Caught red-handed.
“Uhh…” I’m interrupted before I can come up with an answer.
“Good morning, Sunshine.” Griffin beams at me. The mischievous look in Griffin’s eyes gives me a picture of what he would do to me right here, right now if we were alone.
“Mornin’,” Knox greets with a smirk. A flutter in my chest travels to my core as Knox gives me a once over.
They jump up from the ground and head right for me, snagging their shirts along the way. And thank heavens, they don’t put their shirts on.
My brain finally pushes through the drowning thoughts of sex and realizes what they were just doing.
“Knox!” Noah exclaims.
“Hey, Bud,” Knox greets back with a single wave.
“He’s my friend who taught me how to throw a football,” Noah informs me with a smile, pointing at Knox.
“Sure did,” Knox confirms with pride. He reads my expression and answers my question before I can voice it. “It was the other day. Noah accidentally threw the football at me, so I showed him the correct way to throw it.” He looks from me to Noah. “Have you been practicing?”
“Yes,” Noah returns with a smile.
My mouth goes dry as my chest tightens. He…they…I can’t put this ache in my chest into words.
I clear my throat, but my voice still cracks with emotion. “Did y’all change my tires?”
“Yep. All four.” Griffin is shining with pride.
My eyes blink rapidly. “I only had one flat.”
Knox shrugs, but Griffin is more than happy to explain. “That is true, but we wanted to be sure you wouldn’t get another flat like the other day.”
I swallow the emotion building in my throat. “Let me know how much I owe you for your time and the tires.”
“No compensation necessary. We were happy to do it,” Knox replies.
My knees grow weak as something inside me begins to right itself.
Is this what it’s like to have people in your corner? Is this how it feels when someone does something for you because they want to and not because they expect something in return?
Walter and Georgia didn’t have a charitable bone in their bodies. Growing up in their homes taught me that love is conditional. If I did what was expected of me, then I was rewarded. But my little brother didn’t understand that. He didn’t fit into their mold of what they wanted him to be. Walter wanted a son who didn’t show emotion, liked football and golfing, and got good grades. Noah Kelly didn’t live up to those expectations. Georgia wanted a daughter who danced ballet, played tennis at the country club, and looked pretty while doingit all. I made myself small. I folded in on myself to fit that rigid idea of who I should be.
After my ballet recitals, Georgia would buy me a Hermès purse. After I’d defeat our neighbor’s daughter in singles tennis matches, Georgia would buy me jewelry from Tiffany’s. After I won Miss Teen Texas, Georgia bought me multiple designer dresses.
But my brother didn’t get the same treatment.
When Noah failed his math test, he didn’t get dinner. When Noah wanted to play video games at home rather than football at school, Walter broke all the electronics in Noah’s room. And when Noah cried, Walter used his fists. It’s no surprise that Noah became depressed.
But now, I have two men in my life who care and want to help. And I didn’t have to do anything to get their help. They give it to me freely.
“Thank you so much,” I whisper as tears swim in my eyes.
“Happy to do it,” Griffin responds.
“Moooom,” Noah whines.
“We’re going, we’re going,” I assure him. “Sorry, I gotta get Noah to school.” Grabbing Noah’s hand, I step to move around the tempting brothers in front of me, but I’m stopped in my tracks. Literally. Knox steps in my way.
“We can take him,” he offers.
