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Anthony smirked shyly.
“I’ve seen the type of relationship you described in the gym, and I want you to know I’ll have no part in that. Sammy’s done more for me than I can tell you. I just wanna love her the way she deserves. Unfortunately, I’m gonna fuck it up, probably more than once, but I’m trying,” Aero said, sincerity in every word. “I go to therapy religiously; I have a good support system here, and Sam is helping me work through my issues.”
Anthony studied him a moment longer, then said, “All right.”
“Can we try this again?” Aero asked, standing and extending a hand.
Anthony hesitated for a moment but stood and shook hands.
“I’m Aero. I think your sister is incredible,” Aero said, and Anthony smiled.
“I’m Anthony. I’ll kick your ass if you make my sister cry again.”
“Sounds good,” Aero agreed, releasing his hand and turning to Blaze. “Thanks.”
“That’s what they pay me for,” Blaze joked, standing from his desk. “So, who’s gonna grovel to Sam and get her over here for the cookout?”
Aero and Anthony shared a wary look.
“Wanna flip for it?” Anthony asked, and Aero grinned.
“I’ll go get her,” Aero said. “Hang out. Go find Ma; she’ll feed you.”
Anthony agreed, happy that he wasn’t the one who had to choke down a slice of humble pie to get back into Sam’s good graces.
“Let’s go, Zed” Blaze said and Zed popped to his feet, following Blaze out of the office toward the kitchen, Anthony in tow.
Chapter 20
“Go away,” Molly said, blocking the doorway to the apartment while Aero stood out on the walkway.
“Come on, Molly, I just wanna talk to her,” Aero pleaded, trying to peek around Molly’s slim shoulders to see if Sam was nearby. “Anthony and I worked everything out. Let me in, please.”
“Nope.” Molly didn’t budge. She was under strict instructions from a still rather distraught Sam not to let anyone, especially Aero or her brother, into the apartment.
“Molly, please. I didn’t mean to upset her, really. I just need to explain—”
Molly slammed the front door in his face, leaving him alone on the concrete. He sighed, gazing around the small side yard where the sun was setting and lightning bugs flickered in the taller grass beside the fence. Then, an idea hit him. Slowly, Aero crept around the side of the building toward the back corner, where he knew Sam’s room was.
Luckily, her bedroom window was open halfway, and warm light spilled out into the twilight darkness. From the yard, he could hear female voices talking as he crept closer to the window.
“Yeah, I told him to beat it,” Molly was saying.
Aero heard a sniffle, obviously from Sam, and even that small, unhappy sound made him want to weep. She was still upset, even after all these hours. He’d really screwed up.
“Okay,” Sam was murmuring. “Thanks.”
He heard the bedroom door click shut before speaking to the open window. “Sam?”
She let out a shriek, obviously surprised by his arrival.
“Sam, it’s me,” he said loudly, hoping she’d recognize his voice and wouldn’t call the police.
“Aero?”
The window slid open further, and she stared at him through the screen. “What’re you doing? You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to, but Molly wouldn’t let me in, and I figured you wouldn’t answer a phone call.”
