“It’s close enough,” I retorted. Jacob, my older brother was a plastic surgeon. A very good one by all accounts. While he and I hadn’t spoken at all since he’d left when I was around twelve years old, we’d recently reconnected. My hold on the phone tightened as I thought about how and where we’d done so.
“I’m opening up my practice.”
I snorted. “No shit, first you go and lock yourself down with one woman for the rest of your life and now opening a business,” I murmured, sounding bored.
“Sort of like I’m actually building a life or something.”
I gritted my teeth for some reason. “Next, you’ll be having kids.”
“That’s not happening.” His tone was sharp.
“Hope your wife is okay with that,” I mocked.
“She’s more than okay with it.”
“Good for you. When’s the opening?”
“A few weeks. I’d like you to attend.”
“I need to dust off my tux again?” Grace and Jacob had married a few months earlier. I was one of the only attendees, aside from Grace’s sister and parents.
“Won’t be that big. A few people from Grace’s family and some co-workers, namely those who like Grace.”
I let out a laugh. “What’s the matter, bro? Co-workers can’t handle your sparkling personality?”
He snorted. “Not so much.”
“Tell me the time and place and I’ll be there.”
I didn’t need him to explain why I was the only person he was related to that was invited to this opening. Saying our family dynamics were a little fucked up was like saying the effects of climate change were a minor inconvenience.
“The end of next month. Here in Williamsport at the office and we’re making reservations for lunch at one of Grace’s favorite restaurants on the Riverwalk afterwards. I’ll have to call you with the exact date.”
“Low key. I can respect it. Count me in.”
He cleared his throat on the other end, and I got the feeling he was gearing up to say something.
“Just spit it out, Jacob.”
“Thank you for coming.”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, don’t mention it.”
I smirked at the pause on the other end of the phone, knowing how uncomfortable my brother must’ve been feeling. Neither one of us had a sensitive bone in our bodies. At least, I hadn’t thought so, but the more I found out about my brother, the more I reconsidered that notion.
Especially since I saw the look in his eyes whenever he spoke about his wife. I’d formally met her the day before their wedding, but that wasn’t our first encounter. She was there the first time I’d seen my brother in person since I was a teenager. Unfortunately, she’d almost gotten in the middle of my swinging on him. It hadn’t dawned on me until much later, Jacob hadn’t even tried to fight back against my punches, until I called his lady a bitch. That was when his whole demeanor had changed.
I wasn’t one for happily ever afters or sappy, bullshit endings, but if Jacob was happy, I wouldn’t be the one to remind him that shit never lasted. Let him find out for himself.
Chapter 5
Pain in the Ass
Luke
As soon as I turned into the parking lot to my gym, I spotted her car, parked in the usual empty space. I took my time gathering my belongings, which consisted of my gym bag, gloves, pre-workout shake and an extra bottle of water from the passenger seat. Stuffing everything except the shake into the bag, I finally exited the car, slamming the door shut and locking it before strolling toward the gym’s entrance. Once I rounded the corner, I found her leaning against the gym door, one leg crossed over the other as if she had no other place she’d rather be.
“You know I’m going to need a key, right?”
