“Hi.”
They turned as one, and Ethan’s smile made him swallow. It was genuine and welcoming, and he felt it again, the pull of need he’d battled with after Ethan had left him behind. Now it was he who would be leaving him.
“Got a minute?” Brad kept his voice light.
“Sure, what’s up?”
Brad looked at Jake and the man took the hint and headed to the rear of the shed.
“Want a soda?”
Brad nodded, as did Ethan. The smile fell away from his brother’s eyes as he studied him.
“Brad, what’s going on?”
“I have to leave today.”
“Why?”
“It’s time.” Brad had vowed not to lie anymore after leaving home, and here he was about to do exactly that to someone he cared about. He loved this man now, and Ethan deserved better from Brad. But he couldn’t tell him his reasons for leaving, because then he’d confront EG, and his father wouldn’t back off. Brad wouldn’t see Ethan and Annabelle hurt.
“Suddenly it’s time?”
Brad nodded.
“No.” He shook his head. “There’s more to this. Tell me the truth. I saw you yesterday, and you were happy, in fact I thought you were the happiest I’d ever seen you. This business with Macy notwithstanding, but I thought you and she—”
“I was, I am, I feel great,” Brad cut him off. He didn’t want to think about Macy.
“Sure as shit don’t sound great,” Jake said, reappearing. He handed out the sodas and Brad opened his and drank deep. His throat felt raw.
“Don’t make more of this than needs to be made, Ethan. I’ve been here too long, now it’s time to go.”
“You’re lying to me. There’s more to this.” His brother stepped closer. Jake, however, just stood back and watched.
“How the hell do you know what I’m thinking?” Brad felt his anger spike. The hopelessness of the situation felt like it was choking him. He wanted to go at someone and his brother was handy. “You don’t know shit about me.”
“I know when something is not sitting right with you.”
“Just leave it.” Brad tried to rein in his anger.
“No. You’re not telling me something and I want to know what.”
Ethan’s eyes were steady on him, and Brad felt his fuse blow.
“So now you want to know about me, when before you didn’t give a shit! Well fuck you, big brother, I don’t need you.” The red haze he was looking through was focused on his brother, and he battled with it. Battled with the need to walk out the door before he did something he’d regret.
“I think you need to back it up and start talking.”
“Think whatever you want, but I’m leaving now, today.” Brad turned away, needing to put some space between him and his brother, but Ethan wasn’t having that, and grabbed his shoulder.
“What the fuck!”
Ethan dodged as Brad swung at him, catching the edge of his jaw.
“Back the fuck off!” Brad roared. He could feel the anger coursing through his body. He loved Macy. Mark was dead. And now his father was forcing him to return to the place he loathed. He felt irrational and out of control.
“No!” Ethan punched him hard in the stomach, and the wind left his body, but he had enough remaining to dive tackle his brother to the ground.
