Page 3 of His For The Keeping

Use it or lose it.

Shane never felt as if he was losing anything by not taking time off from work. Hell, work didn’t really feel like work. Hewas lucky. Many people hated their jobs, but he loved almost every moment.

His phone buzzing in his pocket grabbed his attention. He chuckled as he answered, “Are you spying on me, big brother?”

“Like the United States government would allow that. What makes you ask?”

“I just opened your wedding invitation.”

“Perfect timing, then. Were you able to take leave?”

“No, it was denied,” he ribbed his brother.

“Looks like you’ll be going AWOL, then.”

“Looks like it.”

“I’ll have a job waiting for you when you get dishonorably discharged. Of course, you’ve been gone for so long, you’ll have to start from the bottom. You know, to make sure I can trust you.”

“Ha-ha,” Shane chuckled. The teasing came naturally between all the O’Brien brothers.

“No, but really, all joking aside, was your leave approved?”

“Yeah. I haven’t taken any in so long, Max told me I should double it.”

“You should. You know Ma would love to have you home.”

“I know.”

“The rest of us wouldn’t mind, either.”

“You sure about that? How much money are you willing to lose at pool again?”

“You got lucky last time, and you know it,” Patrick ribbed. “Look, we’re having a family brunch on Sunday, the beginning of the wedding week festivities, at The Barn, an upscale restaurant in the middle of nowhere Angelique likes. We rented the entire place. Can you make it?”

“My flight gets in at one.”

“Great. Drop your shit off at the house, then come out. We have the place all day. There’s a dance floor and an open bar. It’llbe just our two families, some of the upper management, and a few close family friends. Nothing big.”

“By nothing big, you mean what, one hundred people?”

“More like fifty. We’re keeping this one small, intimate. The bigger events are later in the week.”

“Sure.” He didn’t believe that for a minute. The two families alone were close to two hundred people, and that was just with the aunts and uncles.

“It’ll be good to see you, Shane. It’s been too long.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

His brothers could be a pain in the ass, but they werehispain in the ass. Inseparable growing up, everyone in town knew of the ‘O’Brien Boys,’ not only for their father’s lead role in the community but more for the boys’ antics. All of them played sports, and together, they were untouchable. Boisterous, playful, and hardheaded, they fought with each other day and night, but God help anyone on the outside who tried to step up to one of them. They had each other’s backs, and everyone knew it. They were good kids. All of them made good grades and had been well mannered in school—their ma would have their asses if they hadn’t.

His childhood had been a good one. His father, well known in local county politics, was a successful businessman, owning several restaurants, pubs, laundromats, and convenience stores. Everyone knew the businesses were a front for the organized crime business done in the back rooms, but law enforcement never had enough evidence against him to bring charges.

Shane and his dad weren’t close. They got along but didn’t have the relationship Patrick had with their father. Shane’s best friend growing up was his next oldest brother, Shawn. Ten months apart in age, they were often confused for one another as children, the very definition of Irish twins.

Off the phone with Patrick, Shane texted Shawn.

“See you Sunday?”

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