Page 67 of Forgotten Desires

“Brynn?” Grady says my name with a touch of apprehension.

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

I turn to face him. “Why do you ask?”

“I may not have been around as much when you were growing up. I know Asher and Rowan are your closer brothers, but I’d like to think I have a pretty good read on you. You’re a lot like Mom. She was good at hiding things, but it was always there, simmering underneath. You have the same mannerisms, and I’m concerned.”

Oh God, he knows something.

Of all my brothers I thought might pick up on something, it wasn’t Grady.

I don’t want to lie to him. I’ve done enough of that, but I also don’t want to tell him about the surgery. There’s no way he’ll keep it from Asher and Rowan, who I don’t plan to tell until the day before.

“Can we talk in a week or two?” I ask hesitantly. “I’m fine, everything is fine, I promise, but I’m just not ready to talk about it yet.”

“Is it about your marriage?”

God, if he only knew how all of it ties together.

“No, it’s not Crew or anything like that, and no, I’m not pregnant. So, you can calm down there too. It’s just something that I need a little more time with before I can share with you guys.”

He reaches out, taking my hand. “Brynn, you can tell us anything. There’s literally nothing the three of us wouldn’t do for you.”

“I know that, Grady.” My brothers are the best and they’d lay down their lives to protect those they love, me included.

It’s why I’m just not ready to tell them about this. Asher will never understand that I’d be willing to give a part of myself to Howie. Rowan literally hates my father and I wonder if he wouldn’t kill him before the surgery. Grady may not harbor the level of animosity that they do, but he would struggle.

I don’t need to be the reason they suffer.

“All right, if you’re okay, then I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

I lean in and kiss his cheek. “You’re the best big brother a girl could have.”

He chuckles at that. “I don’t think you were saying that when Jett and I were living with you.”

“That’s because you’re annoying as fuck.”

“Yeah, and you’re a dream.”

I shrug. “We’re not talking about me.”

“Maybe we should. When does your husband get home?”

Glancing at my phone, I see it should be relatively soon. Crew said he had to go into the office, do some work, and then set up the next week of meetings. He promised he’d be home for dinner, but I told him not to rush. The whole point of this marriage is for convenience. The last thing either of us wants is for the other to be needy.

“Soon. What time are you heading back to Sugarloaf? Did you fly in?”

“Yeah, I flew in to pick up a package from his office and I’m flying out to Pittsburgh in the morning from Sugarloaf. He had a driver bring me here so I could say hi before heading back home.”

I smile. “That was sweet.”

He huffs. “Or he’s the most strategic person alive and knew that he’d be late, so best send her brother to check on her and take up her time.”

“Or that.” I nudge him with my shoulder. “Any new pictures of the kids?”

And with that, my brother launches into a twenty-minute conversation about the new things that Jett and Elodie are doing at school and a part of me feels like I’m home.

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