“What’s to say any of us won’t do it?” she countered. “Are you tellin’ me he doesn’t deserve to be happy because he followed his dream?”
“What dream?” Zane snorted. “He’s a wanderer.”
Reilly heard something in his tone, something that flipped a switch, the lightbulb burning so bright, she was surprised beams weren’t coming out of her eyeballs.
“You considered leavin’ here,” she said softly, not wanting anyone to overhear. Rumors started quickly.
Zane frowned, but he didn’t dispute it.
“That’s what it is. You’re not mad because that land belongs to the Walkers or because he broke Stevie’s heart. You’re mad because he left, and you didn’t.”
His jaw muscles flexed, but he kept his lips tightly closed.
“Tell me you don’t still have regrets,” she pleaded. “You’ve got a beautiful wife and four beautiful boys, Zane.”
“I don’t,” he said quickly, then exhaled heavily. “I don’t regret it. I’m happy.”
He said the words, but Reilly wasn’t sure he believed them.
“But you think about what might’ve been,” she deduced.
“There’s nothin’ wrong with that,” Zane defended.
“You’re right. There’s not. But Stone’s not responsible for that. Those areyourissues.”
Zane sat up straight. “Please don’t psychoanalyze my life.”
“Trust me. I don’t plan to.” Reilly forced a smile. “But I’m glad we got to the root of it. Maybe now you can give some honest thought to your parents’ offer to Stone. If you still don’t want him to have the land, at least now you can make the decision with all the facts. Stone’s a good guy, Zane.”
“You have to say that. He’s your brother.”
“He is. And considering our age difference and the fact he hasn’t lived here for fifteen years, it should speak volumes that I’m so close to him. He’s been there for me over the years, even when he hasn’t been physically present.”
Zane was quiet for a moment before his eyes crinkled, and a smile pulled at his mouth. “You’re a good sister, you know that?”
She nodded. “The best. Ask anyone.”
He barked a laugh.
Reilly raised a hand, signaling the waitress that it was okay to come over.
Zane saw the move and frowned. “What are you? Like a mafia don or somethin’?”
The waitress set Zane’s food on the table, all packaged up in a brown paper sack.
Reilly giggled. “Or somethin’.”
Forty-Four
Saturday, February 24, 2024
“Mornin’,” Stone said when he walked intothe main office of D & S Landscape on Saturday morning.
“Good morning,” Tara replied with a smile, her gaze darting to the box he was carrying in one hand, the drill he had in the other, as she reached for the ringing telephone. “Stevie’s in her office. Nico’s out on a job site.”
“Thanks.”
Leaving her to her business, Stone headed for Stevie’s office. The door was closed, but he’d learned over the past few days that was par for the course. It was the only way to keep Jäger from getting into everything. Stevie wasn’t thrilled with it, but she said it was the only option she had.
