Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“You’re doing that brother thing or whatever today, right?”
It was pretty cool of him to ask. He really was trying. “Yeah, we’re gonna meet him in a little while.” I pulled the eggs out of the fridge to scramble some.
“You nervous?”
“Hell yes.”
Asher was quiet for a minute before saying, “Yeah, family can be fucked up sometimes.” He looked away, and I figured he had to be talking about what happened with their dad.
“You can say that again.” I began cracking eggs in the bowl. “You want some?”
“Nah, my ass has to get to work. I wouldn’t be up yet if I didn’t.” He stood and went for the door just as Brax walked down the hallway. “Aw, my little baby brother.” Asher wrapped an arm around Brax, trying to get him into a headlock to give him a noogie. He was…a confusing guy, that’s for sure. One minute playful and clearly wanting a relationship with Brax, and the next he was up to no good.
“Don’t make me kick your ass,” Brax told him.
The two of them wrestled around for a minute before laughing and going their separate ways. Asher headed out, and Brax came into the kitchen.
“Look at you, cooking for your man. You’re so sweet.” He leaned in, licked my ear, then bit it.
“Who said I was making some for you?”
He teasingly fluttered his dark lashes.
“Umm, that shit doesn’t work with me. I barter for sexual favors.”
Brax laughed. “So fucking romantic.”
“You don’t want romance.”
“You have a point. I just want my idiot boyfriend.”
“Sexy idiot to you.”
But we did make the eggs together, then ate and washed the dishes side by side. It wasn’t something we liked to admit, but we were pretty fucking perfect together.
We showered, got dressed, then took my car to the San Diego airport. “I’m sorry I have to work tonight,” Brax said. He went to full-time at Shenanigans during the summer, while I was still part-timing—and not to brag, but I’d gotten to the point where I didn’t wear rubber gloves anymore when picking up dirty dishes.
Dad and I had come to an agreement. He was helping with school and I was accepting it, while also keeping my job. And, we were doing telehealth therapy together biweekly to work through our shit.
“It’s all right,” I told Brax. “The three of us will hang out later. Tonight Perry and I can do our own thing, or we can come to the bar and laugh at you while you work.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“That’s what boyfriends are for.” I waggled my brows. “And we gotta take him to meet Matilda on Sunday.” She was absolutely one of my favorite people, not just because of how awesome she was, but because of how completely she loved Brax.
“God, it’s so annoying how domestic we are. I don’t even recognize myself anymore.”
I glanced his way. “Are you complaining?”
He gave me a playfully cocky grin. “No.”
We got to the airport early and parked. The first time I met Perry, I didn’t want to just pull up and have my brother toss his shit in my ride. He still didn’t want anything to do with Dad, and I couldn’t blame him. And even though he didn’t fault me for anything, I still felt guilty. Hopefully with time that would get better.
I paced in front of baggage claim, nerves beating at my insides.
“Hey,” Brax said. He pulled me close, cupped my face, the familiar press of his lips moving against mine. “You’re good. It’ll be great. I got your back.”
“I know. You spent three years trying to get with me. I mean, that right there shows how much you want me.”
“What the fuck ever. It’s the other way around.”
“You were like… You’re so hot, Ty. I wanna bang you, Ty. Will you be my boyfriend forever and ever?”
“Wait, you’re hot?” a voice came from behind Brax. I looked over his shoulder, my heart suddenly slam-dancing against my chest. Standing right there, was my brother. He didn’t look like Dad and me. Perry had dark hair and brown eyes, but his smile was similar to my own. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt the lovefest the two of you had going on. Should I come back later?”
“Maybe like ten minutes or so?” I joked.
“I can get my luggage and come back.” Perry smiled.
I couldn’t say which one of us moved first, but the next thing I knew, we held each other in a tight hug.
“It’s good to meet you,” he said softly.
“Yeah, you too.”
When we parted, his gaze traveled to Brax, and he grinned. “Your boyfriend’s hot.” He’d seen Brax before, of course, in video calls and photos, but if it had been me, I would have said the same thing.
“I know, right?” I replied.
“Holy shit. There are two of you? I’m so fucked.” Brax shook his head, and I knew right then that everything was going to be okay.