Chapter 19

NINETEEN

I escaped out the back door and climbed the semi-secret path that led between the two houses. Vista Lane had been built up over the years as more people looked for lakefront properties. It was more like a cliff's edge so the property edges were wonky at best.

My brother's house was gorgeous and surprisingly large. He'd snapped up the land before Crescent Cove had really blown up.

Shockingly, the yard looked tended to since the last time I'd checked on his house. Trav was always working—or, in my opinion, outrunning his past. I can't say I was overly surprised he and Bridget had finally found their way back around to each other.

I just hoped she stuck around this time.

Neither one of them would really talk about what happened, and I'd been in the city when things had imploded between them. The only problem with living in Chelsea was that I tended to be out of the loop of the details of my crazy family.

The monthly dinners kept me from being completely cut off, but there was only so many details you could get when there were kids running around and all of my siblings were now paired off. Travis missed as many dinners as I did with his insane schedule.

Maybe that was why I was meant to come back here for an extended time too.

I missed my big, crazy family.

When I got to the top of the path, I wandered around the house to the front. There was a whole lot of decorating going on. Moose and Christian were trying to corral some sort of blow up…pumpkins maybe? They were only half inflated and looked more like dripping wax.

I rubbed my hands together. Halloween was actually my favorite holiday and living in the city meant I didn't really get to decorate all that much. I mean, sometimes I took the time to spookify my office, but when it was just for me, I mostly didn't bother.

"There he is!" Travis waved at me. "So, could you climb up there and help me string up the lights?"

I knew I'd be climbing the damn tree.

"Yeah, on my way."

The front yard was littered with half opened boxes of various Halloween famed characters like Jack Skellington and possibly a Coraline.

Those damn button eyes freaked me out every time.

I bypassed the ladder and grabbed for the lowest branch and hauled myself up. Not quite as easy to do when I was younger, but thankfully, the rowing had increased my upper body strength.

The orange and purple lights were a bitch to wrap around the tree, but the electronics of the lights could be programmed so it was damn cool by the time we were done.

Carrington, my niece, was running from uncle to uncle as she tried to help us all.

There had been a handful of tears when Travis had vetoed the tree climbing, but my brother, Murphy—aka Moose—was a pro at dissuading tears. He managed to convince her to help him with the stakes for the blow-up ornaments to keep them from taking off down the lane or heading for the lake.

After the tree, I begged for a drink break and hopped down to grab a water from the cooler Bridget had provided.

Guess maybe she was sticking around this time—at least for more than a day.

My brothers were arguing about where the bigger inflatable character should go, and I spotted Bridget setting out snacks for everyone. I drew her aside.

"You're still here?"

She seemed a little distracted, looking over my shoulder at the melee. To be truthful, she looked like she was heading into the way back machine.

"Bridget? You in there?" I waved a hand in front of her face. "What's up with you?"

"I want my family back. Whatever it takes, I'll do it."

I huffed out a probably more sarcastic laugh than I should. Not what I was expecting. "As if it's that easy. Sometimes you fuck up so bad you don't get a second chance. Even if you're prepared to do the work. Are you prepared to do the work?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. "Speaking of work, what was up with you yesterday?"

"You mean before you two tried to reenact a dirty movie while you were on the clock?"

She cleared her throat and waved that away. "Anyway, what was up with you?"

"Not sure what you mean." I twisted my Apple watch around. It felt like the previous day was a million years ago. So much had happened since then.

"You were perfectly polite to me—and I gotta say, surprising considering your family."

I looked up with a frown. "Has my family said something to upset you?"

"No. Of course not. They're just looking at me a lot. You know, like what is she doing here?" She held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong. They have every right to do that. Just it made it even more obvious you didn't do that."

I tucked my hands into my pockets. "I know you loved my brother."

There had never been a doubt there. At least from what I'd seen between them since they were kids. I hadn't been around for all of it since I'd headed out to college. I assumed it had just been the usual growing apart thing, but maybe I'd been wrong there.

"I did." Her voice was low and strained.

"Which means you must've had reasons for what you did." I reached out and rubbed one of her arms gently. "Do I know them? No, but it's not my business, either. Especially since I don't have anything close to the full story—on either side."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No thanks needed. We all make mistakes, Brig." The need to make her feel better burned inside of me. So much of how she reacted reminded me of Rita. As if she was so used to a harsh word over empathy. Hell, before Rita, I might not have reacted the same way, either. I gave her an exaggerated smile. "Yes, even me. I know, who knew?"

"No. I will never believe it." She gasped comically, making me smile wider. "But I've always known you to be a fair guy, overall. Not someone to react without provocation. Sure, people change, but I don't think you've lost that part of your personality. So, that begs the question."

"No, it really doesn't." I bowed my head for a moment, my smile fading. "You don't have any answers for me, and I don't have any for you. Let that stand for now, okay?"

She tipped her head, staring at me with far too knowing eyes. "Do you need someone to talk to? Someone who doesn't have a penis or a self-assured attitude that can make you feel as if you are three inches tall?"

