Chapter 10

When the door closes, I turn my body toward my twin brother. “What’s wrong with you?”

“This is fucking ridiculous. Why aren’t you two open with what’s going on? It’s obvious.”

I roll my eyes. “Pfft. We hardly speak to one another in public.”

“You don’t have to,” he says. “I know you. And after last night when you were chatting with Archie, I had no doubts about the two of you. Cash glared at him like he was going to fuck him up.”

I snicker. “Did he? I didn’t notice.”

“Tell me what you’re worried about,” he says.

“My relationships are none of your business. Why are you here?”

He shakes his head. “You’re stubborn. The quicker you rip off the Band-aid, the sooner Beckett will get the fuck over it. If Kinsley told him to stay away from Summer, do you think he would’ve?”

“Please, stop,” I whisper. My twin brother already knows the truth because I can’t hide anything from him. “It’s different.”

“You told me you were in love with him, Remington,” Colt says, using my full name. It just reminds me of being in trouble as a kid.

I thought he’d forgotten. I’d hoped he had. “It doesn’t matter.”

He shrugs. “Have you told Mom and Dad you’re seeing Cash? I’m sure they’d be happy to know that. After last night, though, I’m sure they know.”

“Goodbye, ol’ brother of mine,” I say, grabbing him, but he’s so tall and muscular he doesn’t budge. My brothers are all built the same.

Instead of leaving, he kicks off his running shoes and places his feet on my coffee table. He’s wearing his glasses today, the same shape I have, but it was an accidental twinning moment. I don’t always wear mine, though, just when reading. Colt’s eyesight is worse.

He places his hands behind his head. “I’m thinking about buying another house.”

“This is what you wanted to talk about at seven in the morning? You know I work the night shift.”

He grins. “You were up with Dr. Johnson. But anyway, you know the old Riley house.”

My brows furrow. “The haunted one?”

“The abandoned one,” he corrects and chuckles.

“It’s falling apart.”

“Oh, it’s in horrible shape,” he says. “But I stopped by and walked through it. There wasn’t a front door, and someone had gone inside and spray-painted some dicks on the walls, but it was sturdy. The structure was solid, so I made them an offer.”

“Was it for sale?”

“No,” he tells me. “I just drove by it to shoot my shot because it would be a great fixer-upper.”

I chuckle. “It needs to be flattened.”

“That’s the difference between me and you. I see the possibility of things while you take it at face value.”

“I do not.”

“You do, and that’s okay. That’s why I wanted to talk to you about this. I’m logical, but I also believe I can do anything. Possibilities aren’t reality. If you wish in one hand and shit in the other, well, you know how the saying goes.”

“Exactly. Give me more details,” I say.

He places his hands behind his head. “Built in the 1800s and has been abandoned since around 1995. It needs new everything, but the bones are solid. I can get the property and the house for fifty thousand. When I finish it, I can live there or flip it and make three hundred and fifty in profit.”

My mouth falls open.

“It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. I’d knock some walls down to open up the living room, and the kitchen overlooks the edge of the Horseshoe Creek Ranch.”

“Wow,” I say. Anything is possible, but it needs to be probable. “How long will it take you to renovate?”

“Since my other two houses are in perfect condition, it would take a solid year to fix it, working from early morning to dark.” He grins. “Can you imagine?”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you. I bet it’s satisfying, too,” I tell him, envisioning it.

“Any dream can be a reality if you want it to be,” he says, but I don’t think he’s talking about the house, not by how his jaw relaxes. “But anyway, how do you feel about it?”

I stare at the painting on the wall. “It sounds like an excellent investment if you can reno quickly.”

“Guess that house is fixing to be mine, then.” He holds up his hand for a high five, and I laugh. “I looked up the tax records before I went over there. The tax records say the property is worth seventy-five. The land also needs a lot of work, but like you said, it’s an investment. Five bedrooms is a lot for just me, though,” he says.

“Guess you’ll have to have a fuckton of kids to fill it.”

He laughs. “Fuck them kids.”

“Yeah, I feel ya. I’m not ready for that yet. I want to see how it goes for Summer. If it sucks, she’ll be truthful. Kinsley will probably be pregnant next year because they always promised to have kids together. We’re in the clear for a long time, thankfully.”

“I’ve come to terms with not finding anyone. A stork needs to drop a woman on my door because there ain’t anyone around here.”

“What about Haley?” I ask.

He gives me a look. “No.”

I yawn, wishing I had that coffee. “She’s fun.”

“We’re not compatible,” he says. “Plus, Haley’s into Emmett. Not trying to steal my brother’s girl.”

I lift a brow. “How’d you know that?”

He shakes his head. “It’s like you don’t realize how transparent you are.”

The door swings open, and Cash carries two coffees. Cash looks at me, and my expression softens. He hands me one cup, and I immediately remove the lid because I’ve learned my lesson.

