I stepped into the shower at the hotel to get the fire foam off me before dinner. I tried to talk Maggie into joining me, but she wasn’t in the mood. I couldn’t blame her, even though I tried to warn her that was how it was going to go down. I could only hope she was still out in the room when I got out of the shower.

I should’ve come by myself for the first trip home, but I was selfish and needed her support. I’d never needed anyone before. I didn’t want to depend on people. They let me down in the past.

I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair and hurried the rest of the shower. Maggie was too quiet out in the room, and it was making me nervous. I didn’t know what she was thinking. She confessed she was falling for me, but was she having a change of heart after seeing the real me and how my life was before?

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist before walking out to the room. I didn’t bother drying off. I had to see if she was still out there.

I stepped out and smiled when I saw she was still in the room, but I was even more concerned when I saw she was staring out the window. “Hey, what are you thinking about over there?”

“Not much.” She smiled when she turned and looked at me but raised her eyebrows when she saw I was standing in a towel. “Damn. I’m sorry I missed the shower.”

“Are you only with me for my body?”

“Not at all. I’m with you for your dick.”

I laughed and grabbed my bag. “My dick is very fond of you, too.”

“Do you think Tim will show up tonight?”

“I hope so, but I haven’t been the best big brother. I might not deserve another chance to be one to him.”

She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her cheek against my back. “No matter what happens, you know you tried.”

I held her arms to me. “I don’t give up that easily. I may need to give him more time to warm up to the idea and trust me again, but I won’t give up.”

* * *

Maggie and I waited twenty minutes at the restaurant before I allowed myself to believe Tim was going to stand me up. There were the whispers and stares I thought I’d get, but I would’ve handled that all night and waited for Tim if I were alone.

I wasn’t alone, though. I was with a woman who didn’t deserve the negativity thrown her way. That was what was going to happen every time she stepped out with me. She was owed more than that out of life.

I cleared my throat and looked at my watch. “We can go.”

“No, we need to wait. He’s testing you.” She placed her hand on my thigh and leaned in. “Just give it a little more time.”

I sighed and wrapped my arm around her. “You’re probably right. The brother he knew wouldn’t have waited twenty seconds.”

It was only a few minutes later when Tim walked in. It looked as if April was making him come, but whatever the reason was, I was happy he was there.

“Oh, I’m so glad you two are still here.” April sat in the seat next to me. I wasn’t happy Tim would be sitting next to Maggie, but it probably was safer to have a table between us.

“I’m glad you two could make it.”

“She didn’t leave me much of a choice.” Tim wouldn’t look at me.

“You can’t bitch and moan that your brother hasn’t come home and then not speak to him when he’s here.”

He glared at April before turning his hatred to me. “I’m treating him the same way he’s always treated me. Isn’t that right, asshole?”

“Things will be different, Tim, if you’ll let them.”

He sat forward and put his arms on the table. “Why should I believe you?”

“Have I ever talked about wanting things different before?”

He shook his head and looked down. “No, I can’t say that. You’ve never really talked about much at all.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. “I have the account information for your money.”

April gave him a warning. “Tim.”

He held his hand up. “I’ll give it to him. I just have one question.”

I sighed when he didn’t continue. I was tired of the games. “What do you want to know?”

“Why now?” He glanced at Maggie. “What the fuck is so special about your life now?”

“This is overdue, don’t you think?” I motioned between him and me with my hand. “We’ve had each other’s back our entire lives. When you got hurt and lost your football dreams, who went after that guy who hurt you? When Dad and Lila walked out on me, you stayed with me. I was a loser who found himself in prison, but you stayed with me.”

He glanced to Maggie again before looking down. “I couldn’t leave you alone.”

I put my arm around the back of Maggie’s chair. “She knows everything. You don’t have to worry about keeping my secrets.”

Tim looked up as if to challenge me. “She can’t know everything.”

“She may not know every time I’ve ever fucked up in my life, but she does know the important things.” I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “And, yes, that includes Mosley.”

