“We’re hanging here.” Jackson answered, then tapped on my shoulder. “He’s coming to the wedding.”
I nodded. “I’m well aware of that fact.” Dread sank inside of my belly at the thought of what might happen when I saw him. Ignoring Beau was high on my list, but I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to do that.
“Good, maybe I can talk some sense into him,” Killian warned, shooting a smirk at Jackson. “What? If the guy doesn’t know a good thing, then maybe I need to remind him.”
I shook my head. “Kill.” Didn’t we just talk about this?
“You won’t even notice when I take him out. Mav will help.” Killian raised his chin before Matthias snorted and grabbed his face to kiss him.
Maverick wiggled his brows at me. “I mean, I already warned him once what would happen if he ghosted you again.” And there it was.
“He’s done it before?” Killian gasped. “That mother—”
“Okay!” Jackson exclaimed. “Since we’re going to have another party here at Blake’s tonight, why don’t we start thinking about what we want to have for food? Another bonfire, maybe? Helena and Ryan will be here after they finish up work.”
Killian made a motion for me to come closer to him as I caught Blake and Tom kissing in the corner. That was going to take a little getting used to, but if I could handle Maverick and Jackson, then I could handle anything.
“Yes?” I asked.
“I will have words with him,” Killian told me. “Not at the wedding, of course, because I don’t want to ruin Mav’s big day, but he needs to know this is not okay. You don’t play with someone’s heart like that. Don’t make excuses.”
Matthias glanced between the two of us. “Kill, you weren’t always kind to me.”
“I was a stupid kid, babe. Beau is a grown-ass adult man with a son. He should know better. And...” Killian turned to face his fiancé. “I’m sorry for the shit I put you through. I love you more than life itself, and I wouldn’t be the man I am without you here right now.”
Matthias’s eyes grew wide. “I love you,” he whispered, and I turned away before they did something gross, like start sucking one another’s face off. I had seen and heard enough of that already.
“You okay?” Maverick asked. “And don’t lie, because I’ll know.”
I shrugged. “I feel better now that everyone knows. The wedding will be the hardest part, but seeing you marry Jackson will be the best.”
“Aw.” Maverick beamed and grabbed my hands with cool, calloused ones. “When we get back from our honeymoon, I want you to give serious consideration to moving to Boston. I don’t want you so far away in California.”
I swallowed nervously. “Maybe.”
“That’s not a no, so I’ll take it.” Mav grinned, then hugged me. “Thank you, Dean. For being the best brother. I love you.”
I hugged him back. “I love you, too, Mav.”
Chapter Forty-One
Dean
Ihadn’t smoked a cigarette in a long time, but here I was, sitting on Helena’s back porch, taking another drag from one and watching as the smoke drifted off into the morning air. I was supposed to spend the night at Blake’s last night. Had confessed everything to him and Tom about Beau. Even showed them some of the pictures on my phone. The ones of the Stanley Cup at Beau’s apartment. The selfie we had taken together. But I couldn’t sleep after that. I tossed and turned in that bed with thoughts of what could have been until I yanked back the blanket and texted Helena. She hadn’t hesitated to tell me to come over. I would be lost without her.
“You’re going to get cancer.” Helena sighed as she stopped in front of me. She held out a cup of coffee and shook her head. “Is that what you want? Because you’re on the right track.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t start being a nurse with me right now, Hel. I want a friend.”
“Give me that.” She grabbed the cigarette from my fingers, took a long drag, and then let it go. I stared up at her with wide eyes as she smirked at me. “What? You think I don’t indulge every now and then? I’m a nurse. It’s stressful. I deal with sick, dying, and dead people all the damn time. It’s not easy.”
I took a sip of my coffee. “That was darker than I expected.”
“Did you at least tell your brother that you were headed over here? Please don’t worry him the day before his wedding. Maverick already has so much going on, and it’s the last thing he needs to wake up and find you missing,” Helena asked, andwhen I shook my head, she sighed. “You realize we all hate Beau right now, right? That he has to make us all forgive him, not just you. He’s a dead man walking into Canfield.”
“I’m the one who’s depressed.”
“Because of him!”
