I ignored my brother’s snort as he snagged the beer from Dan and walked on past us.
A deep exhale escaped my lungs as I stepped forwards and pulled him into my arms. I wrapped myself around him, holding him tight. The feel of his large limbs, strong and firm, wrapped around my own frame made my heart sing.
“Good to see you too, mate. About time you made the move back to civilisation.” My grin remained wide when I eased away, his snort making me chuckle.
“Civilisation, huh?”
“Yep. You better believe it. You know, a Subway opened in town, and Bunnings got an extension. Civilisation at its best.”
Dan’s laugh washed over me like a familiar hug, the sensation warming me, much like the log fire already built in my sitting room did.
“Come on.” I gripped his arms, giving a happy squeeze. “Let’s go and grab one of those beers.”
He followed me inside, where we located my brother in the kitchen. Three beer bottles were already open, and Craig hovered next to the slow cooker, spoon in hand. “Oi, hands off the stew.”
Craig whipped his head in my direction, quirking his brow at me. “I’m using a spoon, not my fingers.”
“I don’t care if you use a gold ladle, just back off, else I’ll serve you the dregs.”
“Maybe we should do that anyway,” Dan said as he picked up his beer. “Gives us first dibs and overfilled bowls.”
“Bloody hell. And so it begins. You two together are a pain in my arse.” My brother rolled his eyes at the pair of us. “Making it clear now, you two are not ganging up on me.”
“What?” Mock innocence coloured my words. It was true though. Even though they were best mates, they’d always included me when we were kids and during every visit since then. Dan also had my back growing up, often picking my side even when I didn’t deserve it, as I was a pain in my brother’s arse.
I appreciated it, nonetheless.
“No idea what you’re talking about, mate.” Dan took a seat, his gaze roaming the kitchen. “We need to fix this room up.” He cast a look at me.
I snorted. “Maybe… perhaps settle into your place and your new job first, and then I’ll put you to work.”
Dan bobbed his head, though the smirk indicated he’d be looking at fitting out the kitchen as soon as he wanted to. He could be a pushy bugger at times, but always with the best of intentions.
Over the next couple of hours, we ate and chatted about Dan settling back in, Craig’s recent promotion at work and how things were going with his love life, and the diversity initiative I spearheaded at work. The whole time I appreciated how lucky I was to be so close to my brother, and while my feelings for Dan were far more than friendship, I classed him as a good friend. Even after all these years.
That was obvious as each minute passed by.
“Do you remember Mr Whittaker?” Dan asked when we’d fallen into talking about high school.
“You know, he only left Mitchell Oak two years before I started work there.” This was my seventh year working at the same school that I’d attended as a teenager, but as school librarian rather than teacher.
“No shit?” Dan chuckled. “Bloody hell, he was ancient when we were at school. How’d he manage a few more years after that?”
“Right. He didn’t retire till he was in his early seventies, I think. No idea how he lasted that long.” I started clearing up our empty ice-cream bowls and stacked them in the dishwasher.
“And Mrs Bramble. You remember when she did that science experiment in assembly and it went wrong, blowing up?” Craig said, putting away the placemats. “Those dicks… what were their names from the year below us, who caused a stink, made it a nightmare for her?”
I lost my smile, immediately knowing who he was talking about. Every time I thought about my time at school, specifically after I’d come out, unpleasant memories slammed into me. It had taken many counselling sessions when I was at uni to help me let that time go.
The experience, though, had left its mark.
Neither Craig nor Dan knew the half of it.
Over ten years had passed since my year from hell—the year after my brother graduated school. The year that the group he was referring to refused to simply let me be.
I kept my mouth shut as they spoke, not needing to get involved with this blast of memories.
“Shit, what were their names?” Dan said like an annoying dog with a bone. “Jamie? But there was also that other kid who was a shit-stirrer.”
