He chuckled. “Fair.” He rubbed his lower lip between his thumb and index finger. Was that his nervous move? No. It was his thinking pose. I’d seen him at his computer doing the same. “What was it about my brother? I know he’s decent-looking, but he’s toxic.”
I pondered my answer. Hadn’t I been asking myself the same thing? Time to put it into words, and while Van wasn’t neutral, he was more objective than if I’d tried to discuss this with my siblings. “He’s like radon.” Instead of scoffing at my personal way to describe it, he cocked his head. “It comes from the breakdown of uranium, and the radiation works its way up through the soil and the foundation to our homes. But you won’t know it until it makes you sick, and even then, you won’t know what’s causing the problem. I hadn’t gotten sick yet. It hit all at once when he left me for someone he just met. Thankfully, I was saved from a possibly terminal diagnosis.”
“That makes sense,” he said quietly. “He always was charming. Like a fancy house.”
“He was so charming. But I saw deeper. He’s arrogant, but he has a way of building people up when he’s not using them to feel better. And then there was the loneliness.”
Surprise lit his eyes. “The what?”
I nodded. He’d heard me; he just didn’t believe it. “Elijah was always looking to fit in. I thought that was behind his cockiness, but I think he was just afraid of not being included. Was he teased in school?”
His headshake was almost imperceptible. “I don’t know. He never talked about it. We weren’t close.”
I shrugged. He never discussed it with me either. “Well, whatever. The end result was the same, and it wouldn’t excuse how he treated me or what he did.”
“You’re right.” His gaze trailed down to my ballet flats and back up again. “Hungry?”
Did he like what he saw? It wasn’t how I normally dressed. Give me loose linen or sweats. “Yes. And I got paid, so I’m taking you out.”
He cocked a brown brow. “Me?”
“Yes. Have you been to Rattler’s yet?”
“The bar and grill?”
“It’s amazing. I go there each time I’m in town.” I raised my arms. “And now I live here.”
“Sounds like I need to try this Rattler’s place.”
Grinning, I pushed off the counter. “Let me change first.”
“I’ll get cleaned up.” He tugged on the hem of his grease-stained Huskers shirt. “I found an old mower in the shed.”
“Didn’t Jensen come by?”
“Yes, and I appreciate it. He seems cool. But it’s nice to get out of the office and be productive. I miss tinkering in my own home.” A shadow crossed his expression. “Meet you outside in ten?”
There was something about the tinkering and the home, but he wasn’t telling me. Disappointment filled me. Elijah must’ve done all the talking growing up. “It’s a date.” Horror washed cold through me. “I mean—not a date.”
His expression stayed neutral. “I’ll go clean up. You can have the bedroom first.”
When he left the kitchen, I sagged against the counter. Way to go, Clover.
Van
* * *
The restaurant was full. I liked it as soon as I walked in. The crowd was at ease, and the decor wasn’t ostentatious. Exposed wood beams lined the ceiling, and timber supports added to the rustic ambiance. Servers dressed in black polos and jeans rushed around.
Clover and I were put in a booth by the windows. She’d changed from her cute professional look to jean shorts and a shirt that said I Rock with a picture of a geode. Her toenails were still a light green, and I was glad to know I hadn’t missed a color.
A young server appeared at our table. “What can I get you?”
Clover smiled at her. “I’ll have the surf and turf with a sweet potato and cinnamon butter on the side.”
When it was my turn, I ordered the sirloin with a baked potato.
The server was about to walk away when Clover stuck her finger in the air. “Can you bring an order of mozzarella sticks? And extra buns?” she rushed to tack on, refusing to look in my direction.