There was a spark in Tim’s eye that I couldn’t quite place. It was as if I opened a door I wished I hadn’t. April wasn’t kidding when she said we’d traded places. He was just like the old me. I hoped it didn’t include the addictions.

“So,” Tim leaned back and put his arm over the back of his chair as he spoke, “still can’t say her name, huh? It’s really easy. Laney. Come on. Say it with me. La-ney.”

He braced for a reaction he didn’t get. He said it loud enough that everyone in the restaurant was looking at us. They were waiting for my reaction, too. I took my wallet out as everyone looked on and tossed a couple of twenties onto the table to cover the drinks and time we spent there.

“You can disrespect me or try to embarrass me all you want, but when we have two beautiful women at our table with us, you need to find your manners.” I took Maggie’s hand as I stood and pulled her with me. It didn’t take much. She was on her feet at the same time I was.

April wasn’t far behind. She waited until we were outside before she broke down. I stopped and looked at Maggie. She motioned with her head for me to console April, and I didn’t hesitate. It wasn’t a role I had taken on before to be her support, but I was grateful for the opportunity after she had helped me for so long.

Tim walked out but stopped by the door when he saw us. “Moving on to the next woman so soon?”

“Shut up, Tim.” April stepped away and tried to dry her eyes. “Shut the fuck up. Nothing is happening.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what nothing looks like.” He walked toward us, and I stepped in front of the girls. “Don’t get your newfound panties in a twist, big brother.” He held an envelope up. “I want to give you your money back. Then, I don’t ever have to worry about hearing from you again.”

I reached out to take the envelope, but he snatched it back. “More games, Tim?”

“Games?” He shook his head. “No, but don’t you want to know why I took your money?”

“You wanted me back home.” I shrugged. “Now I’m home and you don’t want me here. It sounds like a game to me.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s real life.”

“Tim.” April shot a warning off.

“It’s okay. He’s a changed man now.”

“Tim, don’t do this.” April stepped around me, but took a step back when he pointed toward her.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do. It’s none of your business.” He put his focus back on me. “You’re right that we’ve had each other’s backs. When I see you headed for trouble, I try to steer you away from it.”

“And, I appreciate that.”

“No, you don’t. Brody will go wherever Brody wants to go. Fuck the consequences.”

“What were you protecting me from, little brother?”

“I kept asking you to come back home. I made plans, and you didn’t show up. You kept driving farther and farther away. What you didn’t know was that you were driving right into Laney Chase’s backyard.”

“Tim, that’s enough.” April tried to stop him again.

I didn’t want anyone to think I was upset with the news he was giving me, but especially not Maggie. I couldn’t even look at her to see her reaction to all of this. I wanted her to stay behind me. He was on a mission to ruin me, but I wasn’t going to let him ruin what I had with Maggie.

“Her last name is Chase now? I’m glad to hear she and Bryce worked everything out and her father didn’t win.”

“Oh, far from it. They are very happily married with three really cute kids.”

“Tim!” April walked over to him. “Stop it. Stop it now. You will regret this.”

I was taken aback by the news they had three kids. She couldn’t get pregnant, so it was good to hear they got the help they needed or adopted. “So, the fertility drugs worked overtime. I couldn’t imagine having triplets.” I tried to smile, but something seemed off. Maggie stepped up and laced her fingers with mine as she hugged my arm.

Tim shook his head. “They just had one a few weeks ago. That was a boy. They also have a girl. She’s two, I think.”

April stood next to him and lowered her voice. “Please think about this. Please.”

He looked at her with such hatred I wanted to pull her back to me. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do. “I have, April. If anything is overdue, it’s the fact this motherfucker has skated throughout life while the rest of us protects him or picks up his messes. I’m done with both.”

He turned his attention back to me and flicked the envelope my way. “Here’s your money and her address. You can go ask her how old her first kid is. I think you’ll find it quite interesting. I know I did.”