He arches an eyebrow. “No.”
“You’re stalling, Stefan,” Beau says sternly. “You wanted to tell me something?”
I take another sip of the smooth coffee. “I’m going to hire a private investigator. Today.”
My brother’s eyebrows shoot up. “To find Mum?”
“Yes.”
“I know you’ve been thinking about it for a while, but why now?”
I shrug. “Why not now? I keep putting it off because well, because. But I’m going to do it.” I nod as if that makes it a reality. “Today. As soon as office hours start.”
“Umm, forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you don’t sound sure,” Fraser says.
I tap my knuckles against my thighs. “I am.” I stare at Beau. “Unless you don’t want me to?”
He dips his gaze. “I told you I’d help you. I need answers as well. I doubt I’ll like them, but maybe it’ll help give us closure.”
Fraser wraps his arms around Beau’s waist and rests his cheek on my brother’s shoulder.
Beau straightens. “Let me know if you need anything from me.”
I nod. “I will.” I drink the rest of my coffee and rinse out the cup. “I’d better let you finish getting ready for work.” I turn towards the door but falter. I look at them over my shoulder. “Has there been any news from Dad?”
I don’t care, but Beau does. He finally cut contact with Dad a few months ago. Now, if Dad wants to communicate with him, he has to go through Robert, one of the senior partners in the law firm Beau works for. Since then, Beau doesn’t talk to me about Dad unless I ask.
He meets my stare as if bolstered by the tactile support Fraser is giving him. “He’s been sentenced to seven years. He was lucky they could only prove possession of a class A drug and not intent to sell, or it could have been longer.” He grits his teeth and blinks.
Fraser strokes his hand over Beau’s chest and kisses his shoulder.
“He’s asked Robert if I’ll visit him.” Beau shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“I’m sorry.”
I gave up on Dad a long time ago. Nothing he does surprises me anymore, but I hate that he’s let Beau down yet again. I clench my fists. I can’t say anything that will erase the look of pain on my twin’s face. I can’t wish away the tears in his eyes. My chest aches, and it’s hard to breathe. What the fuck did we do to end up with such a shitty family? At least we have each other. Although right now, Fraser is the one giving Beau comfort. I watch as Beau rests his head against Fraser’s. He puts his hand on Fraser’s arm and strokes his fingers back and forth. I’m glad my brother has someone he can turn to, but at the same time, I’m sad that person is rarely me now.
I leave them to it and march upstairs to my room. As I reach the top of the stairs, Quinn walks out of his room.
He stops in his tracks and flicks his gaze over me. “You’re not okay.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
The last thing I want to do is lean too hard on Quinn. I want to date him, not turn him into my defacto therapist. He deserves better than that.
He folds his arms. “Sure, and I’m the man on the moon.”
“I expect that sort of sass from Hendrix, not you.”
Quinn’s mouth quirks into a crooked smile. “I thought I’d keep you on your toes.” His expression sobers. “If you don’t want to talk, do you want to play chess?”
Chess sounds like a wonderful distraction. I’ll be able to lose myself in the game’s strategy, and playing Quinn is always challenging.
“I’d love to.”
“Your board or mine?”
I can’t stop myself from chuckling. “Yours.”
