He scoffed and looked at me. “Fuck off. I have a key.” His legs stretched in front of him as we stared into the lawn. “Besides, I saw you parked downtown,” he said finally, voice low and even.
I shrugged. “I didn’t feel like being here.”
He nodded like he understood but still had questions. “You were in front of the bakery for almost forty minutes.”
I grunted. “I wasn’t counting.”
He sipped. “You looked like shit.”
I scoffed. “That’s because I feel like shit.”
His brow twitched in what might’ve been sympathy. Or amusement. Maybe both. “Heard there might be a little riff between you and Selene.”
I shook my head as sarcasm dripped from my tongue. “Good news travels fast, apparently.”
Brody shrugged. “It’s a small town. What did you expect?” His legs stretched out in front of him, and he sighed. “So your plan is to sit here feeling sorry for yourself all night?”
My eyes twitched toward Selene’s half of the duplex. “I don’t know what else to do.”
Brody didn’t answer right away. He stared out at the street, eyes narrowed like he was watching something far off. Then he took another drink, set the mug down beside him, and leaned forward, forearms resting on his thighs.
“Did you cheat on her?” he asked.
My head whipped to the side. “What? Fuck, no. I’m not a total idiot.”
Brody nodded as though he liked that answer. “So what then?”
“I promised Selene and Winnie I’d see her kindergarten performance, but I blew it. I was late and missed the whole thing.” I exhaled hard, guilt tightening like a belt around my ribs. “You called and I stayed at the station longer than I should’ve,” I admitted, voice rough. “I thought—I don’t know—I thought I could do both. Be the guy who shows up for everyone. Be the kind of brother you want around.”
Brody looked surprised, but he nodded slowly, his jaw flexing.
Fuck it, might as well lay it all out there.
“I like being near you,” I added, quieter now. “After everything with Dad ... and growing up the way I did ... I didn’t want to mess it up. Not with you finally letting me in.”
Brody turned his head, met my eyes. “You can’t mess that up, Austin.”
I let out a breathless laugh. “Can’t I?”
“You could’ve said something.” His voice was firm but not cruel. “You should’ve told me. Hell, I would’ve understood. You didn’t have to choose.”
I rubbed my hands over my face. “I didn’t want to let you down. We were talking and laughing and then ... I lost track of time and it all went sideways.”
“You wouldn’t have let me down,” he said, shrugging. “But you did let her down. That’s the part you have to own.”
Silence settled between us, sharp and clean.
Then Brody softened, barely. “You’re always going to be my brother. That doesn’t change. Even when you fuck up. Hell, especially then.”
Love for my brother filled my chest. I shook my head and scoffed under my breath. “You think Selene wants anything to do with me right now?”
“You’re not the first guy to screw up a good thing with her,” he said quietly. “But you might be the first one who gives adamn enough to fix it.” He shrugged. “She might not forgive you today. Maybe not even tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying.”
“I said I love her,” I murmured, voice breaking on the edge of it. “I practically yelled it in her face. It was so desperate.” I laughed at myself for how epically poorly timed it had been. “But I meant it. Somehow I still blew it.”
Brody glanced sideways. “You think saying it is what counts the most?”
I blinked. “Isn’t it?”
