AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Plus, it sounds like you’re both a bit . . . strange,” Kayla teases, spinning a finger by her temple. “She tracked you down, you showed up at her house?”
I guess Janey told them that. “Did she tell you I showed up at her job with her favorite snacks too?” I brag.
Kayla’s brow lifts into a sharp arch. “Did she tell you where she worked?”
“Gonna have to plead the fifth,” I answer with a grimace because Janey said ‘long term care facility’, but I definitely found the name when I did research on her.
“That’s a lot,” Kayla decrees, looking dubious about my overly zealous pursuit of Janey.
“It works.” I shrug, but I’m fighting to hide my grin because yeah, we definitely work.
“Come on, then. Your lion tamer is probably worried about you. And hopefully, our brothers haven’t scared her off.”
Fuck. I’ve been gone too long. “If they’ve done anything to Janey, I’m going to kill them.” When Kayla glares at me, I amend, “Not literally. But figuratively? Hell, yeah.”
Thankfully, Janey’s sitting at the table where I left her. She and Luna are talking easily and both smiling. I slip back into my chair, placing my arm around Janey’s back and cupping her hip. She immediately beams at me. “Okay?” she asks, chancing a glance at Kayla before her eyes return to mine. “You were gone for a good bit.”
“Yeah, he admitted to his asshole ways, begged for forgiveness, and agreed to come to dinner at Mom and Dad’s for the next three months without complaint,” Kayla answers for me.
“The hell I did—” I interject.
“That’s amazing!” Janey squeals, punching the air with her little fists. “I knew my plan would work and they’d see how awesome you are! I mean, how could they not? You’re all growly and grouchy, but inside, you’re such a sweetie. I’m so happy!” Janey leans over, pressing her lips to my cheek, but even with the kiss, I can feel her smile.
I look over to Kayla, finding her blinking innocently with a smile of her own. She played me. Like a damn pro. She’s good.
“You too, of course,” she tells Janey. “You’re always welcome.”
Janey gasps. “Really? Oh, my God. Thank you. I’d absolutely love to come. What should I bring? I’m not a good cook, but I can buy the best pie you’ve ever had. Wait . . . no, you said Grandma Beth makes homemade apple pie which is your favorite, so I’ll pick up a cake or something. Or wine! Should I get red or white? I like white, usually, but if we’re having beef, then I should get red instead.”
Kayla’s eyes sparkle when Janey mentions Grandma Beth’s apple pie. I’ve obviously shared that with Janey, and like Kayla said, she wants me to talk to her and my brothers, but she’s happy I’m sharing with anyone. “Bring that asshole and we’ll call it good,” she reassures Janey while pointing at me. “Really, Mom likes to cook or she’ll have someone cater if she’s not feeling it.”
“Deal!” Janey shouts, agreeing easily.
Later, when Kayla and Luna leave us, saying they’re going to mingle, I turn to Janey. “Thank you,” I tell her, my voice a bit choked.
She smiles, but there’s worry in her gray eyes as she instantly knows what I’m talking about. “Did it go okay? You and Kayla seemed much better, but I know that couldn’t have been an easy conversation. I’m sorry for being the trigger that caused it.”
“What?” I ask with a frown. “You didn’t trigger anything.”
She swallows thickly. “If you hadn’t had to come out for me, you wouldn’t have had to fight Glenn, and then your family wouldn’t have seen what you did. Well, what you said, I guess.”
I can hear what she’s doing. Her whole life, anything that went wrong was blamed on her. Paisley overreacting to a bouquet toss? Janey’s fault. Jessica not getting her way? Somehow, Janey’s fault. Her bully not getting to continue tormenting her? Still, Janey’s fault. She’s so used to being blamed that she’s blaming herself, only now, it’s for my mistakes.
I put a finger over her lips, shushing her. “If I hadn’t gone out there for you, Glenn would’ve made his way inside and that mess would’ve happened in the lobby where everyone would’ve heard and seen. That would’ve been infinitely worse. Besides, none of this” —I gesture to the table like my siblings are still there— “is your fault. It’s my fault for being a shitty brother.”
She doesn’t look sure but asks hopefully, “But it’s better now?”
I nod. “Yeah, thanks to you. It’s better. Not fixed, but maybe one day . . .” I drift off, wondering how in the hell I’m going to repair an entire lifetime of mistakes I’ve made with my siblings, who aren’t perfect either.
And that’s before I even consider Mom and Dad.
