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I finished my beer and rubbed my eyes with my hands. “Speaking of which, I need to help set up some of the stuff tomorrow morning.” I lowered my hands. “Even though my in-laws will say I’m neglecting my children, can you keep an eye on them? I wouldn’t put it past the Grenvilles to hire someone to take them.”
Zach and Beck both looked alarmed, but Zach spoke first. “You have to be joking.”
“I wish. I doubt they’d risk it, if they want a chance in hell of this case going forward. And yet, they hate it when people stand up to them or say no. I swear they’re like fucking spoiled children sometimes.”
Beck said, “Of course we’ll look after them. And fuck whatever they try to make it out as. You’re a single parent who needs some help, and we’re their uncles. If that’s neglect, then I’m a rainbow-farting unicorn.”
Zach snorted. “Those were the last words I’d ever think to come out of your mouth.”
Beck grunted. “Blame it on Sabrina and her friend. The things I hear at the baseball games.”
He sighed dramatically, and I cracked a smile. I wasn’t sure if Beck was trying to make me feel better on purpose or not, but I appreciated it all the same.
“Thanks, guys. I’ll try to finish setting up tomorrow as quickly as I can, but I can’t bail on Emmy on such short notice. And it is a paying job, so at least my in-laws can’t accuse me of going over to fuck a woman because I can’t control my dick.”
Zach spoke again. “Even if you’ve been away for a while, this is your home, West. Most of the town will help out if you ask them.”
I wasn’t as sure about that as Zach, but I nodded. “Thanks.”
Glancing at my brothers in turn, my throat tightened. There was something I needed to say, which was long overdue. It was time to own up to my past.
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry I abandoned you guys when Dad died. And then for staying away, not visiting, and keeping you out of my life. At first, it was because I felt guilty for giving Dad stress with my crazy antics. But later, I was so damn focused on trying to save a woman who didn’t want saving that I forgot it’s not a weakness or a failure to ask for help.”
Zach spoke first, his voice quiet. “I was fucking mad at you for years, West. I idolized you a little growing up, and it hurt like hell when you left. But as I got older and better understood about you and Andrea, I started to forgive you. By now, I do. Just don’t fucking disappear again, okay? Because I’m older now, and I’ll hunt your ass down and make you talk about feelings and shit. Which I know you love.”
His last sentence had been teasing, and he winked at me.
I smiled. “I’m trapped in Aunt Lori’s group texts now, so there’s no escape, even if I wanted to.”
Beck sighed. “Tell me about it.” He sobered. “Have you apologized to Aunt Lori too?”
I nodded. “Yes. I don’t know if I ever would’ve come back to Starry Hills if not for her.”
Zach said, “Which is why you put up with her excessive emojis better than Beck does.”
I peeled some of the label off my beer bottle. “Yeah.” I looked up. “I still have Nolan and Zane to apologize to, though. Nolan will be here for the wedding and stay a few days afterward. But have you heard anything from Zane, Zach?”
The twins had been extremely close as kids, but I didn’t know if they still were or not. It was yet another thing I’d missed out on.
Zach shrugged. “Every once in a while he sends an old-fashioned snail-mail letter. Something to do with security. But he doesn’t really say much of anything and never mentions coming home.” Zach paused and then added, “I’m afraid he’ll get himself killed with the risks he mentions to me, and I’m afraid of the ones he can’t.”
“Well, he’s a SEAL, so he’s made of tough stuff.”
Zach voice was quiet as he said, “So was Uncle Tim.”
And he’d died at a young age, during the Gulf War.
It was more than thirty years ago, and still, Aunt Lori had never remarried. I wondered if she ever would.
Beck shook his head. “I refuse to believe Zane’s a dead man walking. He’ll be back again, if only to visit Mariah Fraser-Williams and her son.”
I frowned, vaguely remembering Mariah as being in my sister’s class years ago. “Why?”
Zach filled in. “Zane and Darren Williams signed up together, when they were both eighteen. But Darren died several years ago, leaving Mariah a widow. Knowing Zane as I do, he probably made a promise to look out for Darren’s wife and child.”
Yet more stuff I’d missed out on.
Aunt Lori walked into the room and raised her brows. “Am I interrupting a boys’ club heart-to-heart?”
