I swallowed hard at his obvious love for my dad and the way I’d behaved toward him about their relationship. Guilt pricked at my consciousness. Much of the tension between us had eased, especially after he started minding Ivy, but I had to make things right between us.
“Oz… I owe you an apology.”
His eyes flew open wide, startled. “You do not.”
“I do. For the way I treated you before. It was hard to accept your relationship. I felt obligated as Car’s brother to stand up for him, but I’ve seen the way you care for my dad. Things might not have started in the best way, but you make him happy. You’re good to him, and he deserves that.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “Matty… thanks for apologizing, but it’s all in the past.”
“It wasn’t that long ago.” I rubbed at the space between my brows. “I have a habit of lashing out at the people who I believe crossed me, and you got the full brunt of that. You and Hudson both. I know I can be a bit intense, but that’s no excuse for some of the things I said to you.”
“All water under the bridge. I’m glad you and Hudson worked things out, and Ivy’s the sweetest ever.”
“She is. Isn’t she?” I grinned. “Thanks for not holding things against me.”
“Never. It’s not like you have to call me stepdad or anything.”
I scowled, and Ozzie laughed, walking away. “See you in the morning, Matty.”
“In your dreams,” I muttered under my breath and took the stairs.
I headed into the kitchen, grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge, and twisted the cap off. My throat was dry, but more than that, I needed the quiet. Out back, the night waited, broad and hushed.
The screen door squeaked as I pushed it open. The air was cool, sweet with hay and dust and the faint scent of horses. I crossed the porch and stepped out onto the yard, heading for the swing Dad had installed for Ivy. It creaked when I lowered myself onto it, chains groaning as I set myself into a slow sway.
I smiled faintly, taking a sip of water. Ivy’d sworn never to touch the swing again, but I’d bet my last dollar that by the time her arm healed, she’d forget that vow and come running back to it. That was the thing about kids. They broke, they mended, and they forgave faster than adults ever could.
The night stretched around me, peaceful in its simplicity. The cattle mooed in the distance, an owl hooted from somewhere near the barn, and fireflies blinked lazily along the fence line. For the first time all day, my chest eased.
Then my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I frowned, pulling it free. The name on the screen hit me like a kick: Carter.
For a second, I stared. He hadn’t answered my calls in weeks. I could ignore him right back, punish him, but I couldn’t. Despite everything, he was my older brother. I swiped to answer. “Car, what’s up?”
There was silence for a second or two, then a sharp breath. “I wasn’t sure if you would pick up.” His voice wasrougher than I remembered, older, wearier. Considering he’d just been given millions of dollars of the Magnuson wealth, I expected him to be chipper.
“I—” My throat closed for a second. “Yeah. Always will for you. We’re always gonna be brothers, right?”
“Mom called me.”
She’d called me earlier too and had been hysterical on the phone. Dad had apparently informed her of what had happened to me when I was fourteen. I’d ended up consoling her more than the other way around.
“You answered? She’s been calling you for weeks.”
“She told you that?”
“Yes.”
“Well, she left me a voice mail about what happened, so I called her back.” His words tumbled out, fast and uneven, like they’d been bottled up too long. “You okay, man?”
A lump rose in my throat so fast I had to swallow hard before I could speak. “Yeah, I’m good. Was a long time ago.”
“Still…why didn’t you tell me?”
“I…I don’t know. Maybe a part of me was ashamed that it was happening.”
I’d always been careful about sneaking out to meet Grant, looking for something but ending up feeling empty and horrible after. Each time it happened, he would remind me no one could find out.
