I turned my truck up the long paved driveway that led to the mansion the whole town affectionately called Cody House, and sighed as the wood and stone structure came into view. The first time I’d seen it as a kid, I thought we’d hit it big. Again. My dad was a piece of shit who’d skipped out before I could memorize his face, but Jared and Mika’s dad had been wealthy and kind. Until Ma had cheated on him, that is, and then we were kicked to the curb while my brother and sister grew up in the lap of luxury. Not that I resented it, but I remembered thinking this place would be the answer to my prayers.

And it had been. Marcus wasn’t just generous with his money, the man had helped foster my love of whittling into a lucrative career making high end furniture. I owed him a lot but he never made me feel that way, not even when he and Lulu had split up. He’d still reached out to me, checked up on me. Bought furniture from me.

So when he called to ask me to go check on the house after a break-in, I hopped in my truck and rolled down the mountain to make sure the place was okay. I should have asked where in the hell Lena was.

Lena. Who I hadn’t seen or heard from in more than a month. After she’d driven away from the cabin, I’d expected to hear from her again and again. I waited for her to try and wear me down and talk me into her idea. But she hadn’t, and I felt better about my decision. She’d been devastated, that much had been clear, but clearly she hadn’t been serious about her idea. If so, she wouldn’t have given up so easily.

As I approached the door it pulled open and I froze at the man inside. “Jared? What the hell are you doing here?”

He grinned and pulled me into a hug like he was the older brother instead of me. “Long story. Short version is that I was headed up to see you because Mom was worried, but I ran into Lena and she said you were fine.”

I crossed my arms and followed him inside. “Okay.” That didn’t tell me shit about why he was staying here. With Lena.

Jared dropped down on the sofa in the living room. I blinked at the furniture, all uncovered which it rarely was. “Anyway I told her about the new adventure place I’m building here and the house on the property was worse than I was led to believe. She came to me a few weeks ago and said she was leaving and I was free to stay here if I kept an eye on the place until Mom and Marcus get back.”

Leaving? “Where?”

He shrugged. “She wouldn’t say. Only that she didn’t have a choice.” Blue eyes so similar to mine, but slightly darker widened in surprise, then narrowed in anger. “Tell me you didn’t, Rex. Fuck man! Tell me you didn’t.”

In that moment I wished I could tell him that I hadn’t touched her, hadn’t fucked her so well that no man would ever be able to satisfy her. And I wanted that to be the truth. But it wasn’t. “I did. And worse.”

“Are you the reason she tore out of here like she was on the run?”

“Yes and no.” I explained the whole situation, staring at my hands in disbelief that I was having this conversation with my kid brother. “I thought she might at least fight for it, if she really wanted it.”

“You’re an asshole. This house should be hers and hers alone. No offense to you, but they were married for what, like ten minutes? And her father puts you down as half owner? Disrespectful is what that shit is.” He shook his head, eyeing me like I made the decision. “And then to have you fuck her and then fuck her over? I can see why she left now.” He leaned back, one ankle resting on the opposite knee, glaring and shaking his head.

“Bullshit. If she wanted this business so bad, she would have stayed and fought.” At least that’s what I kept telling myself as guilt burned a hole in my gut.

“Right, because you were going to change your mind? Have to admire a woman who knows when to cut her losses. Damn shame though, she’s a damn fine chef. And I’ve had some great food.”

“When did you taste her food?” The question was irrational. I shouldn’t give a damn, but I did. I needed to know they hadn’t shared an intimate meal.

His lips curled in amusement but he didn’t comment. Thankfully. “She did a one night only ‘Bon Voyage Cody’ dinner for about twenty of her favorite people. Fan-fucking-tastic bro.”

That shouldn’t have stung either, but it had. She hadn’t invited me or told me she was leaving. Lena didn’t owe me any explanations but I wanted one, dammit. “When did she leave?”

“I don’t know, three weeks or so. She went to New York for a couple weeks to fill in for a friend, but she didn’t know where she was headed after that.”

“Does Marcus know?”

Jared shrugged. “Not my business. She’s safe, wherever she is.”

“How can you be sure?”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Because she is a grown woman capable of taking care of herself. And because she texts me once in awhile just to say hi,” he grinned smugly.

“Call her.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Jared stood and glared at me. “Because you’re the reason she left. If you want her for any reason, go find her.” He turned and walked away, his hiking boots echoing loudly on the hard floors.

Go find her. Like it was that easy. Like I didn’t have plenty of work to keep me busy.

Like she’d really want to see me or talk to me.