The Bluff (Graham Brothers, #2)(22)

“You were doing that thing where you push and prod. It’s something you do with people you care about. Something you didn’t ever do with Dale.”

I have no argument for this, so I take a long sip of my drink and wonder why I thought sibling bonding was a necessary thing.

Chevy continues with his way-too-astute observations. “When there’s that much tension between two people, they’ll end up kissing or killing each other.”

I swallow hard at that statement, thinking of that game we used to play in middle and high school: marry, kiss, kill. I always argued with Lindy and Val saying when you married someone, you’d probably spend part of the time wanting to kiss them and part of the time wanting to kill them.

Now, it feels like those words have come back to haunt me.

I’ve thought several times today about killing James. I mean, not literally, obviously, but in the figurative sense.

As for kissing … well, I thought about that too. NOT figuratively. Very definitely literally and also liberally.

Chevy’s grin is smug, and again, I have to wonder if my brain is somehow projecting all my thoughts.

I go for humor, the great deflection. “Did you pull out your gun or badge and tell him you’d run him out of town if he hurt your baby sister?”

Chevy only shrugs. Humiliation is a hot wave creeping up my chest. I cannot even with my stupid brother. Groaning, I lower my forehead and bang it on the table. “You can’t do that, Chev.”

I can’t even imagine how James reacted to my brother butting into the situation. I won’t ask. Especially because a sliver of my heart is thrumming with excitement, wanting to know whether James thinks of me more on the kiss or kill side of the spectrum.

NO—wait. What if Chevy said that same thing to James about kissing or killing?

Right now, my brother just moved to the tippy-top of my figurative murder list. Which is saying something, considering the fact that James tasked me with removing all the cats from his warehouse.

“I make no apologies,” Chevy says, draining the last of his beer. “I’ll always have your back, Win.”

“The thing is—I don’t always need you to have my back. Like in this specific case, with James. I definitely don’t.”

Chevy drums his fingers on the table. “Maybe. Maybe not. But I'll take every precaution when it comes to you. Just the way Dad would have done.”

The way Dad would have done.

The noise of my heartbeat in my ears is like the wings of a giant flock of birds, taking flight. My vision goes slightly hazy, and for a brief moment, the world tilts. I’m standing before it rights itself, and I grab the wobbly table, hoping it holds me.

When sound and sight rush back in, everything is too bright, too loud. Chevy is staring at me, and I can’t look at him right now. He looks too much like our dad, and I don’t want to see that comparison. I throw some cash down on the table. Then I bolt. Not running but just about.

“I’m staying with Val tonight,” I call over my shoulder, not slowing even a little bit.

Chevy yells after me, but it’s my good fortune Wolf Waters intercepts him before he can follow.

The air is cool in my throat, and I draw in deep lungfuls, relishing the slight burn as I speed-walk to my car.

What my brother doesn’t know, and what I can’t ever tell him, is that he’s dead-wrong about our father. We all were wrong about him. And that’s the painful truth I’ll carry with me to the grave, just the way Dad did.





TEXT THREAD





Winnie: gif of cartoon clock

James: ???

Winnie: Gasp! Have you never seen Beauty and the Beast?

James: Why are you sending me a gif of Cogsworth Winnie: YOU KNOW COGSWORTH!?!!!!!!

Winnie: Are you a secret cartoon lover?

James: No

Winnie: What’s your favorite Disney movie? OMG do you have a favorite princess?

James: Focus. Why did you send the gif Winnie: It’s Ariel, isn’t it? Men love the seashell bra. And the singing.

James: THE GIF, WINNIE. WHY

Winnie: That was my way of telling you I’m done for the day.

Winnie: You know, clocking out? Get it???

James: Make a spreadsheet for your hours. No need to check in Winnie: Since you seemed to be avoiding me, thought I’d make sure you knew I was working.

James: I’m your boss, not your babysitter. Spreadsheet Winnie: You’re no fun.

James: Never claimed to be

Winnie: Ugh. I bet you don’t even text with gifs, considering you barely use punctuation. You’re the captain of the Fun Police.

James: gif of Rapunzel from Tangled Winnie: Sorry for the slow response. I passed out from shock.

James: You asked about my favorite princess Winnie: Rapunzel, huh? Innnnteresting. VERY interesting.

James: Don’t try to psychoanalyze me, temp Winnie: You have no idea how much I’ve learned about you from just this conversation.

James: You’ve learned nothing

Winnie: I’ve learned EVERYTHING.

Winnie: The key question: Did you like Rapunzel before or after she cut her hair?

James: Both

James: She didn’t change personalities. Just her hair Winnie: Smooth answer. Very PC of you.

James: Are we done? I have things to do Winnie: More important than texting me? I’m hurt.