Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(57)

“I don’t really care what he thinks. I’m a grown-up, and it’s none of his business,” I hissed. “I mean, did he ask you permission before he hooked up with Shay?”

“Well, that would be weird. Shay’s not my fucking sister. It makes a difference, Snow.”

“It doesn’t have to. This isn’t for him or for anyone else. We’re already friends. This could be something that is just for us. He doesn’t need to know. I’m certainly not going to tell him. Nor did I call and inform him any time I hooked up with someone when I was away at school. Because it’s. None. Of. His. Business.”

He was quiet, and I let that sit there between us. I was feeling more confident lately, and I was done just going along with whatever Travis wanted, just for the sake of keeping the peace. I loved my brother very much, but that had nothing to do with my personal life.

“Brax said the car sold, and the guy picked it up? You haven’t filled me in on that,” he said, completely changing the subject.

“Well, you haven’t exactly been around. God knows what you’ve been doing. But yes, the car deal went through.”

He looked over at me, his lips turning up just the slightest bit in the corners. “You jealous, Snow?”

“Yeah, I guess I am. I’m not the one pretending I don’t care.”

“I’m not either. If I didn’t care, this would be easy.” He cleared his throat. “And Finn was in town last night, so he came to Reynolds’, and we stayed up late, talking and drinking beers. I wish I could tell you I’ve been hooking up with random women because that would have you running for the hills. But for whatever fucking reason, that hasn’t happened since you’ve come home.”

I tucked my lips beneath my teeth to keep from blatantly smiling, because that was a relief.

“Good to know.”

He chuckled. “So, did you call Havenwood? What’s the plan?”

“Yep. She sent over a bunch of paperwork, which Dad and I filled out together two nights ago, and I emailed it all back to her. We should be getting a call next week. He’s ready to go. We’ve talked about it. He said he’s sick of being a slave to his addiction. So, giving him this chance is the best we can do, right?”

“I agree. And you did it. You came home with a plan, and you made it happen.”

“Well, the real work starts now. That’s why I asked for the amount of time off that I did before starting the new job. It’s already July in a few days. I’m guessing he’s going to need at least thirty days in a program, probably longer. I’d like to be here the first few days that he gets out, if possible. So, that’s where the whole timeline came from, but that was all pending he’d agree to go, that we found a place that would take him, that the car would sell, and everything would fall into place. Now he just has to do the work.” I sighed. It was all happening.

“That’s great. Did you tell Travis?”

“Yep. I asked him if he’d drive us there next week to check him in. I told him my car was in the shop because I don’t need to deal with his wrath or have him tell Dad that I sold my car and make him feel guilty.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that he was busy, and he wouldn’t be going out there.” I shrugged. I’d ask Del if I could borrow her car. Travis could do what he wanted to get in the way of this happening, but it wouldn’t stop anything.

“I’ll take you, all right?”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“My mom said you guys met this week.”

“Yeah. She’s the best. The first meeting was just talking about me coming home and getting Dad into a program. Apparently, next week we’re diving into the juicy stuff,” I said with a laugh and then winced when I shifted, and the discomfort between my legs reminded me not to move.

“What’s wrong? You okay?”

“I’m fine.” This was not something I was about to share with him.

He nodded, but when he gazed over at me, I didn’t miss the concern I saw there. “All right. If you need anything, just say the word.”

Would asking him to blow on my vajazzle be too much?

Because my pretty kitty was on fire.





seventeen





Hugh





We’d talked all the way to the city, and that was the thing with Lila. It was easy. The conversation, the laughter, the attraction.

“So, did you get us two rooms?” Lila raised a brow when I pulled into the valet at the hotel and put the truck into park.

“Nope. They didn’t have any other rooms available,” I said, which was not true, but I’d never actually called to ask.

Like I said, I was all over the fucking place with this girl.

I climbed out of the truck and came around to help her out as I pulled our suitcases out of the truck bed, and the valet greeted us and handed me a little card to call when I needed my truck. Another guy walked over and took our luggage, and we followed him inside.

We paused in the grand foyer.

“Wow,” Lila said, spinning around in her yellow sundress, long, dark waves falling down her back. “This is so pretty. Look at the chandeliers.”

I glanced up at the light fixtures overhead and chuckled. “Swanky, huh?”