Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Honestly, it’s even worse than what I’m saying.” He lets out a sharp laugh. “He pretended like everything was fine, but the organization’s a goddamn clusterfuck of conflicting factions. I’ve been spending all my time getting shit back together, just so it doesn’t collapse now that Dad’s not holding it together through sheer force of will.”
“You never said anything.”
“Can’t look weak. You know that.”
“We’re family, Carson. If you think I want your job, then you’re insane.”
He grins. “I’m definitely insane.”
“What about Liam? Where’s he been?”
“Traveling. Doing business all over.” Carson rubs his face. “He’s a pain in the ass too. Does whatever the fuck he wants, the bastard. Gets in a lot of trouble.”
“Sounds about right.”
“Liam’s the worst about it, too. Flaunts his disrespect. Doesn’t listen when I try to give him commands. Straight up ignores me. I’m going to find a way to get him back under control, but he’s the least of my worries right now. Then there’s Finn, he’s useless, too busy with his fucking wife and kids, but at least he tries. Liam’s just a shit.”
“He’ll get it together. Eventually. Maybe.” I shrug, get up, and refill my drink. I’m aware that this is the most I’ve spoken with my brother in a while, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I don’t pity the guy—this is the job he stepped into. He knew what it would be when he took it. But after everything, he’s still my brother. “You know I didn’t marry Keely to piss you off, right?”
“I know.” His shoulders are slumped. “It felt that way though.”
“I married Keely because I wanted to. It had nothing to do with you or Ash.”
“Ash doesn’t even care.” He glances back at me. “Lucky for you. She says Keely can make her own mistakes. If she had taken it bad, we wouldn’t be sitting here.”
“Don’t be a prick. We’re getting along.”
“Really, I expected her to be upset, but she just sort of… accepted it. Like she knew it was coming.”
I sit down beside him, leaning back. “That’d make one of us.”
“You love her, don’t you?” Carson’s voice is intense. He’s staring at me like he’s trying to see through my skin.
I take a long sip, considering how much to tell him, and decide on full transparency. “Yeah. I do.”
“You think that’s going to be a problem?”
I’m quiet for a minute. It’s already a problem. I can feel how she’s worming her way into my life, distracting me from my duties, pulling my attention from places it really needs to be. I’m not working, I’m not fighting, I’m barely getting the job done. Things are moving still, but for how much longer?
“She’s hiding something from me,” I say after a while. “I just don’t know what it is yet.”
“Something bad?” he asks. “I can see if Ash knows.”
“No, don’t. I don’t want to push Keely away more than I already have.”
“You came on too strong.”
“It’s a family trait, I think.”
Carson laughs. “You have no idea.”
Another silence. This time, it’s companionable, not strained. Finally, I hear the girls coming back. “Listen, I’m having Sunday dinners with Mom. You should come.”
He looks at me. “Yeah, okay. I’d like that.”
“Good.”
Ash enters first, followed by Keely. They’re laughing about something, but their laughter dies down as they look at us. Ash puts a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Well?” she asks. “You two all better?”
“Nobody’s dead,” Carson grunts. “That’s a start.”
“I guess that’s the best I could hope for.” Ash presses her lips together. “I want you two to stop fighting and start being brothers again. No more acting like children. Understood?”
“We’re not children,” I say, glancing at Keely. She’s grinning at me.
“Sounds like something a child would say,” she says.
I sigh, rubbing my face, but the girls return to their seats, and dinner resumes.
This time, without the strained silence. And it’s actually kind of nice. I can picture this happening more often—the wives getting together, maybe with our children running around. I can imagine how this life might feel, and I like it.
Only Keely’s still not looking at me, and whatever’s bothering her isn’t going away.
Which means I have to find a way to fix it.
Chapter 32
Nolan
I surprise her the next morning with breakfast in bed. She’s in that sleepy stage, still only half-conscious, when I wheel in a cart with eggs, bacon, toast, jam, coffee, milk, yogurt and a bowl of cereal. It’s a bit overkill, but I’m going for shock and awe. “Here you are, my darling,” I say, setting it up beside the bed.
Fortunately, she chose to sleep in our room the night before.
“What’s all this?” She sits up straight, rubbing her face.
“Food.” I sit down on the edge of the bed, buttering her toast. “You should eat.”
“Uh,” she says, blinking at me, then squinting at the clock. “It’s like six in the morning. I think I’d rather sleep for another hour.”