I chuckled. "No, but gotta say that description may be the best one I've ever heard for my brothers. I do have a younger sister too, in case you've forgotten."

"I definitely have not. Maddie was always my favorite. She never judged anyone. Or at least she never judged me in any way I could tell."

"That sounds like my baby sister. Did you hear she married some super rich older dude and became the mom to his kid and had one of her own?"

"I heard something like that one of the times I was in town. Gossip mill is still active in the Cove." I smiled weakly. "Is she happy?"

I thought about it for a moment. I'd been out of town for that, as well. Seemed like I was missing a hell of a lot when it came to my family these days.

I was starting to wonder if the possible deal with Asher was one more nudge to think about moving back to the Cove.

"Best as I can tell, yeah, she is. Christian would've liked to arrest the dude if marrying a younger woman was illegal, but since he did the same, hard for him to bitch." I glanced over my shoulder at my brother. He'd been another one sucked into a quick romance.

I was beginning to think babies weren't the only thing in the water around here.

"Not that it stopped him." I laughed. Christian looked like he was about to be felled by Jack Skellington. "Guess I better join the Halloween militia."

She followed my gaze with a wince. "Yeah, me too."

We crossed the lawn and split off while she went to talk to Travis, and I faced my stick up-the-ass brother.

"What are you doing?"

The triple pumpkin was floating toward the tree, the stake bouncing behind it, and Jack was drooping over Christian's head. He tried to push it off, but the arm was wrapped around him.

"Help me, maybe?" Christian growled.

I laughed and chased after the pumpkin first, dragging it back to the hole in the grass. This big mama jama needed a few more than two spikes in the ground.

I was still snickering over Christian's wrestling match with Jack as my brother was making out with Bridget. To be honest, I didn't think my brother had ever looked at another woman after he'd set eyes on Bridget Sheppard.

Even when he was at the height of his football days, he'd never wavered.

I never knew how that could be a thing until I met Rita.

Everyone else paled in comparison.

My brother was still getting swallowed by Jack so I decided to rescue him. For my trouble, I got volunteered to climb on the rooftop to position skeletons.

I spent far too much time doing that, especially since the sun had long since set. However, the entirety of my brother's front lawn was lit up. I did not envy his electric bill.

By the time I got down, people had scattered for what sounded like an impromptu game of basketball. Nice of them to invite me. Not that I was good at sports in the least.

Since there was a surplus of decorations, and I was beyond done with my brotherly duties, I decided to sneak a flamingo to surprise Rita with.

She'd get a kick out of the witch hat.

It was a little trickier to get around to Rita's cottage path in the dark. I ducked under the low branches and skidded over a few rocks and hopped down a few feet to the shed near the house.

I did not need a busted knee like my brother had years ago. Maybe I should have gone around the other way.

"Hey!"

I whipped around at the whisper shout.

"You hurting for cash, man? Need some stuff to resell so now you're lurking around other people's storage sheds?"

When I recognized Travis coming out of the dark foliage, I relaxed. "Ha, funny. Why are you back here?"

"I asked you first."

I cleared my throat, feeling stupid with my flamingo in tow now that I was caught. "I know the property owner."

"Oh, do you now?" He scratched his chin. "Hmm."

"No ‘hmm.' No story here. You had like half a dozen flamingos with witch hats. I didn't think you'd miss one. I'll pay you back."

He waved me off. "You can keep it for her. I assume it's a her?"

Things were good with me and Rita, but I knew things could turn on a dime. I wasn't sure I was ready to share everything with my not-so-chill family. She'd done pretty well with my parents, but that was a bit different than getting pulled into four other couples' lives.

He shifted his feet. "Look, your life is your business."

"Thank you. I just said same to your…Bridget."

Hell, I wasn't sure what they were to one another just yet. Bridget seemed cautiously optimistic from the way she'd reacted to him the past few times I'd been around them.

"Why? What did she say to you?"

I shrugged.

"Are you keeping secrets for her now?"

What the hell? "No, I tried to be a friend to her. Something I suspect she sorely needs. She loves you, you idiot."

At his dumb smile, I relaxed a little. Guess my brother was on the same wavelength.

"I want to marry her and possibly have a half dozen more kids with her, if she's on board. Do you have any thoughts on that you'd like to share? Maybe you'd like to warn me away and suggest I get my head examined?"

"Who said that to you?" Honestly puzzled, I staked the flamingo next to me. Had he picked up something from my brothers?

"No one yet. But just thinking ahead. I know everyone worries. And I get that." He raked his fingers through his hair restlessly. My brother always had a hard time keeping still. "I'd worry too if I was on the outside looking in. But she makes me so fucking happy, man."

Surprised, I jammed my hands in my pockets. Bridget had been proven to be a runner. I didn't know the specifics of it, but she wasn't exactly known for sticking around the last few years. "Even with the risk you have to take?"

"Loving someone is the only risk worth taking."

I rocked back on my heels. "When did you get so wise?"

