Page 29 of Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat
Chapter Fourteen
Tom ambled into the kitchen rubbing at his tired eyes and needing an infusion of hot, strong coffee more than oxygen.
‘Glad to see you’ve dragged your sorry ass out at last.’ Mikey grinned over his shoulder before turning back to concentrate on the eggs he was scrambling. ‘The bacon’s ready and I’ve popped the bread in the toaster. Get your caffeinefix and sit down. I’ll feed you.’
‘Turned into Mom, have you?’ Tom complained half-heartedly. They hadn’t talked much after he got back from Fee’s last night – correction – he’d kept silent and his brothers let him get away with it. ‘Where’s Sandy?’
‘Work.’ Mikey shared the eggs out between two plates then piled on a mound of bacon and toast. He set one in front of Tom before sittingdown himself. ‘Sandy met your English lady when he went for his usual run. Said you were blowin’ smoke when you claimed she wasn’t anything special.’
Tom laid down his fork. ‘For a start she’s notmyEnglish anything, and I didn’t say…’
‘Lighten up, bro, I’m havin’ a bit of fun, that’s all.’ Mikey shovelled in a mouthful of eggs then bit into a strip of bacon, blackened to a crispthe way everyone in their family preferred.
‘Yeah, I know. It’s me. Sorry.’
‘No worries.’ Mikey went back to eating.
‘I’ll tell you somethin’, but if you breathe a word outside these four walls you’re dead meat.’
Mikey froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. ‘What the hell have you done?’
‘I haven’t done anythin’, well not really, I mean…’
‘Get onwith it, idiot, or I’ll beat it out of you.’
Tom sighed, wishing he’d kept quiet. ‘I kissed Fee the other day.’
‘Okay.’ Mikey dragged out the word as though unsure where to take the conversation next. They normally joked about anything under the sun except for the subject of Tom and women. ‘You wanted to do more, right?’
‘Yeah. What does that make me?’
‘Um, normal?’
‘What about Gina?’
Mikey took a swig of coffee and stared at Tom. ‘You really want the truth?’
Did he?‘I guess.’
‘Gina would call you an idiot. If it’d been the other way around I damn well hope you wouldn’t have expected her to lock herself away for the rest of her life.’
‘She died because I screwed up. There’s a big difference,’ Tom snapped.
‘No,she didn’t, you moron. She died because Gary Higgins is a vicious thug.’ Mikey rested a hand on Tom’s shoulder and the unexpected contact made his throat tighten. ‘No one’s telling you to forget Gina but you’re still alive so live for Christ’s sake. It’s got to be better than this half-assed thing you’re doin’ now.’
Tom’s jaw gaped open. His taciturn, quiet brother was never this blunt.
‘You’ll catch flies in a minute,’ Mikey teased. ‘Finish your breakfast. I didn’t waste my time cookin’ so you could let breakfast go cold and greasy.’
He dutifully picked up his knife and fork and followed orders because it was easier than replying. Even if he chose to risk dipping a toe back in the dating pond it didn’t change the fact Fee was in a bad place emotionally. Theirtiming was lousy.
‘You’re thinkin’ too much.’
‘How would you know? Not something you ever do, is it?’ Tom tossed right back. ‘Fee’s… complicated.’
Mikey’s coarse laughter filled the room. ‘Show me a damn woman who isn’t. They’re all a goddamn mystery, you idiot.’
‘But I might be the worst person for her.’
