“Was she the worse for it?”
“Nope.She seemed to be enjoying it.”Nathaniel grimaced, and Roan did, too.“I had to remind them that perhaps the library isn’t the best place for such things.Anyone could walk in at any time.”
“In the library?”Roan asked, incredulous.
“Yes,” Nathaniel confirmed with a sigh.“I don’t understand it.”
“As long as she’s happy,” Roan said, still smiling.
“I know.”Nathaniel nodded.“I warned him to take care of our Aunt Genie, so I’m hoping he’ll listen, and we won’t have to beat him up on her behalf at some point.”
“I don’t know if we could beat him up, even if we tried,” Roan admitted.“Have you seen the man fight?”
“I have not had the pleasure,” Nathaniel said.
“He’s helped me with a few brawls in the past.He’s a beast.”
“I hope I’ll never have the pleasure of witnessing it,” Nathaniel said with a laugh.
“I hope so, too,” Roan said.“I’ve been trying to cut off the usual culprits before they get to the point of starting a fight.It works...some of the time.”
Nathaniel grinned.“You, cutting people off?You must have matured.”
Roan grunted.“I just got tired of dealing with it.I’m getting old.”
“That’s basically what I said,” Nathaniel pointed out.
Roan sighed.“I could use some help here if you ever decide you want to come back.”
Nathaniel shrugged.“I may need to help Thea,” he said.
“So you two have mended things?”Roan asked, trying to sound casual.
“I still don’t know if I will be successful,” Nathaniel admitted, “but I’m trying.”
“She deserves better than you,” Roan said, shoving him.
“I know,” Nathaniel said softly.His brother may have been teasing.He wasn’t.“She deserves someone who would have gone after her all those years ago.I let myself be convinced to stay here for far too long.She paid the price.”
“I’m sorry,” Roan said quietly.“I know you would’ve gone, were it not for me.”
Nathaniel shrugged.“I could’ve gone anyway.I didn’t.I wasted too many years, and I won’t do it again.”
His brother clapped him on the shoulder.“You’re a good man,” Roan said.“I hope nothing but happiness for the two of you.”
Nathaniel smiled.“I wish the same for you,” he said.“Abigail seems pretty special.”
“She is.”Roan’s eyes lit up at the mention of her.“I don’t know what I’d do without her now.I could never have imagined I’d find someone like her.”
“I hope she knows how lucky she is,” Nathaniel said.“You may have your faults, but you’re a good man, too.And I wish you all the happiness.”
Roan threw the stick for Beastie again, smiling, then looked back at his brother.“I can’t wait to tease Tom,” he said, roughly changing the subject—which Nathaniel didn’t mind.That had been enough brutal honesty for one day.
“I should get back,” Nathaniel said, reluctantly.“Tell me how it goes?”
“I will,” Roan promised.
And Nathaniel found he couldn’t wait to hear from his brother—which was somewhat disconcerting… and incredibly welcome.
