“You telling me that an old friend of the family like me can’t call you Kins? I mean, I’ve known you my whole life. What does it take to be able to use a nickname?”
Rolling my eyes, I turn away from him. “A little bit more than just showing up in the middle of the night just one time.”
“That one time was when you needed me. So essentially I’m like your hero.”
“Humph!” I snort. “Wow. You appear to have a pretty big ego there, Landon. I don’t think I need to stroke it.”
He mutters something under his breath and I jerk back to look at him.
“What did you say?”
“I said that the goats can take care of themselves.”
My brows lift and I eye him curiously. “I know that you’re older than me. Are you starting to go senile?”
“Nope. I’m good. How about you, princess?”
“Just don’t call me princess. Only Karter got to call me that. You’re not him.”
I turn away and busy myself making coffee in the one-cup pot that Karter must have bought after I left.
After I left him alone.
After I deserted him.
My gut tightens and I lean against the counter, old images flashing in my mind. Karter and Landon laughing in the kitchen on their way out to work.
Landon helped Karter whenever he could. They were two peas in a pod.
Two good guys. But Karter’s gone now.
“Are you alright?” Landon whispers in my ear.
The kids are chattering behind me, the screech of silverware scraping their plates as they eat their pancakes and laugh at their own silliness.
Karter turns to me and his quick smile flickers over me as he taps my nose. “Hey, pay attention, Squirt. I’ll be home late.”
Tears squeeze past my lashes. I’ve lost so much in my life. I didn’t want my brother to be one of those things.
“Red. Come on, Kins. Don’t let the kids see you like this. You’ll scare them.”
Landon’s soft voice calls to me like a hand through the dark, pulling me out of my own hurt.
My eyes open and he’s right there, his soft blue eyes locked on me. “You’re a strong woman, Kins. I know you loved Karter. He knew you loved him. You needed to live your life and he understood that. He’d be so happy that you’re back to Wildwood.” He nods to the table where the kids are still goofing off. “He’d be ecstatic to see the next generation of Martin’s ready to take up the mantle.”
“What about you? Why aren’t you working?”
His mouth twists angrily and he steps away. “The business is gone.”
“What do you mean…gone?”
“Dad’s business partner mismanaged the business and he wasn’t paying enough attention. Before he knew it, the bills were piling up and not getting paid and we owed so much that it just wasn’t ever going to come back. Had to sell out.”
“I’m so sorry, Landon. I know that you loved that business.”
He nods and there’s something closed-off in his blue eyes. “As much as Karter loved this place. But sometimes you just can’t save something.”
My eyes drift around the warm, homey kitchen. Even that can’t hide the cabinets that are hanging off the hinges and the faucet that’s so old it sticks and doesn’t want to shut off.
