“And I wasn’t there.”
“Even if you had been, there’s nothing you could’ve done.She died in her sleep.Peaceful.The way we all wish to go, I think.”Surely he could draw some solace from that.Right?I didn’t know.
“There are so many things I wished I’d said.”
“She knew you loved her.I remember you telling me that you thanked her once for taking care of you.And you returned the favor over the years.”I could think of a dozen or more times he’d visited her house to help.She’d chosen an older home in an established neighborhood.Naturally, she constantly needed things done, and August’d always been willing to help.
“But I never told her about…” He pressed his hand to my belly.
My stomach dropped.Was that why he was here?Because with Nia dead, he could finally be with a man and not feel guilt?Had I even factored into the equation, or was I just the lucky guy he decided to use to lose his virginity?
His head snapped as he looked up at me.
I hadn’t said anything, but apparently my body language had done the talking for me.
“No.”His eyes widened.“It’s not like that.”He rotated and pressed up so our faces were nose to nose.His eyes were intense as he met my gaze.“I’ve wanted you for-fucking-ever.Was her death the impetus for me to find the courage to come here?Yes.I want to believe I would’ve found the courage.”He swallowed.Hard.“When Everett read the will…”
A tear slipped from his eye, and I wiped it away as it trailed down his cheek.
“She knew.Right in the will, she said she knew.She said she regretted that I’d never felt comfortable coming out, but that she hoped I’d one day find the courage.”He sniffled.“And she said she thought I didn’t come out because I was worried about her and about the business, and if she was gone—because why else would I be reading her will—then she was leaving me the means and permission to come out.”
I frowned.“What does that mean?”
He blinked.“Right.You probably want to know what her will stipulates.”
“If you want to share.”I cupped his cheek.“But it’s none of my business.You had a special relationship with your sister, and I have no claim over you.”
“Well, I might as well tell you.”He cleared his throat.“Remember that app I told you about last year?The one that blocks robocalls?”
I had some vague memory of him forcing me to install something on my phone.Well, forcing was too strong a word.Encouraging vociferously might be a better way to put it.“Sure.You said it was the best thing ever invented.I mean, I’m not getting any more spam calls, so I guess you’re right.I haven’t thought about it much.”
“Well, I didn’t know this, but Nia invented it.”
This time, I blinked.I’d known she was a computer programmer and… Nope, that was about all I knew.“So she invented this thing?”
He nodded.“And sold it.For over a billion dollars.”
Holy shit.I couldn’t fathom that kind of money.I mean, I’d heard about rich tech entrepreneurs, but I didn’t know anyone.I thought Nia just, I don’t know, fixed things or something.But creating something that was helpful to hundreds of millions, if not billions, of people around the world?My mind was appropriately blown.“She never told you.”
“No, she didn’t.”His eyes flashed with that hurt.“It’s not like I would’ve asked her for any of it or anything like that.”
“You’re not that kind of brother, and I’m sure Nia knew it.”
“Yeah.”He placed a hand over my heart.Was he even aware of the gesture?
“What did her will say?”I didn’t really have the right to know, but obviously this weighed on my friend.
“She left it all to me.I’m now a billionaire.”
The words made little sense.The August in my arms was the same man I’d always known.Okay, I hadn’t known he was gay—but the rest was just him.I didn’t see him any differently.“What’re you going to do?”
“Nia left a list of charities.She wants me to create a foundation and give grants each year.She’s even named a woman who can help me—Emma-Jane Ward—who has experience with these things.Nia left the final decision up to me, but she encouraged me to consider this.Apparently she had plans to do this, and had done some preliminary work.Everett gave me the password so I can access her files.”He met my gaze.“I don’t know if I want the responsibility.I just want to live my life the way I always have.I love trees.I love working with nature.”
“Then contact Ms.Ward and ask her to take over.I’m sure you can take on a figurehead role.Do what Nia wanted without changing who you are.”I pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his lips.“Because you’re perfect just the way you are.”
He eyed me.“Eight years was a long time to wait.”
I barked out a laugh.“If I’d known, I’d have jumped your bones years ago.But you needed to make peace, and now I think you’ve done it.Nia told you to be your authentic self.I say go for it.”
“And you’ll be by my side.”
My heart sang.“Count on it.”
He pressed our lips together.“I love you.I always have, and I always will.”
“Same goes.And just so you know, I loved you long before now.Trust me, I’m not in it for the money.”
We sealed our love with another kiss.
