I didn’t buy it. “Nope. I see that gleam in your eyes. You think it’s fucking fun too.”
“Maybe.” He tested his jaw, rubbing it with his fingers. “Damn. That hurts.”
“So does my stomach,” I admitted, collapsing against his lawn. Well, what growth of grass he managed to grow since this was fucking Tonopah, Nevada, and green grass was as fucking elusive as Lucifer fucking Morningstar.
I didn’t say his name aloud, not wanting to gain his attention.
Noah stood. “Come on. Let’s grab the first aid kit.”
I dusted off my clothes and followed him into his house.
Cameron was already waiting. She held up the first-aid kit and a bottle of pain relievers. “Here. I’m taking Liam into the garage so I can get some work done.”
Noah’s lips twitched like he wanted to smile but didn’t dare.
“Don’t even think about sitting anywhere but the wooden chairs in the dining room,” she added.
“We won’t, my reason for breathing.”
“Damn right I am,” she huffed before picking up Liam and heading to the garage.
“She’d probably be able to kick my ass. No lie.”
I snickered at his comment. “I know Nylah could beat my ass if she wanted. Of course, I’d let her.”
He snorted. “Yeah.”
We cleaned up the blood and patched our injuries before grabbing a few beers and settling around the table, keeping our dirty clothes and boots confined to one spot so Cameron wouldn’t have to clean up a mess. If we made one, Noah would take care of it. He’d never leave it for his wife.
I wouldn’t do that to Nylah either.
“What are you doing for Valentine’s Day for Cam?” I asked, taking a sip of my beer.
“Besides attending your wedding?”
“Yeah, besides that,” I laughed.
“Booked her a spa appointment and then dinner and a show in Vegas.”
I nodded. “Nice.”
We grew quiet as we finished our beers. It wasn’t uncomfortable. Never could be with my brother. He was an extension of me, my other half, in a way that no one who wasn’t a twin could understand. We’d had so much taken from us and lost our parents too young. Life had been cruel, but that didn’t stop us from finding a way to one another.
“I love you, Noah.”
He cocked a brow. “You feelin’ emotional?”
Maybe. “Tryin’ not to dwell on the fact that whenever everything is going right in my life, something usually happens to fuck that up.”
“Yeah.” He spun his empty bottle in circles, deep in thought. “If it does, I got your back, brother.”
“I know.”
“Your wedding is going to be amazing. Don’t let those dark thoughts fuck it up for you.”
Easier said than done.
“We earned our happiness, Ian.”
