Page 51 of Muskoka Miracle

Sam winced. “Oh, did the family gossip forget to tell you I got fired from the real estate office?”

“What?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It was a misunderstanding.”

Of course it was. Dan folded his arms. It always was with Sam. Since a hip injury derailed his pro hockey aspirations, he’d had a series of jobs that had all ended too soon. He always laid out the other person’s faults and waited for someone to bite.

Like Sarah. “What happened?”

Sam went on with some convoluted story, which soon saw Sarah bite her lip and meet Dan’s gaze, as if she too recognized what Sam wasn’t saying.

“Does that mean you’re a free agent?” she asked Sam.

“You could say that.”

“Then you’re free to go with Dan on his camp this weekend?”

Sam’s nose wrinkled. “That’s this weekend?”

“Sure is.” Dan clapped him on the back. “And you know we always love you being there.”

Sam glanced at Sarah. “Are you going?”

She pointed to a fridge magnet which Dan hated but she refused to remove. The vintage looking woman was smiling in bed, with a “I love not camping” banner posted over it.

“Then I’ll stay with you.”

She smiled sweetly. “No.”

“Huh?”

“You need to go camping. With Dan.”

“Excuse me?”

“I can smell the alcohol on you, and I don’t know what’s going down, but I don’t want you staying here with me if you think that means you’ll just be drinking or whatever.”

Go Sarah.

Dan leaned against the kitchen cupboard as his brother whined, “Sarah, I thought you loved me.”

“I do.” She patted his cheek. “Which is why real love doesn’t let someone keep doing the wrong thing.”

“It’s not wrong to have a drink.”

“I know. But if you’re drinking so much that it can be smelled the next day, one has to ask why you feel the need to do so.”

“I didn’t come here for a lecture,” he grumbled.

“No, you came here because you know we love you and want the best for you. And this,” she gestured to his rumpled appearance, “isn’t it.”

“Wow.” Sam glanced at Dan. “Does she bust your chops like this too?”

“Sometimes.”

“Go, have a shower, and we’ll make you a nice brekkie.”

“Brekkie.” Sam rolled his eyes, but a smile played at his mouth. “Will you have avocado toast?”

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