Brazen (Brazen #1)(60)

He hugged her tightly, stroking her hair. “My God, Jasmine, I can’t believe it’s you.”

She didn’t respond. She closed her eyes and absorbed his hug. After several minutes in which he merely held her, he gently pulled away.

“There’s a lot I want to say to you, Jasmine. A lot we need to catch up on.”

She nodded.

Seth cleared his throat. “Carmen should be back soon. Will you stay for dinner, Cody?”

“If Jasmine wants me to,” he replied.

“I’d like that,” she said softly.

“Why don’t we get comfortable?” Zane suggested, making it clear he had no intention of leaving Jasmine alone with Cody.

Cody led her over to the couch, and she sank onto the cushions, grateful because she wasn’t so sure her legs would support her anymore.

She licked her lips nervously and focused her gaze on her brother. He was big, muscled. His years in the military had obviously honed his body. He still wore his hair short, and she wondered if he was still enlisted.

The silence was awkward and so she said something, anything to alleviate the strain. “Tell me about you?”

The question seemed ludicrous. He was her brother, and yet, here they sat, two strangers.

He reached for her hand, but she stiffened, and he pulled away. She balled her fingers into fists and kept them in her lap. She wondered if he was insulted by her rebuff, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“I’m married. I have a young son. He just turned one.” His expression softened as he spoke of his family. Hurt welled in her throat. His family that didn’t include her.

“Are you still in the military?” she croaked.

He shook his head. “Not for three years. I own my own construction company now.”

“Where?”

“Just north of Baton Rouge.”

“Not far from home then,” she said faintly.

“No,” he replied. “I never wanted to leave that area in case…in case you came back.”

She turned her chin up and stared at him. “Why didn’t you come back?”

Sadness and regret crowded his green eyes, eyes that were so much like hers. “I did, but it was too late. You’d already gone. I never should have cut myself off the way I did. I couldn’t see past my anger with Mom. I never expected her to die. I assumed you’d be happy with her and her new husband.”

“She never married him,” she bit out.

He reached for her hand again and this time she didn’t pull away. “Jasmine, I let you down. I’ll never forgive myself for that. But you could have come to me, too.”

Shock held her immobile. He was right, but he hadn’t made her feel as though that was an option. Ever. “I didn’t think you’d want me,” she said simply. “You never called or wrote. It was as if you forgot all about me and Mama.”

Cody looked away. When he looked back, regret shone in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jasmine. Sorrier than I can ever say.”

His hand tightened around hers. “My wife and I would like you to come stay with us. You’d have a home with us as long as you like.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “But—” She broke off. Her protest died. Seth and Zane no longer wanted her here. They were the reason Cody was here. “I’ll think about it,” she finally said.

She spent the rest of the afternoon in light, careful conversation with Cody. He told her about his wife and their one-year-old baby. His business was successful, and his wife was a registered nurse who worked in a local hospital.

It was hard not to warm to him. He seemed sincere and cautious about overwhelming her too soon. Several times he seemed to want to hug her, but he backed away, giving her space. She invited him to stay the night since he hadn’t stopped in town to get a hotel.

Dinner was quiet, and Carmen spent much of the time either chattering endlessly or looking like she’d burst into tears at a moment’s provocation.

Jasmine picked at her food and finally buckled under the strain of the day’s events.

“I’m going up to bed,” she said quietly.

The men watched her as she stood and pushed her plate aside. Cody gave her a reassuring smile, and she attempted one in return. She avoided Zane’s and Seth’s gazes as she walked out of the kitchen.

Instead of going to her bedroom, she eased into Seth’s room. She undressed and pulled on one of his old T-shirts, something that had brought her comfort in the past.

She crawled underneath the covers and curled her legs into her chest. Sleep would be difficult, though she felt exhausted and emotionally drained. She settled in to wait for Seth, her heart heavy and sad, afraid of what he would say.

Chapter Thirty

Seth walked into his bedroom, though he knew he wouldn’t sleep. Too much was going on his mind, and it was too late to stop the chain of events he’d started from unfolding.

He froze when he saw Jasmine curled up in his bed. His bed lamp was on, and he could see that she’d fallen into a troubled sleep. He stepped closer, surprised to find her here. In the past, she’d always gone to Zane for comfort, a fact that made him jealous though he never admitted as much. Until recently.

Her face was crinkled, her brows drawn together in tension. Her bottom lip was drawn between her teeth, and he could see red blotches on her cheeks from crying.