I growled.
“That wasn’t nice.”
“I don’t care,” I said. “My father doesn’t deserve the title, and my brothers interrupted something far more important than Dad’s half-assed apology.”
“We can hear you,” Devon called.
“It’s hot out here, and there are mosquitoes,” Hugo added.
“Not my problem, you bunch of lying assholes!”
“Hey, don’t call me an asshole,” Hugo yelled. “I held Dad in his seat! Dude’s old but strong.”
“Well, Mom kind of was an asshole, too,” Devon argued. “I mean, she did go along with Dad all these years?—”
Mom gasped from behind me, her face stricken.
I glanced back at her. “Mom’s not an asshole,” I yelled through the door.
“Nowhere near as big an asshole as Dad for cheating on her,” Hugo replied.
“Yeah, Dad’s the worst,” Hugo spat. “Really lousy role modeling.”
“I can hear you,” Dad said.
“That’s the point,” Hugo said.
“You have to let them in before they start brawling on the porch,” Hana whispered.
“No, I don’t, andthisis entertaining.”
“Pax.”
“What?”
Hana sighed as she shook her head. “Your brothers are absolutely bonkers.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the wall. “All true.”
“And they’reliterallyall of our family.”
I stared at her, my dreams of spending the night balls-deep inside her crashing into terrible puffs of smoke. “Not all. There’s still Aiki.”
Hana raised an eyebrow. Mom hovered, wringing her hands but not interfering. I had to appreciate her restraint because part of me did want to punch my father.
I sighed as my attention returned to Hana. “You want me to open the door.”
She shook her head. “Youneedto open the door.”
She wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t mean I liked her pointing it out. “Is this what married life is going to be? You as my conscience?”
“You’re getting married?” Hugo gushed. He slapped his palm against the glass. “Show me the ring. Our baby bro’s getting married!”
“When’s it going to be?” Devon asked. “Are we invited? We better be! We did you a solid bringing this asshole out here for you to pound on.”
I unlocked the doors but didn’t bid them enter because my casa was not their casa. Maybe I shouldn’t have been angry at Devon and Hugo, but I was, because they’d helped Mom and Dad keep Hana’s accident and injury from me.
“Pax asked me earlier today,” Hana said. Her shy smile beamed, making me feel ten feet tall as Devon held her hand, staring starry-eyed at the ring.
