“Yay! Can we watch Finding Nemo?”
I must have watched this movie a hundred times with him. He’s obsessed with anything related to ocean life. I guess living in Florida and being raised on the water has a lot to do with it. “Aren’t you tired of that movie yet?”
“No way.” I laugh at his cute, serious face.
“Okay, Nemo, it is.”
I carryhim up to his bed and tuck him in under the covers. After the first movie, he talked me into watching part two, and he fell asleep halfway through. Bending down, I kiss him on his forehead and run my hand through his silky hair before turning on his nightlight and walking back out into the living room.
I glance at the clock and see it’s only ten. Thoughts go to Sophia and if she’s out doing something tonight. It’s a Friday night, so she’s probably out with friends or on a date. The thought of her on a date sends jealous streaks throughout my body. Just the idea of her being touched by someone else makes me want to kill the guy.
I pour a double bourbon and take it out back by the pool. Turning on the lights I strung across our pool, I sit down on the pool lounger and call the one person who’s more afraid of giving his heart away again than me. I put my phone on speaker and set it down on the table in front of me as it begins to ring.
He answers on the second ring just like I knew he would. He goes out less than me. “Hey, Trav.” Ryder’s voice fills my ear, and I can’t help but smile. He’s technically my cousin, but when Ryder’s parents died when he was three, my mom didn’t hesitate to take her sister’s only child in. He’s my brother in every sense of the word, as much as Jake and Miles are.
“I had a feeling you would be home. Don’t you ever go out?”
“You know I rarely do. I worked late tonight and just got home. Back at it early tomorrow morning. Jake and Miles are out, though.”
Ryder owns an automotive shop. He restores and modifies exotics and supercars, so it’s no wonder Max is obsessed with his Hot Wheels. He’s been bringing him to work when Max visits and showing him all the cars he’s working on.
“You work too much. Are you coming down next weekend to watch Miles play?”
“Of course. I’ll be there to support him, plus it gives me a chance to hang out with Max. What night are you going?”
“Saturday night. Thursday is a school night, and he’ll be exhausted Friday night from getting up early.”
“I’ll let Jake know, and we can drive down on Saturday.”
“Max is going to be heaven with all his uncles and the band here,” I laugh.
“How’s he doing? Is school going well? Does he like his teacher?”
“Maybe a little too much,” I sigh. I tell him what happened, and after the shock and laughter die down, he goes silent on the other end of the phone as he takes it all in.
“What are you going to do?” He asks me softly.
“I was kind of hoping you would tell me. You know more than anyone how it feels to get close to someone and then have them leave.”
“Yeah, I do. Your situation is a little different, though. Addy wasn’t the one for you, but this girl could be. I lost the one for me, and there won’t be another.”
“It’s been two years, Ryder,” I say softly. “She’s not coming back. Maybe it’s time you forget about her and see if someone else is out…”
“There’s not,” he says, cutting me off without hesitation. “And you’re one to talk. It’s been five years for you, and I don’t see you putting your heart out there for anyone else.”
I lean forward with my hands on my knees and roughly run my hands through my hair. “I want to,” I admit softly. “Addy really fucked with my head. I don’t trust myself not to make the same mistake again. It doesn’t help matters that Max is already attached. The more time that goes by it’s going to be harder on him if it doesn’t work out.”
“You would be surprised what kids can go through and still be okay. They’re more resilient than you know.” I know he’s speaking about himself and what he went through. He was only three, but he was old enough to understand that his parents weren’t coming back. I remember him waking me up from nightmares when he was little, and I would let him crawl in bed with me. I was only nine at the time, but I felt the needto protect him the moment Mom said he was going to be one of our brothers now. “Max is going to be fine either way. It’s okay to put yourself first every once in a while. Max would want you to be happy, and if this girl makes you happy, then you need to try.”
“Easier said than done,” I say quietly.
“I know, brother,” he sighs. “I know.”
Chapter Eleven
Sophia
“You caught one!”I grin at Max excitedly as he reels in his fish. His cute little tongue is sticking out as he concentrates. I grab the end of the line when the fish gets close and lift up the little fish to show him.
