Page 14 of The Spirit Key
He grinned. “No, it’s just… I honestly thought I’d never have the chance to see you again.”
“I know I can never say how sorry I am enough, but—”
“No, this isn’t coming from a place of hurt. I have my best friend back, and that makes me happy.” The grin morphed into a frown. “We are still best friends, right?”
“No.Youare a best friend. I’m the one who was too chickenshit to talk to you. One day I want to earn the right to call myself your best friend again.”
“Shit.” Tim yanked me off the couch and enfolded me in his arms. “You’ve always been my best friend, Scotty. No one ever came close to being half the friend you are. You made a mistake, and we’ll be talking about that at some point, but for now? You’re home, with me. I can’t think of anything I wanted more.”
If this moment stretched out forever, I wouldn’t complain. His body was warm, he smelled so good, and he was holding me. What more could I want out of life beyond this moment?
“You know you’re going to have to talk to your mom, right?”
I tried to draw back, but he held me fast.
“You can’t get out of this one.” He chuckled, and his breathing tickled my ear. “You ran away for five years, but you’re twenty-four now, and it’s time to grow up.”
He squeezed me again, and I relaxed into his arms.
“You’re right.” And he was, but that didn’t mean I would let him lord it over me. “Just for the record, though? Batman over Captain America in two rounds.”
He laughed. It wasn’t just a snicker, no. This was a full-on belly laugh. When he leaned back, he had tears in his eyes. “I missed you so fucking much.”
And with those words, I was home.
Chapter Four
THE EGGS,bacon, and toast had been delicious, but they quickly turned into a lead ball in my stomach when Tim picked up the plates and started for the kitchen.
“You know, you need to go see your mom. You should do that today.”
The thought had been on my mind, but I kept pushing it away, because I had been a scared, shitty son.
“Will you come with me?”
Tim came back into the room, a frown on his face. “I have to work. I don’t understand what you’re so nervous about. She’s your mom—it’ll be fine.”
He couldn’t…. Seriously? I ran away. I left her to deal with the fallout of my shit, and he couldn’t understand why I was nervous?
“Scotty, I promise you, it’s going to be okay. Will she be upset? Yeah, probably. But you’re her baby, so she’s going to find a way to forgive you. Ryan, on the other hand….”
“What about him?”
“He’s got two kids now. Carter, who’s two, and Samantha just turned three.”
My brother had kids? “Oh my God, I am such a fuckup.”
“Won’t hear me arguing.” Tim went into his bedroom, and a few minutes later, he came back out, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt with an emerald tie. I knew suit porn was a thing, but it had never done much for me. Let me just say I was now a convert! “Can I ask, do you plan on telling them?”
“No, absolutely not. I’m going to suck it up and tell them I was kidnapped by a Russian mobster who used me as a sex slave for the last five years, and I only just escaped with the help of a daring raid by Interpol.”
He rolled his eyes. “Look, I get not wanting to tell them, but I think you need to go and be contrite and apologize until your lips fall off.”
He made it seem so easy to be an adult. Adulting was hard, just so you know.
“Okay, I need to go. Rachel is picking me up in a few minutes, and I need to be out there waiting.”
So my nemesis had a name.
