“Fuck.” Zander’s shoulders slump even further, his face going from white to gray as he shakes his head and slips away from us.
We all watch him shuffle off, and I glance at my brothers with a frown. “What’s that all about?”
“Not sure,” Grady murmurs. “But it’s got to be more than just the Zoey thing.”
CHAPTER 16
GRADY
“Hey, bro. Wait up.” I catch up with Zander at the bottom of the stairwell. He has bags in his hands and is about to trudge upstairs. “Let me show you which room you’re in.”
“Thanks.” He sighs, glancing into the living room and staring at his wife.
She’s huddled up with Nylah, and I have no idea what they’re talking about, but it looks kind of intense. I wonder if it’s about Zoey too. Or if there’s something else going on.
By the time we reach the top of the stairs, Carson and Wily have joined us as well, and when I point to Zander’s allocated bedroom, we all pile in there.
“Okay, dude. This weekend is gonna suck if you bring a fucking storm cloud in with you,” Carson grumbles, frowning at him. “Tell us what’s up so we can move the fuck on. You’re not just shitty over the Zoey thing. What’s going on?”
With a whiny kind of groan, Zander throws his bags onto the floor, then plunks onto the end of the bed. “I forgot about Valentine’s Day.”
“What?” Wily laughs out the word. “Are you kidding me?”
“Brah.” I wince, glancing at Carson, who’s shaking his head and trying not to laugh.
“And the worst part is, something is already off with Sienna.”
“What do you mean?” I move to take a seat beside him.
“I don’t know.” Zander shrugs. “She’s just been… distant.” He shakes his head. “Something’s not the same, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
Wily slides his hands into his pockets. “Have you talked to her?”
“I mean, I asked this morning if she was good, and she said yes, but I think she’s lying. And now I don’t know if it’s because sheknowsI forgot Valentine’s Day or if it’s something else. Something bigger.”
“Like what?” Carson mutters.
“I don’t know!” Zander flicks his arms up, giving him an exasperated frown.
Carson’s eyebrows buckle. “Don’t get shitty with me. I’m not the one letting down my wife.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Zander groans, flopping down onto the bed and covering his eyes with his arm.
“Okay, stop stressing.” I slap Zander’s thigh, then give Carson ashut the fuck uplook. “We can solve this. One problem at a time. First… let’s deal with Valentine’s Day.” I nudge his knee with mine. “I’ve bought Blake some lingerie and a bottle of wine. I’ll give you the wine.”
Zander pops up onto his elbows with an appreciative half smile while Wily starts to gag.
“You bought my sister lingerie? It better be cotton briefs, you perverted asshole.”
My lips rise into a smirk as I gaze up at my brother-in-law. “Sexy lace, my friend. Black and red, and she is gonna look—” My words cut off with a laugh as Wily lunges at me with a growl. “Careful of your knee!” I shout just as he barrels me off the bed.
I’m laughing too hard to fight back, and Wily wraps his arm around my neck and noogies the top of my head.
“You love me, bro,” I choke out. “You know you do.”
With a rumbling growl, he releases me, then pushes me away, grunting and glaring at me.
I grin right back at him until his lips start to twitch. “Can everyone please make sure that Grady is too busy to find some quality time with my sister tomorrow?”
