I’ve spent my entire life in his shadow, and I’ve never been bothered by it. Not really. Except well, sometimes…
He glances toward Lily and Larkin, and something soft moves through his expression. It’s like watching a man who used to be nothing but sharp edges suddenly become a shelter. I remember the two years Lily was gone from his life, and him pretending he was fine when he was anything but. And then I remember this past June when Lily came back into his orbit like gravity remembered her name. Like the universe corrected itself because even amnesia couldn’t erase what they were.
Luc fought for her. He got her back. He got the whole damn life. I’m happy for him. For this better, more content version of him. He looks over at me, and there’s something in his eyes I don’t recognize at first. Nervous energy? Like he’s waiting for a cue.
“Everything good?” I ask, because Luc is never nervous.
He smiles, but it’s not his stage smile. It’s real. Almost shaky. “Yeah,” he nods as he shifts his gaze to Lily. “Yeah, it will be. Just give me ten minutes.”
Before I can question that, he steps away and heads toward the bar. I watch him exchange a few words with the bartender, then nod like they have a plan. My stomach drops. Oh, shit. He wouldn’t. Or would he?
I take another drink straight from the bottle, scanning the yard as I try to locate Quinn because I suddenly need to distract myself with something else, anything else. She’s near the outdoor kitchen, holding a plate and talking to my mom. That’s not the picture I expected.
Quinn is listening with that calm, attentive expression she wears like a second skin, and Mom is gesturing dramatically like she does when she’s telling a story she’s told a hundred times and still thinks is hilarious. Quinn laughs, soft and easy. I hate that I like the sound. I blow out a slow breath and head toward them, because apparently, I’m a masochist.
Mom spots me first. “Micha- sorry, Mikey,” she corrects. “Come here. Quinn was just sharing stories about her and Sadie growing up in New York.”
Quinn’s eyes meet mine. “Your mother is also telling me stories about you.”
I groan. “I’m leaving.”
“She says you were an angel,” Quinn adds before I can retreat.
Mom scoffs. “Compared to Luc, yes.”
Quinn’s gaze flicks to me, quick and sharp, narrowing. She caught the way my shoulders stiffened.
“I was not an angel,” I refute tightly. “I was a menace.”
Mom waves a hand. “You were loud. That’s not the same thing.”
Quinn’s mouth quirks up in small, knowing smile. “Loud seems accurate.”
I lift the tequila bottle. “You saying I’m loud?”
“I’m saying you occupy a lot of space,” she clarifies. It’s not an insult. But the way she says it, like she’s measuring me, sticks a little in my gut.
“I do that,” I concur, letting swagger coat the words that are probably getting close to a slur. “It’s kind of my thing.”
She studies me for a beat. “Is it?”
My jaw clenches. There’s that red flag scanner again. The way she asks questions like she already knows the answers but wants to see what I’ll say. I lean closer, lowering my voice. “Are you actually trying to figure me out at my brother’s barbecue?”
She doesn’t back up. “I’m just paying attention.”
“That’s worse.”
“Only if there’s something worth noticing.”
Mom turns toward the house and wonders out loud, “What’s Luc up to over there?” The yard shifts like a tide. People gather. Dean and Sadie move toward the center. Hayden follows. Lily steps forward with Larkin balanced on her hip, Marie still hovering close like a protective charm. Quinn remains beside me, her shoulder nearly brushing mine.
Luc stands in the middle of the patio, smiling like he’s about to do something big. My heart thuds once. Hard. Is he about to do what I think he is?
Luc clears his throat, and the entire backyard quiets. “Okay.” He rubs a hand over the back of his neck. He’s actually nervous. “I’m going to do this before I talk myself out of it.”
“Luc?” Lily’s brows knit as she hands the baby off to Marie.
He shakes his head, stepping closer to her. “I know we’ve had to go through a lot.” His voice shaking as he clears his throat. “Two years apart. You coming back. Us trying to rebuild something that should’ve never been broken in the first place.”
