Page 127 of Really Truly Yours

“That all?”

Brothers, right? I had the privilege of growing up with two of them, and now Tripp is added to the mix.

The older I get, the less point I find in games. “You know it isn’t.”

Tripp nods in appreciation of my honesty.

He props an elbow on the chest of drawers, careful not to jar one of the framed wedding pictures Avery has placed in every last room of the house. He bumps it anyway, and a loose photo I propped there slips onto the wood. His movements freeze when he recognizes the tattered snapshot of me and Donny and…Mom. He pinches it between his fingers and stares. My next breath is immobilized.

All he does is sigh, quietly replace it, and pick up the conversation as if it never stopped. “So. Sydnee seems like a great girl.”

More undertones. “But?”

He saunters fully in. “No buts.”

Now who’s playing games? “I invited her to come with me.”

“Wow.” He slides his hands into the pockets of his work slacks. “How serious is this, man?”

I stop packing. “I’m not sure.”

Only because I’m not sure Sydnee’s feelings match mine. I’m ready to jump with both feet, but moving her from distrust, and possibly even dislike, was difficult enough. She’s budged finally, but it isn’t clear how far. At times she appears to return my feelings, yet only after she’s been prodded by my more overt ways.

I cross to the open closet and slip my favorite shirt off its hanger.

“Take it easy with her, Gray.”

I stop. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You live a pretty high-flying life, bro.”

I lay the shirt on top of the open suitcase.

“I’m just saying that perhaps the last few weeks aren’t the most accurate representation of Gray Smith.”

“Have you been reading the tabloids or something? I wouldn’t have expected that from you.”

He shrugs. “You’re my brother. You make the news.”

And mistakes live forever online. Worse, retractions, if printed in the first place, are ignored. Has Sydnee seen that stuff? All the stuff?

“I made some bad choices, yes, but that’s not me. You should know that.”

He swivels his face to the ceiling. “I should.”

Yeah, I feel the same when I let my mind go there. Twenty years, precious years, in the same state, yet a million miles apart.

So maybe I’ll let him off the hook for his doubt. Yes, there’s some stuff I’ve had to own.

But. I look at my big brother man-to-man. “You know Kelly’s story wasn’t true. She retracted it and apologized.” Not out of the goodness of her heart. She got caught on a hot mike and had no choice. No, I did not cheat on her the night of her movie premiere, and I most assuredly never shoved her into a wall when she confronted me about it. “We’ve discussed this.”

“I know but…the other women. They had a lot of flash.”

And Sydnee has substance. My fists clench. “Are you saying she’s not in my league?”

Annoyance jerks Tripp’s cheek. “Does that sound like something I’d say? Much less think?”

He said himself we don’t know each other like we should. “Then what is your point?”

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