“In bedasleep.”
Like the slow flicker of a movie reel through a camera, I remember what happened earlier. The scene on the porch. The look on Mila’s face as she watched me argue with her mother. Tori’s imploring expression when I sent her away. All the arguing. “Fuck.”
“Fuck is right, asshole. What happened here?” He points to the half-empty wineglasses.
The mess in front of me looks like something I need to clean up, but that can’t be what has his panties in atwist.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” His glare, the kind reserved for men who beat their wives and other scum of the earth, prickles my skin. “I tried to talk Allison off theledge.”
“With wine?” He paces in front of me. “Andcandles?”
What the fuck is he talking about? “Christ, it’s not what you think. I asked her what she wanted to drink, and she helped herself to shit in the kitchen. It’s her wine. She bought it and left it here. What’s weird about it? And those candles were there before.” Weren’t they? It’s not like we litthem.
“Wow, and everyone thinks you’re the smart one,” he mutters. Crossing his arms, he leans back against thefireplace.
“What are we even talking about right now? You’re mad because I let Allison drink her ownwine?”
“No, asshole. I’m not. I could care less if Allison drank every fucking bottle in the house, but did you bother to consider how this”—he swirls a finger at the stemware on the coffee table—“might appear to your current girlfriend? The one who looked like someone’d kicked her puppy when I found her comforting your children at thediner?”
My gut reaction is to scoff. Surely Tori knows my heart by now. That I would never hurt her or cheat on her. Much less with my ex. That’s a one-way trip to the loony bin. I’ve never cheated on anyone and don’t plan to tarnish that track record. Only lowlifes cheat on theirwomen.
But judging by the seriousness in Logan’s tone—and, let’s face it, my brother is rarely serious except when he’s about to level me with something I genuinely need to know—I shouldn’t dismiss hisconcerns.
“Are Mila and Cody okay?” I rasp, finding it hard to say the words with the giant knot in my throat. I want to ask about Tori too, but one thing at atime.
“I think so. Mila looked a little worse for wear, but she knocked out as soon as we got home. Cody fell asleep in Tori’s arms at the restaurant.” The flare of his nostrils tells me what he’s gonna say before he says it. “You shoulda been the one to go to thediner.”
Nodding, I close my eyes.I know.For my kids. ForTori.
“Did Tori say something?” A whole host of things come to mind, most of which I probably deserve for not taking her feelings into consideration before shoving my keys in her face and making her take thekids.
“Nope. Not a word. Just…silence.”
Damn. That’s not good. Tori’s not one to hide herfeelings.
Logan lifts his brow. “I wasn’t the one she wanted to see tonight. Shoulda beenyou.”
The more he says that, the more frustrated Igrow.
He sits next to me, the weight of everything suddenly suffocating. Doesn’t he know I’m doing my best? The divorce, the bills, children who need love and attention constantly, Allison’s demands, the horses in my stable, my employees. It feels like I’m juggling fifty balls at once and about to drop the one thing that makes them all collapse to theground.
I don’t know what to say except to start at the beginning where all thisstarted.
Resting my elbows on my knees, I run my hands through my hair, feeling more exhausted than before I fell asleep. “Allison was dropping off the kids. She brought up Cody’s birthday and how she wanted to bring her parents and some friends to theparty.”
“How did she know about it?” He rubs hischin.
“My guess is Mila spilled thebeans.”
He laughs. “Thatkid.”
We’ve done this before. Back when Dad died. I sat in this here spot and poured my heart out to my brother, who was only a teenager at the time. Told him my girlfriend was pregnant, and I didn’t know which way was up or down. Wasn’t sure what I shoulddo.
The house was a lot smaller then. Logan’s the one who suggested adding on the extra rooms, so Mom could stay here and help with the baby when she arrived, which would’ve been great except Allison never did get along with mymother.
He sinks back into the couch and kicks one ankle over the other. “So Allison decided to invite herself? Did she even give a shit about the kids’ birthdays lastyear?”
I shake my head, but he already knows that answer. “We were disagreeing, but it wasn’t contentious. Well, until…” I don’t want to sayit.
