Page 5 of Call It Home

His only response was a nod. I knew there wasn’t a lot for him to tell me—or at least anything he waswillingto share. God only knew what dark secrets he was hiding about his time spent behind bars. Still, I wasn’t going to let this time go to waste. I told him about a toy box I was making as a baby gift for Zach and Em’s new baby girl, Olivia. It was a little late since she was almost two months old, but it wasn’t like she would be using it anytime soon, anyway. Then I told him about the conversation I had yesterday. “You’ll never believe what Cameron asked me to do.”

His eyebrow quirked.

“She wants me to partner with her for some TV show where we’d have a month to flip some old house that some rich dude wants to use for vacation rentals. We’d have camera crews following us the entire time.”

Trey stared at the table. “You should do it.”

“What?”

“You should do it,” he repeated. “You could do it and use the money to buy yourself a damn new truck.”

“You know I’m saving every penny I can for another reason.”

Trey stared at the table, then looked up at me, his eyes dark with determination. “Look, Macaron.”

He used the nickname he’d given me so many years ago after we’d been given the cookie treat during a Christmas party at a shelter. Hearing it for the first time in years nearly choked me.

“You need to get out there and live your life. Stop worrying about me. I love you, but it’s slowly killing me that you’re not out there living your life like you should be. One of us should be, and it can’t be me, so you need to do that.”

His words hung heavily in the air between us. What was he saying? It sounded like he was giving up our dream. The one thing that held me together most days.

“I’m fine,” I insisted. “I’m living life, as you say.”

“Are you, though?” he challenged.

I tried to argue with him, to tell him I was happy in Sterling Mill, even though it was far from him. And it was the truth. To a point. His conviction was a perpetual shadow that loomed over me.

I got a vague smile in return. “Sounds great. You should be there now. Stop coming here so often. Find yourself a woman and settle down.”

“You know that’s not going to happen. The plan hasn’t changed, and I don’t think there’s a woman out there worth changing it for. You know the plan. I’m going to make that happen. So, looks like you’re stuck with me for the time being.”

I got my first small smile of the day. “You’re a great brother, in case I haven’t told you that. But don’t wait on me. Start that dream now. You shouldn’t be putting your life on hold.”

“Like you didn’t put yours on hold, keeping me safe and in school.”

“It’s not the same.”

“The fuck it’s not.” My voice was raised enough to draw some questioning looks from the guards.

I lifted my hand and offered a wave as an apology as one took a step in our direction. He gave me a stern look in return but retreated back to his corner. “Look. You’re five years in. Only a couple more to go. I’ve got nothing and no one expecting anything of me, especially not a woman. So, enough said, okay?” He just stared at the table. “Okay?” I repeated.

He shook his head at the table. “Well, about that. I had a visit from Christian.”

At his lawyer’s name, my heart skipped a beat. “What about?”

“He says things have quieted down. He thinks I should apply for an early parole hearing.”

A surge of hope ran through me. “That’s great! Why didn’t you tell me that from the start?”

He threw both of his hands up in a gesture of surrender, then leaned back in his chair. “Because it’s not a sure thing. And it’s still months away—if I’m even approved to have an early hearing.”

“But it’s a step in the right direction,” I countered. “He wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t think there was a chance, right?”

He shrugged.

It was killing me to hear the nonchalance in his voice, but I got it. We’d learned long ago that nothing was ever certain until it actually happened. Still, tingles of excitement flowed through my bloodstream. “If there’s even a small chance, we need to take it.”

“I will. If you do something for me.”

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