“That right there.” Colt stands and points between us.

“What are you talking about? He handed me a drink,” I say.

Cash seems confused, too.

“You’re like a flash in the dark. If someone’s not paying attention, they’d miss how you look at one another. To me, it’s crystal clear.”

I make a face at him.

“Anyway, have fun. I’m about to buy a house,” he says, patting Cash on his shoulder as he walks past him.

When we hear his truck pulling away, Cash turns to me. “What the fuck was that about?”

I shake my head. “He knows about us.”

“Yeah, about that,” he says, sipping his drink. “There are many people on that list.”

“Like who?” I ask.

“Kinsley, Hayden, Grace, Harrison, Colt, Christine, and Archer.”

“Archie.”

He rolls his eyes. “I don’t care what his name is. Who else knows?”

“Haley. Lexi. Emmett.” I sigh. “I just don’t know how. We’ve avoided each other the way we’d planned. How we look at one another is speculation and gossip. There is zero proof.”

“Maybe we were messy,” he says. “I think Harrison knows something more, considering his snide comments. It’s only a matter of time until the walls close on us, babe. When will Beckett find out?”

I contemplate his question.

“Are you prepared for that?” he asks.

“I thought we’d have more time.”

He shakes his head. “We don’t. It seems like the avalanche started, and there’s no stopping it now. Colt just confirmed that for me. Actually, Hayden did yesterday.”

I pat the couch cushion next to me and then turn my body toward him. Cash clicks the button on his phone and glances down.

“What did Hayden say?”

“In a roundabout way, he told me to fight for you,” he explains, but a smile plays on his lips. They’ve been friends for nearly as long as he and Beckett. They also lived in Houston at the same time until Hayden returned to Valentine last year to try his second chance with Kinsley.

It makes me laugh. “Okay, we should tally how many people are against this.”

“Two,” he says. “Harrison and Beckett.”

“So, how do we get them on our side?” I ask, and it grows quiet as the gears turn.

When an idea hits me, I gasp. “I think I might have a plan.”

He shakes his head. “I already don’t like the sound of this or the look on your face.”

“It’s perfect,” I say, standing up and smiling. “Beckett said he didn’t want to see me sad anymore, right? Well, guess who will be doom and gloom around him.”

“You’re not a great actress.”

“I can try. I have a lot of pent-up emotions,” I admit.

Now that Cash’s back, many of my struggles have vanished.

“I need to tell him I broke up with Eric because he was right. Then, a week later, tell him I realized I’m in love with you. Then I’ll explain how you’ve denied me because of him, and he’s the reason my life sucks.”

“Or we could tell him the truth and let him deal with it in his own way?” His lips part. “Honesty is the best policy.”

“Nah. This is sibling revenge. He keeps trying to control my relationships and will do the same thing to Fenix, London, and Vera. It’s up to me to stop this for my younger sisters. I’ll let him think he’s the puppet master. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”

“Rem, sometimes you’re too smart for your own good. This could backfire,” he says, trying to be the voice of reason.

My mind is made. “We’ll try my way, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll tell him the truth. But in the end, we’re together.”

“Okay,” he says, shaking his head, but he gives me a cute little grin. He’s always allowed me to call the shots when navigating my family. Right now, we should tell the truth, but I’m determined to teach Beckett a lesson. I’m matching his energy.

“You’re going to destroy him. I can see it in your eyes.”

I move toward him, wrapping my arm around his waist and looking into his eyes. “As long as he doesn’t destroy us, I don’t care. If I let him keep doing this, my unhappiness will be in his hands, just like before. He needs to understand that enough is enough.”

His brows lift. “And what about Harrison?”

“I think I can fool him, too, but he’ll be harder because we’re closer. Also, he has no proof. His side comments were probably because he caught us standing too close. He saw nothing other than me pouncing on you. Oh, and not to mention, the girl code is enacted. If he messes with any of my relationships, Grace has promised to cut him off to keep him in line.”

He bursts into laughter like I’m kidding. I’m not. “Wait, you’re serious.”

“Dead serious. I have Summer on board, too. If they interfere with my love life, I’ll end theirs.”

I think about this more closely. “Sometimes you’re scary.”

“Only when it comes to you. Are you prepared for what people say when I tell them how much I want you?”

“You’ll actually go that far?” He doesn’t sound convinced.

“They need to get used to hearing my truth,” I say. My body buzzes as I think about it.

His eyes darken, and I’m tempted to steal a kiss when he tilts my chin upward.

“And what happens at the end of our ninety days in this place?” he asks.

“Maybe you should propose,” I say with a wink.

“Mm. And if I did, what would your answer be?” He studies me.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

He licks his lips and smirks.

I think I might die and go to heaven.