"Oh, I'm just faking it. Trying to keep up with my super smart kid." He glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his voice a touch. "Who's scaring the hell out of me by inferring things about sex she shouldn't know yet. She's not even eleven yet, man."

I winced and shoved a hand through my hair before retying it back with the band on my wrist. "Not my department, dude."

"Yeah, I know. How old were we, man? We couldn't have known much at her age, right?"

I smirked. "Males are born knowing about sex."

"That is true, kinda. But kids her age know so damn much, it's boggling. Freaking social media is a gateway drug to all knowledge."

"Yet you want more of them?" I hunched and looked over my shoulder, hoping no one heard me. The baby gods were very generous in this damn town.

"So, who's the chick?"

"Rita Savage." Dammit, I hadn't meant to say her name.

"No way. The woman you were rude to?" He looked at me hard. "Mating dance? Sorry, off my game. She's gorgeous though. Seems really nice too. Be careful with her."

How had he picked up on that before I had? "Why do you say that?"

"Because I wasn't as careful as I should've been and I didn't tell Bridget exactly how I felt enough so she got scared over everything and didn't feel she could talk to me about it. She had her own stuff from her past, and it messed her all up. Which, of course, affected us too. And she blamed herself for everything when I didn't do half of what I should have to make her feel loved and protected and like I put her first. Carrington too, of course," he added.

"Yeah, she had a rough home sitch too, right?" I held up a hand. "Not trying to pry, just help."

He paused for a moment, then he sighed sadly. "Yeah, her mom had mental health issues. Her sister was a bit older, and I don't think they were that close when they were younger. She had friends, but no one super close, and people need that. Especially women. I mean, seems like everyone has a bestie. They need besties." He cleared his throat. "I mean, not only. You have a best friend too. And you're super tight. I just don't. I never made time for friends when I was caring for Carrington on my own. I don't regret putting her first, but yeah, I wish I had someone closer friend-wise. I mean, John is a friend, but…"

Had I really been so blind about how separate and lonely he felt? The Mastersons were a tight bunch. "Do you need a bestie, Trav?"

"I wouldn't turn one down, no." He grinned. "Got any lines on some available ones?"

Another reason to tick on the move home column. "No, but I can stand in here and there."

"But you're not even local."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like you are?"

He shrugged. "I may be sticking closer to home for a while."

"If you want to make a go of things with Bridget, you probably need to stay planted long enough to grow some roots. And there are plenty of guys around here that miss you. Dads by the dozen around here too." I rolled my shoulders. "I don't know what I'd do without Larsen." Just the idea of it had me chilled. "Don't want to find out, either."

"I envy how close you two are. Just having someone who will listen to whatever is spinning in your head makes such a difference. And who always has your back. It's worth so much."

"Yeah."

God, I was missing so damn much by getting sucked under by my own bullshit. Sure, Duality Press was a huge part of me, but I was beginning to see it didn't have to be the only thing. I had Larsen, sure, but today had reminded me how much else there was to life.

"But I'm so grateful for all of you. You keep me sane. Sure, you all can be judgmental as hell, but I never doubt you all have my back and want what's best for me. And I fucking appreciate it. I won out in the sibling lottery. No doubt."

I stepped forward and hugged him tight. He paused for a second before clapping my back hard before stepping back.

He grinned. "So, are you doing it with Rita yet?"

I tipped my head back. "And we're back."

He laughed. "C'mon, I'm still me. But I won't press you for more than you're ready to give. Just want you to know I care. And I will talk about anything you need to work through with you. Don't even have to ask. Just give me a teensy tiny opening."

Man, my brother was on mush factor twelve tonight. "Teensy tiny is a kid phrase. Or a phrase you'd use with kids. Dad speak is its own language."

"So, help me out here with some adult conversation. Save a brother."

"I'm still figuring things out. And hell, I definitely don't get the kid thing. And you want more? Like plural?"

"I fucking love being a father. Can't hold me back there. Though I don't want to push Bridget."

She stepped up beside him and slid her arm around his waist like they'd been doing it every day. "You're not pushing me. I'm on the same page of our book. Hi again, Penn."

"Hi, Bridget. Sorry to steal your guy for a few. Guess we needed a brotherly heart-to-heart."

"All good. Take your time." She leaned up to nip my brother's earlobe as she whispered, "Some of the clothes did not fit, as predicted. But I stole one of your shirts to go with my jeans post-shower."

"Looks good. Steal anything you want, babe." He nuzzled into her.

I was ready for a hasty retreat, but I didn't want to be rude.

Much.

"Did I overhear you mention Rita?" Bridget nudged him back from playing Dracula.

"Women have bat ears, I swear. Yes, Rita. She lives down there." I vaguely pointed at the cottage, but Bridget hurried forward.

"Oh, really? That cute little cottage? She lives here now?" Then she was off rushing down the hill, the steep incline be damned.

I shook my head. "She doesn't live here. She's staying here." I sighed. "And Bridget is long gone."

Travis patted my back. "Freudian slip, bro."

Would that be so bad?