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A collective silence fell over the room. After some time passed, Dylan finally reasoned, “Look, you’re the only one who can decide if you’re ready for it, but I think if you completely write the idea off, you’ll be making a mistake. This is the first time in three years that I’ve seen you excited about someone. Sure, you’re trying to downplay that, but you’re my brother. I already know how she’s affecting you, and for you to turn your back on that, on finding some kind of happiness with someone again, it might leave you feeling regret down the line more than anything else.”
Life was short. I didn’t have time for regrets. Or, at least, I didn’t have time for more regrets.
“You’re right,” I said.
“Did you just say I was right?”
I sent a look in his direction that I hoped indicated he shouldn’t get used to the sentiment and answered, “Yes.”
“So, what are you going to do?” Carson asked.
Shaking my head, I admitted, “I’m not sure yet, but I think she’s going to be worth taking the time to figure it out. I just… can you both do me one favor?”
“Anything, Jack. You know that.”
There was no question in my mind that Carson meant every word of that, and at that realization—even if it was something I’d known all my life—I felt extremely lucky. “Can we just keep this between the three of us for now? I don’t know how it’s going to go with her, and I don’t want anyone else getting their hopes up?”
“You know we will,” Dylan assured me.
“I appreciate it.”
Barely a moment later, Carson stood and declared, “Great. With that settled, I think I’m going to need more desserts.”
“You touch one more fucking cookie, and I won’t hesitate to fight you,” I warned him as he started to walk away.
Carson stopped moving, looking back at me, and grinned. Following a beat of silence, he said, “I’m proud of you, Jack. And I’m really happy to see you at this point.”
I knew he would be.
I knew my whole family would feel the same.
But that didn’t mean I didn’t know he wasn’t trying to use nice words to get what he wanted.
“Me too. But you’re still not touching those cookies.”
He rolled his eyes and made his way to the kitchen. Lucky for him, he was smart and grabbed three beers instead.
SEVEN
Dakota
Past
My hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles had turned white.
Snow.
The storm had started while I was out at the store for my normal grocery shopping trip. Granted, I knew that the storm was coming, and I thought I would have been back home before it started.
The problem was that since I knew we were expecting a substantial amount of snow, I thought it would be wise to grab some extra provisions, so Tom and I could have some fun together.
He’d been working so much lately, and we hadn’t been able to spend much time together. Given that the snow was going to force us both to stay home this weekend, I was excited about finally getting some quality time together.
So, I bought some ingredients we needed for us to bake together. Since our first Christmas together was rapidly approaching, this was going to be the perfect time to make a bunch of batches of Christmas cookies.
I’d go home, we’d unload the groceries, and we could spend the rest of the afternoon baking. It would be lovely.
I just wish I’d not taken so long at the store. I was gone for much longer than I had expected, certainly much longer than I’d told Tom I’d be gone. In fact, I was surprised he hadn’t called me to see what was taking me so long.
