“Ouch, dick,” he said, rubbing his bicep like Miller’s punch was going to bruise him.
“Less talking, more cleaning,” Maverick said, taking out several steaks from the fridge to move to the garage freezer.
The kitchen, living room, and downstairs office had to be emptied entirely since the damage was limited to those support beams. Most everything was already in the garage, and Mom was covering the living room furniture with plastic tarps. We were lucky we didn’t have to empty the whole house.
For all the shit I talked about my brothers, the moment they heard what was going on, they all showed up to help. I was sure they felt guilty, but hell, so did I. Mom stuck her head in the kitchen right as Maverick and I were disconnecting the oven and microwave.
“Pizza will be here in an hour. Are you packed?”
“Thanks, Mom. Yeah, my bag is in my Tahoe, and Sarge knows I won’t be bringing the cruiser home until I’m back in the house.”
“Once we get these appliances moved, we should be good,” Maverick said, taking the large roll of plastic wrap from Mom and wiping his forehead with his sleeve. Of the four of us, Maverick was the only one who got our dad’s dark, floppy hair and blue eyes. He cracked his knuckles and laid the roll down, watching Miller and Magnum make room in the garage for the appliances.
“Thanks for coming through with a recommendation,” I said to Maverick, lightly punching his shoulder.
He clapped me on the back and nodded, passing me a water bottle from the counter. I wasn’t much of a talker, but for every dozen words I said, Maverick said one. I looked around the living room, at all the furniture haphazardly covered, and wondered for the first time in years if something was missing.
If I needed an itch scratched, I could visit bars outside my jurisdiction. It had always been enough. Why was I questioning it now?
“...Jenna,” someone said.
Yes. Exactly. Jenna.
After what? Seeing her a handful of times, I was thinking about dating? That was ironic as fuck since she made it perfectly clear she was only letting me stay to repay a favor. Maybe I was getting too old for random hook-ups.
Maybe I needed more.
“Dude? You daydreaming?” Miller said, waving his hand in front of my face.
I shook my head and sidestepped him, finishing the rest of my water. Miller picked up the bottom of his shirt and dragged it across his face before snapping his fingers to get my attention.
“Nah. Just tired.”
“That’s why you should sleep and let us handle this shit,” Magnum said, snatching the empty water bottle from my hands and tossing it in the garbage. “Or at least if you won’t, tell us more about this chick you’re staying with.”
I glanced at Mom, but she kept straightening the kitchen, deliberately ignoring us. I reached for another water, but Miller batted my hand away. “We’re waiting.”
I pretended to yawn, staring at the horseshoe hung above the sink. “Yeah, I think I’m ready for that nap now.” I tried to push past him, but he shoulder-checked me.
“Nice try deflecting, dick.”
“Language,” Mom said in a sing-song voice while wrapping dishes in bubble wrap.
“You two hooking up?” Magnum said quietly, holding another water bottle just out of my reach.
“What? No?” I said immediately, snatching the water from him.
“Good,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Then introduce me. She’s a doctor, right? Is she hot?”
I made a strangled noise in my throat as I imagined any of my brothers dating Jenna. Touching Jenna.
She. Was. Mine.
How could I possibly think that when she was only repaying a favor I did for her friend? Besides, I wasn’t relationship material, and Jenna didn’t seem like the type who would want a casual hookup. This was a favor, nothing more. Right? Making a move while living together had disaster written all over it.
“Oh my god, dude. You growled. You actually growled like a rabid dog when Mag even suggested meeting her. You have it bad, bro. Shit’s gonna get complicated,” Miller said, hefting up the microwave on the counter and walking it out to the garage.
“Maybe not,” Mom chirped from the kitchen table.
