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He knew Sammy was right and that he had the best of intentions, but it still stuck in his craw that his brother had to issue the reminder. As if he was too dense to look after himself. Then again, Vance did have a tendency to forget common sense whenever that woman was anywhere near. “She’s coming over tonight,” he replied. “I figure we’ll have a calm, polite discussion; then she can leave. She’ll have a clear conscience, and I’ll know the real reason why she left. A win for both of us.”
“I hope you’re right, bro.”
When they heard a curse in the other room, they headed back into the dining area in time to see his youngest brothers, the twins Reilly and River, striding through the door. Reilly wore the heavy black parka their mom had bought him for Christmas and carried a couple of bags from the hardware store. River had his brown leather coat zipped clear to the chin. The dark sunglasses he sported gave Vance a pretty good idea why Reilly was glaring at his twin. Another late night? Probably. When Reilly punched River on the arm and River punched back, Vance knew the answer was yes. He checked the clock on the wall and frowned. “Where have you two been all morning?”
Reilly scowled at River. “Well, I’ve been busy picking up supplies from that list you gave me yesterday, but sleepyhead’s been in bed getting his beauty rest.”
Vance laughed for the first time that day. “Out too late again, River?”
He yawned, then took off his shades and stuck them in his coat pocket as he headed toward the coffeepot. “Nope, just up too late.”
About three weeks ago, River had started taking out a different woman every night, as if he was on a damn quest to bed every available woman in Blackwater. “What’s her name this time?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“Christy,” River answered. The coffeepot paused halfway to his cup, and Vance watched as he frowned. “Or maybe it was Crystal.”
Vance chuckled, but Sammy wasn’t nearly as amused. “You seriously need to chill with the one-night stands or you’re going to catch something. Christ, River.”
River waved the warning away and continued pouring the coffee. “I’m not an idiot, Sammy. I do take the necessary precautions.” He held the pot out for Reilly, but he shook his head. River replaced the carafe on the warmer, while Reilly continued to frown at his twin. After River took a cautious sip, he looked over at Vance. “So, where’s your crew? I figured they’d be pounding the shit out of this place by now. We’re removing the counter today and installing the bar, right?” He paused, then added, “And where’s Mom? I thought she wanted to see the changes you drew up.”
Vance headed around the bar and sat on a stool at the counter. “Mom and Julie are out shopping; should be along any minute. And we are installing the bar, but I gave the crew the day off. They’ve been working their asses off on this place and needed the break.”
Brodix took the seat next to him and glared. “Hey, why didn’t you bitch at him the way you did me?”
Confused, Vance asked, “Huh?”
“You told all of us yesterday that the crew had today off,” he reminded him with a kick to the side of Vance’s shin. “You hate to repeat yourself, remember?”
Vance scratched his chin. “Yeah, sorry about the attitude earlier. My day didn’t quite start out the way I planned.”
“Why?” Brodix asked. “What happened?”
“Shayla Riggs happened,” Vance replied, knowing there was no use trying to keep his private life private.
“Shayla? Like, Shayla from a decade ago?” Brodix asked. When Vance nodded, Brodix let out a low whistle. “Whoa. And I see it didn’t take her long to get your boxers in a twist,” Brodix helpfully supplied. “See? This is why I don’t bother with long-term relationships. Too many cute fish in the sea to start getting all tangled up with just one little piranha, if you ask me.”
“Vance, you still hung up on that girl?” River asked with a cocky grin on his face, as he picked up on only part of the conversation.
Vance flipped him the bird and turned his attention back to Brodix. “You know, one of these days a woman is going to come along and knock you on your neatly pressed ass. Like the supportive brother that I am, I’ll gladly help you up while I laugh myself fucking silly.”
Brodix chuckled. “Not going to happen, but you keep dreaming, sugar.”
Annoyed that he hadn’t managed to ruffle his brother’s feathers in the slightest, Vance tried to come up with a witty response, but River’s cell phone started to chirp, interrupting them. He took it out of the front pocket of his coat and looked at the screen. The wide, toothy grin River suddenly sported had the room going quiet, all of them curious if the woman on the other end was the same one River had spent the night with.
When River hit the Answer button and shouted, “Sunshine!” Vance instantly knew that the person on the other end was none other than Jeanette Munroe. She happened to have the distinct role in River’s life of being his one and only friend. Jeanette was a sweet, tomboyish type and a few years younger than River. She also happened to be the only person River ever allowed to sleep in his bed. Not even the women River dated stayed all night. Vance figured it was a remnant from his brother’s nightmarish childhood. Being a foster kid had sucked for the lot of them, but River had had it worst. Abuse seemed like a tame word when Vance thought of what River’s foster father had put him through.
“God, he’ll be on the phone an hour at least,” Reilly grumbled as he watched his brother and drummed his fingers on the counter. “Now that I think about it, I remember River saying something about Jeanette coming home from college for a few days.”
Vance nodded. “Looks like we’re down one, then, because sure as shit River will be spending the rest of the day with her.”
When River se
t his cup down and went into the other room to talk in private, Sammy cursed.
Sammy’s entire body seemed to go rigid, and Vance frowned. “What’s wrong?”
He took a pack of gum out of his shirt pocket, ripped open a piece and popped it into his mouth before he asked, “Do you think that boy will ever figure out that Jeanette’s feelings run deeper than friendship?”
Reilly snorted. “Hell no. I asked him once why they don’t date. She’s good for him, makes him happy. He’s always more relaxed around her too.”
