For years, guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders because Sebastian was locked up while I was raising my son, living a better life than I expected. But now, Sebastian has Enya and two beautiful daughters, plus he runs a respectable business, and my pride and deep love abound for how things turned out for him.
He still has a curmudgeon look about him with the tats and dark clothing, but I know he’s feeling lighter inside, and he smiles more often.
“Hey,” he greets me as I near the counter where he slides a tray of brownies into the display case. “How’s my favorite sister?”
“Funny, as I’m your only sister.”
“And thank God for that.” He looks up and winks.
I give him a sassy smirk before directing my attention to the display case. Everything looks mouth-watering today, and I take my time to glance at the variety of baby bundt cakes and brownies, plus cookies and muffins.
“What can I get you?” he asks, swiping his hands on the apron tied around his waist.
“What’s new?” Still being springtime, he doesn’t have a large array of seasonal berry treats or my favorite pumpkin spice anything.
“I got crack.”
Certain he’s joking, my head still swivels in his direction. Sebastian doesn’t do drugs anymore. Further teasing me, he pulls a tray from a refrigerator.Crack. Graham cracker bottomwith a layer of solid chocolate on top. Toffee in the middle with crumbles on top of the chocolate layer.
“I hate you,” I tease. “Give me one of those.” Not exactly breakfast of champions but I’ve got a lust for sweets today that only chocolate can fix.
After asking about the baby, Adara, and Enya, and catching him up on Hudson, I take my coffee and crack for a later snack, intending to exit the bakery, until Trinity Haven enters.
“What’s up, Trin?” I ask, noting how her head is down, reading something on her phone.
She looks up at me with a weary expression before slipping her phone into her pocket. “Oh, hey, Vale. Nothing much.”
I don’t believe her. As Trinity and I called a truce years ago despite our brothers’ situation, I take a seat on the long bench, setting my coffee on the nearest table. “Sit with me a second.” She looks like she could use a friend.
Trinity simply stares at me for another second before stepping up to the counter and ordering her own morning drink and a muffin. She takes the chair opposite me and stares at the perfectly puffed-up pastry as if it offends her.
“Girl, what did that muffin do to you?” I joke.
Her blond hair shakes as she does a full body shudder before sitting upright and leaning her elbows on the tabletop. “Why are men so stupid?”
Something tells me she doesn’t mean collectively. Maybe just one man.
“I hate cheaters,” she adds.
I nod to agree but also find it a bit rich considering what her brother did to mine. Then again, like I said, Trinity and I have a truce.
“What’d he do now?” Eyeing her, I don’t need to say his name.
Trinity swipes her hands over her face, tugging at her skin alittle bit. “Nothing. Right? He’s done absolutely nothing for me.”
Without spelling it out, I know she’s referring to her ex-husband who left our small town without a blink backward. The hardest part about their breakup was how in love they seemed. They were perfect for each other and then he just decided to leave. Or so Trinity tells us. A midlife crisis at thirty-five. He became a NASCAR driver.
“Want to talk about it?” I ask, open to listening to more details.
“Not really.” She shakes her head again and stares down at her steaming cup.
Sebastian suddenly appears at the side of the table with another piece of crack goodness on a small plate. He practically drops it on the tabletop but then he slides it toward Trinity before walking away. He doesn’t say a word, although minutes ago he was pleasant enough taking her order.
Trinity’s eyes follow his retreat before she shakes her head one more time and turns back toward me. “Think they’ll ever grow up?” She means the silent feud that is so old sometimes it’s almost difficult to remember what happened.Almost, but not quite.
I remember. The heartbreak of my oldest brother. The loss of both his best friend and his girl. In trade he took on six siblings. It wasn’t fair.
And it’s a reminder why Cort and I shouldn’t ever be more than we are now. Therapist and patient. Mother to a kid he coaches. Once his sessions are over and the season ends, back to our respective corners we go.
