Page 88 of Her Brother's Keeper

“Why the fuck you want cake when you can eat barely legal teen pie?” he demanded and I bowed my head and shook it.

He held out his hand and I put mine in it, pulling each other into it to bump shoulders. Peace made, squabble in the rearview… thank fuck.

Chapter 32

Maren

I texted Nox, dying to know…

Me: Did you work things out with Rush?

It felt like forever before the phone buzzed through with an answer, and when it did, it made me smile.

Nox: Yes Angel. U worry too much. Told u it was going to b fine.

I smiled and tapped out another message to him, a question this time…

Me: When can I see you again?

A few seconds later:

Nox: Knock knock

I looked up, just as a knock came at the front door. Sage slammed down the stairs as I moved through the kitchen. He beat me to the door and flung it open.

Nox smiled and laughed, “Hey, buddy!” I paused in the kitchen archway, smiling but a little unsure. His twin, Rush, stood behind him on the front porch.

“Hey, Nox! I didn’t think you were coming.”

“What, and miss out on Taco Tuesday? You kidding me?”

“Can I come in?” Rush called out from behind Nox and I forced a brave smile, his words still cutting from the lake.

I called back, “Sure, there’s plenty for everyone.”

Rush smiled, and the two men came into the house, closing the door behind them and hanging their jackets and cuts on the hooks set into the wooden plaque on the wall by the door.

“You miss me?” Nox asked, coming to me for a kiss. I smiled up into his face.

“Always,” I murmured.

“How was work?” he asked, and Sage scoffed.

“Boring!” he declared.

“She make you go with her?” Rush asked and Sage nodded.

“I didn’t want him here playing video games all day. We still have some spring break left, I told him I’d let him do it one day, but today wasn’t it.” Sage rolled his eyes and passed me going into the kitchen, taking a seat at one of the kitchen counter stools.

Nox and I went to work cooking dinner, as we all laughed and talked, ignoring the elephant in the room for the time being. After dinner, Sage helped clean up along with Nox and Rush, giving me a break. Though truthfully, it was actually Rush’s idea.

I could sense he wanted to speak but was graciously waiting on Sage to leave the room. I had some mixed feelings about it. While I was grateful to keep the grown-up stuff between the grownups, there were times, like this one, that I felt like I was doing Sage a disservice.

Rush kept giving me sidelong looks, and then trading yet more sidelong looks with his brother until, eventually, Nox sighed and said, “Hey Sage, do me a favor and sit back at the table for a minute before you go upstairs.”

“Am I in trouble?” Sage asked, hesitating.

“No, little man… I am,” Rush said with a tired smile.

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