Page 55 of It Happened Again

I let his advice settle into my soul.

“Dad didn’t teach us that,” I said quietly.

Archer agree. “Nope. He taught us how to design dreams for other people, but never how to build a real one of our own.”

“He modeled money, ambition, and how to make an exit when things got too real.”

Tucker nodded. “Jesus. Would you stop blaming him? I did, long ago. He didn't deserve anymore of my precious time. And I show up now every single day choosing to be a better dad to my kids. You two need to break that damn cycle. You want Maisy? Show up for her when she least expects it. Not to fix it. Not to lecture her. Just to be there.”

I stared at him. My throat thick.“Thanks, Tuck.”

"Yep. Is there anything else?"

I glanced between my two brothers, my compadres for life. Settling on Archer's face, I figured what the hell? I might as well rip off the band-aid.

"Arch, I don't want to work in the business full-time anymore. I want to pick and choose my projects and I want to teach at a university. Sorry. I've loved every minute of being in business with you. You're my man. My best buddy. My twin. But my heart isn't in Bellamy Brothers anymore."

Archer chewed his cheek, nodding. "I didn't know when, but I figured this was coming. It's okay. I'll miss you. But you'll always have an office with me for those occasional projects."

"I love you, man," I cried, grateful for getting that off my chest. And he took so well, better than expected.

"Love you, too." He slapped my knee. We looked at Tucker.

"You guys know I love you, fuckers." He nodded once, yawned, and signed off.

Archer sunk back to his original seat, sipping his tequila. “How did our youngest brother get so wise.”

“Wives, kids, and diapers changes everything, I guess.”

We sat in silence a little longer.

“Despite it all, do you still love Maisy?” Archer asked.

My heart stuttered at her name. “More than anything in the world..”

“Then you have to fix this. But not tonight. You gotta sit here and let it suck for a while. And I'm not going to lie. It's going to hurt. Been there, done that." Archer raised it glass.“So here's to feeling all the feelings and letting it suck anyway.”

“Yeah. It hurts." I drank to that, while my soul screamed her name.

Maisy...

20

STONE COLD

MAISY

I had been sobusy preparing for the evening’s event—my big moment, the culmination of everything I’d built at Orion—that I barely recognized how stressed I was until I stepped into the sensory room. It was quiet. Still. Peaceful. I flicked on the aromatherapy diffuser, letting the subtle scent of bergamot and cedarwood ease into the air. I cradled a steaming mug of herbal tea—decaf, mint and chamomile—and took a seat by the window.

The sunshine spilled across the floor in golden stripes. For a minute, I just breathed. In and out. Letting the silence soak into my bones, letting the stress peel off like layers of old skin. The room was working—my room, my project. I had created this space for moments just like this.

An assistant popped in quietly, setting down a package and stacks of the evening’s programs. After they left, I sighed and dove back in.

I reached first for the package, and recognized Brooks’ handwriting instantly. When did he have time to send this? Before our argument or after?

I opened it up and inside was an adorable box with little compartments inside, each one filled with things, like myfavorite gum, tea bags, and hand lotion, a fidget ring, a pretty pen with water inside that when tilted one way or the other it mimicked ocean waves—all things I can use to manage my anxiety.

My hands shook while I opened his note and read it.

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