Chapter Eleven

Kyler knocked on Luis's front door.

Since Brad had been back, the siding on the house had been power-washed, and the yard landscaped, even though it was getting cold. Those were just two of the more noticeable improvements that Kyler could see at a glance, but he bet there were a thousand smaller things. Luis needed Brad and not the guy who got drunk regularly, either. No, Luis needed his brother to step up. The cuts on Luis' arms said that much. Kyler just hoped the little home improvements reflected every aspect of the Flynn brothers' lives.

If it didn't, Kyler might have to have a conversation with Royce. The last thing Luis wanted was for Royce to know about his mental illness, but Kyler would do whatever it took to keep his friend safe.

When the door opened, Luis' little brother, Caden stood in the door frame. Caden waved Kyler inside, but before he could get there, Caden wrapped him in a hug. It hadn't been that long since Kyler had seen Caden last. Maybe a few weeks at the most. Whenever Brian's meddling barbeque had been. It seemed the kid had gotten taller. His arms felt longer because he cocooned Kyler in the embrace.

"God, when did you get to be a giant?" Kyler wasn't a tall person by any stretch. He was on the shorter side for a male, and lean. He could honestly say no one had ever made him feel smaller than Caden Flynn during a hug.

Caden chuckled and let him go. He was the tallest of the three brothers even at sixteen years old, although Brad only was down by an inch or so. He lacked Brad's muscle mass, but it wouldn't take to many years to gain that as well.

Caden let Kyler into the house. He led him through the living room to the kitchen, where Brad cooked grilled cheese. He twirled a spatula around as he stood at the stove.

Brad nodded as Kyler entered the room. "Kyler."

"Hey, man." Kyler sat at the kitchen island, watching Brad cook. "What are you making?"

"Sandwiches and soup. Do you want some? There's plenty." Brad's expression was weary as if he were scared of Kyler. Weary of judgment, perhaps.

Kyler hadn't had a lot of interaction with Brad. He'd gone to prison when Kyler was a senior in high school, so he didn't have very many personal experiences.

"Sure. Thanks."

"You want a soda or coffee or something?"

"I'll take a soda." Kyler had been to Luis' house several times, but never when Brad was home. Since Brad had been out of prison, he'd always been working. "How's the job going?"

Brad had started a handyman business. "It's picking up a lot. I mostly have to head over to Harbor Shire. Hard to find work in Pickleville, not that I blame people."

People in Pickleville didn't always give others second chances. Kyler fully admitted not everyone deserved one, but Luis said Brad had changed a lot. He loved his brothers and had made Luis' life a lot easier since getting out.

"People will come around eventually."

Brad shrugged and put a grilled sandwich on a plate before cutting it in half. He put the plate in front of Kyler and then poured some tomato soup into a bowl. When he put the bowl in front of Kyler with a spoon in it, he smiled. "Harbor Shire isn't so bad."

Brad put another sandwich in the pan, starting the grilling process.

"Thank you." The smell of grilled bread and hot soup made his stomach rumble, reminding him that he'd forgotten to eat dinner before he came over. "Are you coming with Luis and me?"

Brad pointed to Caden and then the seat next to Kyler. "Nah, I'm staying home with Caden. Bars aren't my thing anymore. Jaron invited me to go to TJs bar the next time Greg sings. Might do that, but that's as good as it gets."

Caden sat down next to him, eying his sandwich as Kyler took a bite of half. Kyler slid the other half across the counter. Caden was a growing boy, after all. "Thanks, Ky."

Brad flipped the sandwich. "Luis tells me the chief is hunting for one of the Lincoln boys."

Kyler shrugged because he wasn't sure if he could talk about it, and he wasn't sure why Brad was asking. He wasn't the authority on anything Andrew did. He shrugged. "I don't know what Andy's doing. Ever."

Brad smirked. "Got it."

Kyler rolled his eyes. "What did Luis tell you?"

Brad chuckled. "Just said you had a thing with the chief."

Kyler darted his eyes to Caden and thought about how he would talk about Andy in front of a child. "One thing, if you know what I mean, does not equal a series of things."

"No, it doesn't." Brad put the sandwich on a plate and cut it before putting it in front of Caden. He gave Caden a bowl of soup next. "Do you want a series of things?"

Kyler felt heat climb into his cheeks and knew he probably blushed. "I'd like a relationship. I don't know what he wants. He's giving me mixed signals. Like we um…had the one thing…" Kyler darted his eyes to Caden.

"I just turned sixteen years old. Plus, I go to a public school. I know you're talking about sex." Caden rolled his eyes.

"Pretend for my sake that you don't. I feel old otherwise." Brad put another sandwich in the pan and then met Kyler's gaze. "He grew up too fast while I was gone. Anyway, tell me about the chief's signals."

"So, we had a one-night thing." Kyler still felt weird talking about sex in front of Caden, who was still a child in all the ways that counted. "And he left before the morning. Gave me the it's-not-you-it's-me thing. That was a few months ago. Now he calls me carino and spent the night in his car in my driveway."

"What does ‘carino' mean?" Caden asked the question.

"It's an endearment. Like calling someone love or sweetheart." Brad answered. Kyler's surprise must have shown on his face because Brad explained. "My cellmate was Spanish-speaking. Had a thing for me."

Caden's mouth fell open. "Did you like…you know?"

"No. Not that it's any of your business." Brad flipped the sandwich before meeting Kyler's gaze. "Seems to me he had a change of heart."

"Maybe. Probably. Yes, I'm sure he did. But I don't know how I feel about that." Kyler ate a spoonful of his soup before speaking again. "By the way, Andy's going to meet us at Rumors. Since Brett freaks me out, he said he would pull bodyguard duty."

Brad sighed. "Makes me feel a lot better. Just get out of there if you see Lincoln. And if you need me, call. I'll come. Got it."

Kyler nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

Luis came out a few minutes later. He wore jeans and a skin-tight, long-sleeved shirt that showed his nipples through the black, mesh material.

"Wow. You look amazing." Kyler had never seen Luis look so…glittery. Between his shirt and whatever he'd put on his skin, his intentions to stand out were quite clear.

"So do you." Luis sat on the stool next to his and took the sandwich that Brad slid across the island. A bowl of soup came next.

"Are you two going on a date or something?" Caden asked, looking from Kyler to Luis and back again.

"Like, with each other?" Kyler met Luis' gaze. They both burst out laughing at the same time.