Page 125 of Scotch on the Rocks

Here we go. “I think she prefers it actually.” My woman had claws.

“Did you ever try anything when we were together?”

“No.” I winced. “Well … not exactly.”

He huffed a laugh and folded his arms. “Yeah … going to need you to explain that one.”

“The day I first met her at your apartment … I might have asked for her number on the train. I didn’t know who she was.” I held up my hand though he didn’t try to interrupt. “She turned me down. Hard. I couldn’t believe it when she showed up at your place not even an hour later. I swore to forget all about her, but I couldn’t.” I shrugged sadly. “I think I fell in love with her on the spot.”

Jaw ticking, he mulled over my explanation. “You should have told me.”

“And ruin what you two had? I’m not that bloody selfish. Juniper didn’t want me, she loved you.” That particular truth would always make my chest ache. But it was no longer the gaping wound it had been back then. “Nothing happened until a year after you broke up, and then again the past few weeks.”

“What happened exactly?”

“Fuck off. I’m not giving you the gory details.” I crossed my arms. “I’m sorry if that pisses you off, but it’s not happening.”

He rolled his shoulders. “You shouldn’t have kept it from me.”

“It wasn’t my call. I should probably apologise again, but if I’m being honest … I’m not sorry. I’d do it all over again if she asked.”

His eyes widened in surprise, like he was seeing me for the first time. “You’re in love with her,” he said.

“Yes.” I answered simply.

He scrubbed a hand over his slightly scraggly beard. “Looking back, I should have guessed. There was always something more in the way you interacted with her, and the way she looked at you outside Brown’s … she used to look at me like that once. I think I deluded myself enough I didn’t see the signs.”

She used to look at me like that once. The way he said it niggled at me, he almost sounded wistful. “Are you still in love with her?”

He was silent for long enough for that niggle to grow wings that lurched around stomach. “No. At least not in the way you think. Obviously, you know how impossible she makes it not to care about her, even when she’s infuriating.” We shared a small grin at that. “She’s actually the reason I’m here.” My surprise must have shown on my face because he drew a velvet box from his pocket that I knew extremely well. “She asked me to meet her at Brown’s so she could give the ring back.” He seemed unaware when his fist squeezed around it. “Then she told me to get over my shit and come and talk to you and … here we are, getting over our shit.”

“Very mature of us.”

“Wonderful. This might have been the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had.” Heading for the door, he slapped me on the shoulder. “Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Keep showing up, even when she doesn’t want you to. Yes?”

“Yes.” I didn’t even have to think about it.

“Great.” He clapped me a second time. “Let’s never talk about this again.”

“Agreed.”

“Oh.” He paused with the door cracked. “I figured you’d want to know. Mum agreed to hire a night nurse three days a week. She rang and made the appointment herself; he starts next month.”

It’s what I’d hoped for months now, and yet … I didn’t feel relieved. Our family would never be the same again. “I knew you’d convince her.”

“It wasn’t me, it’s just …”

“Time,” I finished for him.

“Aye. It’s time.” He nodded sadly, the world seeming to weigh on him when he turned again, as if he’d accomplished his task and couldn’t wait to get out of here.

“I’m about to grab lunch if you want to join me?” I rushed to say. He paused with his back to me and I hated the distance still lingering between us. He was my little brother, the feeling to protect would never disappear.

“I can’t, I’m helping Mal at the distillery this afternoon.”

Instinct made me push. “That’s great. If you ever want to talk – about anything at all – I’m always here. You know that?”

For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t reply, but then he said over his shoulder, “I know.” The door didn’t shut fully behind him, I heard his murmured goodbye to Kelly and the bell ringing on the door as he left.

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