I blew out a breath. “If you must know, Brewer and I hooked up. During the storm, the night before last. And that information stays in this room, do you hear?” I shot both my siblings a glare that said I meant it.
Tam nodded.
“Dude, I don’t share your business. Besides, who’m I gonna tell?” Lawson demanded.
I huffed out a breath. “I know, but it’s not justmybusiness. Brewer wants to maintain his professional reputation and doesn’t want the town to know he hooked up with a client. Especially since it was only a onetime thing. A bad idea. A… a complication.” This time, I was sure my unhappiness was audible.
“DidBrewersay that?” Tam’s chin jutted out mulishly, and her eyes narrowed. “Aboutyou?”
“Huh. Where’s this guy live again?” Lawson asked with deceptive calm. “And how big is he, exactly?”
I gave a half laugh. “Don’t eventhinkabout beating him up, Law.”
“Who said anything about beating him up?” Lawson blinked innocently. “I’m a pacifist, bruh. I just wanted to have a pleasant chat with him. That’s all.”
I shook my head. “Like you had achatwith Marc Broder after he checked me too hard during practice when we were twelve? You threatened to run over him with a Zamboni.”
“Hey. That was Tamsen,” Lawson insisted, pointing a finger at her.
This was unfortunately true.
“And when Martin Phillipowski called me a pansy-assed nerd and youchattedwith him, and the next day, he acted like he was too scared to speak in my presence? Was that Tam, too? Or when Dad got rid of Gretzky because I couldn’t handle my fear, and you all told me it was fine, even though I know you cried over it?” I shook my head. ”I’m not weak. I don’t require anyone’s protection or pity. I can take care of myself.”
“Who said you were weak?” Lawson scoffed. “And who pities you, Mr. I’m Flying To Costa Rica, Hold My Calls? Jesus, Laney. Us being protective doesn’t mean we think you’re incapable. It means we fucking love you.” He crumpled the empty chip bag. “Asshole.”
My shoulders loosened and fell. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Because I… I agree with Brewer. It was a… a one-night storm-induced moment of insanity. But he and I are very different people with wildly different lives. We have nothing in common.”
Except musicals.
And wine.
And jam-cupboard mysteries.
And firelight chats.
And sledgehammers.
And the new cabinets he’d begun designing, after getting my input on the sketches and the specific materials I wanted.
And the way he made me feel strong and competent and understood. Like Ifit.
“It’s simpler this way,” I said with finality. I continued bouncing Tierney, though the urge to walk had mostly faded.
Tam and Lawson both watched me for a long moment. Lawson’s look was mostly sympathetic, like he understood my feelings all too well.
Tam’s look was more calculating. “I’m sure you’re right,” she began.
“Oh, God.” I rolled my eyes. She didn’t sound sure at all.
“But hear me out. If youdidwant something to happen…”
“Tam. I don’t!”
“If youdid… Brewer won’t always be your contractor,” she pointed out. “Somaybeyou could find a way to let him know you’dmaybebe open to the possibility of a repeat, if he wasmaybeinterested. Then you could sort of… keep it casual and see where things go.”
I shot her a look. “Aren’t you the woman who forbade your siblings to use hookup apps within a ten-mile radius of Copper County so the gossips wouldn’t hound you for details? And now youwantme to hook up with Brewer?”
She shrugged. “What I want is for you to be happy, Delaney.” She motioned to Lawson. “That’s all either of us wants.”
