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“That would be my brother, Henry. Not me.” His smile doesn’t meet his eyes. “At least, that’s one theory we have about our mysterious brother.”
My chest grows heavy. “What’s going on?”
His jaw flexes and he stares down at his hands. “I really should have told you this before.”
“You’ve already said that.” My throat is dry, making it hard to speak.
He gives one swift nod. “Last fall, I had my knee surgery in San Antonio. Right after I got out of the hospital, I did something really, really irresponsible. Dangerous. Oakley, it was the anniversary of Callie’s death. I was drinking at home alone.” His mouth makes a clicking sound and he shakes his head. “I got the brilliant idea to go visit her grave. Over an hour away in Austin.” His gaze finds mine. “While intoxicated.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “This just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?”
“I think that’s the worst of it. Thankfully I didn’t get very far before I crashed into a fence.” His laugh is bitter. “No one was hurt, and I thank the Lord for that. Except, I bruised up my knee, which was already swollen to twice its normal size. The car was totaled.” He meets my gaze. “It could have been much worse, but it was still…bad.”
I try, and fail, to picture what happened. “How could you have even driven with your knee fresh out of surgery? I don’t understand.”
“That was part of the problem. I couldn’t bend it. I had to adjust the seat so it was way back. Which made my driving abilities right then extra terrible.”
“Thank goodness it wasn’t worse, Alec.” I pause, fighting to find words. “And I’m sad you were alone. Your family wasn’t there with you?”
“Gabriel was around for the surgery, but I sent him home a couple of days after. I was adamant about doing this on my own. At the time I was still in denial. I thought this was a short stint away from the game—maybe a month or two. I think I knew, deep down, it was all over. But I didn’t want to face that.” He lets in a slow breath and then releases it. “After the accident, I called Oliver. He came and helped me out.”
I can’t make rhyme or reason of so many things. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“I lost my license in all of this. And rightly so. But I’ve petitioned for reinstatement, and they’ve said yes and that a permit to go get a new one will be mailed to me. I haven’t gotten that permit yet, though.”
“Ah.” I squeeze my eyes shut before catching his gaze again. “So you need me to drive?”
He nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“That sort of explains why you’ve been a shut in for the past while here.” I think of my brother’s car accident and my skin is abuzz, like a colony of ants have descended upon me.
“When my brothers are feeling charitable, they give me rides. I use DoorDash and InstaCart a lot. But Oakley, as soon as the paperwork comes, I’m going to get a Colorado license and take you out on a really nice date.”
I give the brightest smile I can manage. “Can’t wait.”
But something else is niggling in the back of my brain and if I don’t speak it, I’ll be tortured about it. “You have to know this is hard for me to hear. My brother was hit by a drunk driver a couple of years ago. He’s okay now, but Alec, it’s just hard to know that you put others in danger, too. Potentially.”
He nods, his expression falling. “I did. And I’m sorry.”
“And Alec, about the drinking. Do you still drink?” I shake my head sharply. “Because I don’t know. My ex’s actions have taught me to be extra wary of that.”
He catches my gaze. “I haven’t had any since that night. I’d be lying if I said that hasn’t been tough. I want a drink sometimes. But I think my brothers must have decided that they wouldn’t allow me to turn into an ornery old drunk. Not on their watch.”
I look down in my lap and realize I’m squeezing my fists so tightly, my knuckles are turning white. I offer a little laugh. “Well, that’s good. You might be this gnarly, grumpy sourpuss, but at least not a drunk one.”
We both laugh, but something in my brain is screaming at me. It’s not the little part that keeps telling me to make decisions. It’s a very big part, and it’s closing off my airways, dropping a stone into my middle.
You’ve been down this road before, Oakley. And look where it got you? Broke and alone.
Maybe he’s just like Brandt.
Chapter 30
Alec
Oakley has gotten up from the sofa to grab her keys and Jerry, and I’m still sitting here, wondering how she feels.
I’m in agony over her brother’s life being so affected by a drunk driver. And yeah. I don’t have a drivers’ license. Totally a valid consequence for what I did and it hasn’t been that bad.
