38. Stasi #2
“No dirty thoughts,” he whispers, leaning down to kiss my jaw. “It’s a practical gift.”
Opening the garage door, he flicks on the light and moves over to nudge one of my tires with a black combat boot.
“You got me new tires?” I ask incredulously.
He shrugs. “Didn’t think you’d accept a new car.”
I storm over to shove at his chest, but he doesn’t budge. “That’s too much and you know it!”
“Not for me.”
“Oh, yeah? You’re just rolling in cash, aren’t you?”
He steps against me, and I swallow, heat sparking beneath my skin. “Want me to pay off your student loans, too?”
“Don’t you dare .”
He chuckles, peering down at me with lust raging in his eyes. “Love it when you get all worked up.”
I huff out a breath. I’m finding it hard to cling to my anger with his hot, hard body pressed against me.
“You’re too tall,” I mutter.
“Mmm, you’re just short.”
“I’m above average height for a woman, thanks.” I reach up to twirl a lock of his inky hair around my finger. “Your hair is a distraction.”
“A sexy distraction. ”
I purse my lips, fighting back my own smile. Suddenly, he lifts me up into his arms and crushes his mouth to mine. We’re nothing more than heated kisses and desperate touches for a few perfect moments.
Liam drops me to my feet as the garage door swings open. Beau pops his head out. A knowing smile tugs at his mouth when he looks us over. “Ahem. We’re here for the show. The car show, that is.”
As Dave, Hail, and Z drift into the garage to admire Liam’s old cars, I sneak back into the house to find Max, the only person missing from the group.
I’m not sure why he showed up without his wife, but I don’t want him to feel like we’re trying to leave him out.
Sometimes I wonder if Max’s standoffish nature stems from feelings of being an outsider to me and Hail’s twin bond.
“Hey.” I sit down beside him on the couch where he’s bouncing Felicity on his knee, his dress shirt sleeves haphazardly pushed up.
He attempts a smile, but it comes across as more of a grimace. “Hey.”
“I’m really glad you came.”
He fiddles with the hem of Felicity’s dress. Sensing something wrong, I make grabby hands at her. Is he sleep deprived? Is it his demanding career working for our dad that’s wearing him down?
Max pushes out a long breath and hands her over. “Heather and I are getting a divorce.”
I freeze for a second, waiting for the punchline. Max isn’t the type to crack jokes, though. He’s as serious as our father.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“She’s…involved with someone else.” He holds firm to an expressionless mask. “I wasn’t aware I made her so unhappy, but…I do work a lot…”
His eyes drop to where Felicity’s playing with a dainty bracelet on my wrist. “I offered to cut back on hours, but Heather’s not interested in working through our problems. Or my lack of effort in our marriage is how she worded it.
I suppose we never really had chemistry.
Not like Hail and his…fiancé. Not like you and Beau. ”
“Oh, Max. That’s a lot for anyone to deal with.”
He runs a hand over his slacks, brushing away dog hair. He’s always been OCD when it comes to cleanliness. He would have had a heart-attack if he’d had to share a bathroom with me and Hail growing up. I’m not sure how he made it through years of football with close contact with man sweat and germs.
“I shouldn’t be offloading right now. Not the time or place,” Max says.
I frown. It’s weird picking up on the similarities between us. Max always appeared so put together—almost unbothered by whatever life threw at him—and yet it’s becoming clear he pushes aside and invalidates his feelings, too.
Felicity claps her hands together, and I have to bring her closer to kiss her cute little head.
“No matter what happens, you know I’m here for you,” I tell him.
His chin wobbles. “You shouldn’t be. I haven’t exactly been great to you or Hail. I don’t expect either of you to forgive me.”
“We were all under a lot of pressure growing up.”
He nods and clears his throat. “I just… I don’t think mom or dad will understand, you know?”
I wish I could laugh at the situation. If it wasn’t so fucking sad, I probably would. How long has he been hanging on to this secret, terrified of proving to our parents he’s mortal?
We’ve all failed to live up to our parent’s expectations in some form. And I’m going to be the biggest fuck up of all with my current situation.
Rage surges through me, fueled by the shame I still carry for failing to stick up for Hail all these years.
I don’t want to be that weak person anymore.
I have a damn voice and my own views on what’s right and wrong, and I’m bone-tired of us trying to cram ourselves into molds we were never meant to fit.
It’s not healthy, and it’s not sparking any fucking joy.
“Hold on,” I say, handing Felicity back to my brother.
