The Speed of Light: A Novel(47)

I take the card with a shaky hand. This is so unexpected and kind—and something actually useful. Plus I’m happy for Walter. Without thinking, I lean forward and wrap my arms around him for a hug. He seems surprised at first, and I’m pretty sure I slosh out some of his keg beer, but eventually he hugs me back. “Thank you,” I whisper when I pull back.

He smiles. “It’s what friends are for.”

“Good luck. With the move and everything, I mean.” He blushes again, nods, and we continue on our separate paths.





CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

When I find Connor at last, my heart fills even more—he’s in the garage with Emmett, tinkering on that old piece of junk snowmobile. They’re laughing and joking when I come in; then I hear another voice. A third man stands up from a crouched position in front of the snowmobile, and I freeze.

“Dad?” I don’t even try to hide the incredulity in my voice.

All three look toward me, and Dad shrugs. “What? Your mom thought it would be good bonding time.” Emmett smirks and Dad smirks back. “He’s still grounded.”

I smile and shake my head. “Well, I think it’s great.” I meet Connor’s gaze, and he smiles back, but not as fully as I expect. I walk up and step on my tiptoes to kiss him, but I catch a whiff and narrow my eyes. That’s when I finally notice the red cup in his hand. “You’re drinking?”

Dad and Emmett exchange a look. “What, is he not twenty-one?” Dad asks. “Should I have carded him?”

I roll my eyes. “Very funny. Can you give us a minute, please?” They turn away, and I take Connor’s hand, pulling him over to the corner. “What’s going on?”

He shrugs. “I decided to have a beer.” His voice is defensive, and there’s a challenge in his eyes. “I didn’t realize it would matter.”

“It doesn’t matter to me. I mean, it does, but only because it’s your own rule—I thought you didn’t want to drink anymore.”

His laugh is bitter. “Of course I do. I just wish I could go back to when it was fun and didn’t remind me of the worst day of my life.”

“So if it’s not fun, why are you doing it?” I ask gently.

He looks down, his jaw set. “It’s just . . . being here with all your family is harder than I thought it would be. It makes me miss my brother even more, especially with the anniversary coming up . . .”

Oh God. “The anniversary is coming up?”

He squeezes his eyes shut. “It’ll be a year next week.”

My hand flies to my mouth. “Babe, I’m so sorry.” I reach my hand out to touch his arm, and he stiffens. “Is something else wrong? I mean, did I do something wrong?”

He takes a swig of his beer, his face red like his cup. “How’s Walter?”

I blink in surprise. “Why do you ask?”

He won’t meet my eyes, but I can see the flash of pain in his. “That was quite a hug.”

I cross my arms and look at him with my eyebrows raised. “You’re seriously mad because I hugged Walter?”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly the highlight of my evening.” His eyes flick up and then down again. “I was already feeling shitty, and that just wasn’t what I expected to see when I went out to grab your dad’s toolbox from his truck.”

I take a deep breath, bite back my annoyance—he’s hurting—then reach up and place my hands on the sides of his face, pulling him down for a deep kiss until my dad clears his throat and my brother calls, “Really, Mone? Gross.”

I ignore them, and when I pull back, Connor finally meets my eyes. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about. From Walter, or anyone. Okay?”

He nods, his shoulders relaxing.

“I’m sorry you’re having a bad night. It looks like you’re having fun in here, though.”

He smiles, but it’s sad. “Working on this stuff still reminds me of hanging out with Cam, but in a good way at least.” He takes my hand, brings it up to his mouth, and kisses it. “And you’re having fun? Besides your boyfriend being a jealous bastard, I mean?”

A giggle escapes my throat. “I am. I got a job offer from Aunt Kit. Told her thanks but no thanks. And the thing with Walter—the reason for the hug—is this.” I reach in my pocket and pull out the card. “He knows a really good neurologist in Minneapolis, who I actually think might be his girlfriend. She sounds great, and honestly I might consider it. At least looking her up online, I mean.”

Connor looks down at the card and back up at me. “That’s wonderful. Really.” He squeezes his eyes shut, shakes his head. “Now I really feel like an asshole. I’m sorry.”

I wrap my arms around him. “Hey, it’s okay. I think that qualifies as our first fight, so that’s a milestone, right?”

There’s a spark in his eye, and he leans down, whispers in my ear, “You know what we’re supposed to do to make up after a fight, right?”

My entire body tingles. My moment has arrived. “Well, thank God we have a hotel room for tonight,” I whisper.

“We do?” Connor keeps his face even. His eyes cut to where my dad and brother are working away, but he can’t stop his eyebrows from raising, a kid who knows he’s getting the shiny new bike for his birthday but is trying to play it cool.