deserve my brother.
“I love you, Talon,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
~
Lars~
Istared down at my phone, and I felt like I was going to throw up with the unknown.
Tal:R u home? N town
My mind started racing with all kinds of questions that I didn’t have any answers to. I also knew that it was pointless to call Edie because she would have told me that Talon was coming into town if she’d known. If he was here to surprise us…well, it worked.
I was motherfucking surprised.
Shaking my head, I also thought about the irony of his visit. With this week feeling like the worst of my life, I’d already planned on heading his way this weekend to talk to him, so his visit was saving me a trip. Still, even though I’d been prepared for us to talk, it didn’t feel like I was prepared now that the opportunity was here. Granted, there was no way that I could put our talk off any longer. It was killing me to stay away from Edie, and the more that we kept our relationship hidden, the more guilt that I felt. Edie wasn’t some sleazy secret that I was hiding from the world; she was the girl that I loved.
Letting out a deep breath, I fired back a text.
Me:Yeah, I’m home. So r Mom n Dad
Tal:Just dropped Edie off at the Grants. Going 2 get 2gether 4 dinner after Mom gets off work
Me:Cool
God, I was a fucking idiot.
Tal:U game?
Of course, there was no way that I could say no, even if I wanted to, which I didn’t. I missed Talon and so did my parents. He was like a third son to them.