I pull out my phone. My Hail moment has been building for a long time. As much as I should confront my parents in person, I don’t want to give them any more of my time or energy.
Of course, my call goes straight to my dad’s voicemail. He doesn’t want to admit he’s making a huge mistake. Doesn’t want to take ownership of his failures with his kids.
“Hey, this message is for you and mom,” I start.
“I just want you to know that all three of your children are having a wonderful Christmas without you. A shame you can’t pull your heads out of your asses enough to see what you’re missing.
Also, I’m in a relationship with two men.
Yeah, at the same time. I don’t plan on leaving either one of them, so save the lectures. I don’t care what you think anymore.”
When I hang up, Max’s eyes are practically bugging out of his head.
“There.” I toss my phone aside. “Now they’ll be too distracted by my bullshit and Hail’s ‘big gay wedding’ to care about your divorce.”
My heart is racing, but I’m filled with pride. I’m making choices to protect myself and my brothers. I only wish I’d had the chance to lay into Liam’s dad, too. Death wasn’t punishment enough for that horrible man.
I brace for some condescending remark about my life choices from Max, but what comes out instead shocks me.
“So…uh… is the other guy Liam, then? I thought…with the way you were crushing on him…”
I break into a smile. “He’s the other guy. ”
Max’s brows shoot up. His gaze sweeps to the hallway as Beau and Liam reappear from the garage, one wearing a dimpled grin and the other doing his best to hide his feelings.
“Okay then…”
Bless Max for doing his best to come up with a proper response. I have to appreciate his effort. I think it’s safe to say I’ve found common ground with my older brother through our supposed fuck ups. Guess that’s what happens when you get older and life steamrolls everything petty out of you.
“They make me happy, Max. You deserve to be happy, too.”
He frowns, glancing down as Felicity tugs at his silk tie. “She’s my top priority. But… maybe in the future…”
Liam and Beau drop onto the couch beside me as Hail and Z wander into the kitchen with Dave to pick at the desserts. Max is doing his best not to act weird as he makes small talk with Liam about business operations at the studio.
Their conversation gets cut off as Felicity crawls over my lap to grab the lock of hair that escaped Liam’s bun. Liam gives a low laugh. “Aren’t you a strong one?”
She curls her chubby, sticky hands in his dark shirt, pulling herself up to a wobbly stance on his thighs.
The moment she’s fully in his care, the most incredible smile forms on his face.
To threaten my heart even more, he starts talking to her in a soothing tone that has her captivated, me swooning, and Beau groaning.
“He can’t get anymore perfect, can he?” Beau complains.
Liam ignores him, too wrapped up in the baby eagerly vying for his attention .
Eventually, Max packs her up and excuses himself to prepare for her bedtime. Liam escorts Dave upstairs to show him where his room is as Z tidies up the kitchen.
Hail plops down onto the couch beside me. “Hey, sis. Getting pretty serious with you, Beau, and Liam, huh?”
Blood drains from my head. “Hail—”
“Save it. You guys couldn’t be more obvious with the way you’ve been looking at each other. But if Beau keeps drooling over my future husband, I may have to kick his ass.”
When I open my mouth to scold him, Hail cuts me off with a melodic laugh. “Kidding. The accent gets everyone. Claws away, yeah?”
I scrunch up my nose in disapproval.
“Honestly, I can’t think of two better men to love you.”
Heart swelling, I settle my head on his shoulder. “I agree.”
“You know, Beau’s got the talent to get back out there…”
“I feel like you’re about to tell me this isn’t sustainable.”
“Then I’d be a hypocrite. Dating a musician is hard. Dating two ?” He pauses for dramatic effect, and I blow out an annoyed breath. “As long as the three of you are willing to put in the effort, everything will work out.”
“You don’t think Liam will wake up one morning and change his mind?”
Hail nudges me with his shoulder. “You kidding? Liam’s never going to leave your side. Yeah, there may be times he needs a little space. Sometimes he ignores my calls for weeks. Just have patience with him as he works through his shit. He cares for you. He always has.”
I snake my arms around his waist and squeeze a grunt out of him.
“Scary strong.”
“Nothing wrong with that. ”
He pecks a kiss to the top of my head. “Strong on the inside, too.”
“Love you, big bro.”
“Love you, too, sis. Best Christmas ever.”
“I’d say we should make it a tradition, but with you and your damn touring, it’s probably not going to happen.”
He ruffles my hair. “Oh, we’ll make it happen. Long as you keep making gingerbread cookies.”
I smack his arm away but then settle against him again, content to soak up the evening with the people I love the most.