29. Reese
Reese
Tilikum didn’t have a store that carried formal menswear, but the neighboring town of Echo Creek did, and I was on my way to meet Theo and Luke there. Heading down the highway, I had a strange feeling in my gut. I was unsettled, and I couldn’t put my finger on why.
Maybe it was the other thing I’d done that morning.
The rings weren’t fancy. A gold band for me and a simple diamond for Summer. I’d considered something cheap—fake gold for a fake marriage—but in the end, I’d opted for the real thing. With the two boxes tucked in the center console of my SUV, now I wasn’t so sure. Had I done the right thing?
It was that jerk’s fault—the guy at the bar. Hitting on my wife. Who wasn’t my wife. But she wasn’t available, either, right? That was part of the deal, wasn’t it? If we were pretending to be married, we couldn’t see other people.
Not that Summer would have been interested in that guy. He’d barely looked old enough to be in a bar. She didn’t need some cocky man-child. She needed a partner—solid, steadfast, loyal.
The jeweler had said I could return the rings. Maybe I’d take them back.
It was the damn wedding throwing me for a loop. Why did Theo want me to be a groomsman? Being his brother didn’t automatically qualify me for the spot. Didn’t mean I deserved to stand up with him on the most important day of his life. I hadn’t done anything to earn that.
I’d spent so many years believing I’d burned down all the bridges. Coming back and finding them intact didn’t make any sense. I still didn’t know how to handle it.
The store was on a side street, with mannequins dressed in suits displayed in the window. I found parking, grabbed my phone, and went inside.
Theo and Luke were already there, chatting with the salesman. I took off my sunglasses and tipped my chin to them.
The salesman’s mouth opened as he looked me up and down.
“Told you he was big,” Luke said. “Good luck with that.”
“Do you have anything that will fit him?” Theo asked.
“Hmm.” The salesman’s expression shifted from surprise to determination. “I’m sure we can make something work. Give me a few minutes.”
I glanced down at myself. “Why does everyone look at me like I’m a freak of nature? I’m not that big.”
“You’re the size of a barn,” Luke said.
Theo tilted his head. “Yeah, you could’ve played football.”
“I sucked at football.”
“No you didn’t,” Theo said. “You weren’t big like you are now, but you didn’t suck.”
“I was uncoordinated and slow,” I said. “I wasn’t any good at sports. Not like you guys.”
“Is that why you did this?” Luke gestured up and down. “Put on all the muscle?”
“Because I was bad at sports when we were kids?” I asked.
“Nah, I bet it was deeper than that,” Theo said. “More like changing the way he looks physically in an attempt to become a different person.”
Nodding slowly, Luke rubbed his chin. “Makes sense. Leave the old Reese Haven behind. Be someone new and unrecognizable.”
I glowered at both of them. “Are we here to psychoanalyze me or find a suit?”
“Why not both?” Theo asked with a subtle smirk.
“How are we not supposed to try to figure you out?” Luke asked.
“All right, gentleman.” The salesman returned and gestured to the back of the store. “I have a fitting room ready for you.”
Grateful for the interruption, I followed him back. Theo and Luke waited nearby while I started trying on suits.
The first was so small, I couldn’t get my arms in the jacket, and the pants wouldn’t fit over my thighs. The second fit better, through the shoulders at least, but the rest was huge. I stepped out to show the salesman, and he agreed no amount of alterations would make it work.
After trying on a few more options, I was starting to wonder if I should get Gunnar to make a trip to my house and ship my suit to me. It never would have occurred to me to bring it. Why would I need a suit in Tilikum?
Finally, we found one. It didn’t fit off the rack, but it was close enough their tailor could make the necessary alterations in time for the wedding.
Luke suggested we grab lunch before heading back to town. Nate was still at Annika’s house, and Summer was shopping for a bridesmaid dress, so I agreed. We found a place around the corner, were seated at a table by the window, and the server came and took our orders.
We chatted a bit about a car Luke was restoring and how the upcoming football camps were looking for Theo. Right as the server set our plates in front of us, my phone buzzed with a text. Luke pulled out his phone, and Theo did the same.
“Must be in the group chat,” Luke said.
He was right. Zachary had texted a picture of his daughter with purple streaks all over her face.
Zachary: Do you guys know how to get Sharpie off a one-year-old?
Luke chuckled. “Marigold is gonna be pissed.”
“Tell him hand sanitizer,” I said.
“What?” Luke and Theo asked simultaneously.
“Hand sanitizer. It’ll get off most of the ink. Rubbing alcohol works, too, but that’s probably kind of harsh for a baby.”
“How do you know that?” Luke asked.
“When I was about nine, I drew all over my arms, trying to make it look like I had tattoos. It wasn’t until I tried to wash it off that I realized I couldn’t get rid of it with soap and water. I ended up admitting it to Mom. She helped me get it off.”
Our phones buzzed again.
Garrett: Hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
“Well, there you go.” Luke set his phone down. “Of course Garrett would know.”
“Are you sure you’re not actually a dad?” Theo asked, smirking at me again.
I shot him a glare.
“You do have a dad quality,” Luke said. “Not a dad-joke kind of dad. More like a tear-your-arms-off-if-you-mess-with-my-kid kind.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Good thing, mostly,” Luke said.
“If Nate plays sports, just don’t be the asshole dad,” Theo said. “Let the coaches do their job, and remember they’re only kids.”
“I’m not actually his dad,” I said. “You guys get that, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Theo said, but his tone dripped with skepticism.
“Right. And you don’t have a thing for his mom, either,” Luke said.
My back stiffened. “I don’t have a thing for his mom.”
Luke and Theo exchanged a look.
“Sure you don’t,” Theo said.
“Yeah, we can all tell it’s totally fake,” Luke added. “Like the way you were fake glaring at those guys at the bar.”
“And the way you were fake checking out her ass when she got up to use the restroom,” Theo said.
“I wasn’t checking out her ass,” I said. That was a lie. I’d absolutely checked it out.
“It’s like we all go through this,” Luke said, shaking his head at Theo. “Why do we do that? Is it a Haven thing, or just a guy thing?”
“Go through what?” I asked.
“Denial,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s a Haven thing or what, but I was a straight-up idiot for a while,” Theo admitted.
“Me too,” Luke agreed. “How long do you think it’ll take him to figure it out?”
Theo narrowed his eyes at me. “I bet he doesn’t leave town.”
“You think?” Luke rubbed his chin again. “I’ll take that bet.”
“Twenty bucks?” Theo asked.
“Yeah. I kind of think you’re right, but I’ll bet against him anyway. Someone has to.”
“Wait, what are you betting on, exactly?” I asked.
Theo rolled his eyes, like I’d asked a stupid question. “When you’re going to figure out that you’re in love with Summer.”
“He’s saying you’ll figure it out soon and you won’t leave town again.” Luke jerked his thumb at Theo. “And I’m saying you will leave. Although I still think you’ll figure it out and come home. Pro tip: Don’t do my version. She might not take you back.”
“You should listen to him,” Theo said. “I think he’s right.”
Luke elbowed him. “Don’t try to influence the bet.”
“Sorry.”
“You made the bet right in front of me,” I said.
Luke ignored me and picked up his phone. “I should see if the others want in.”
I shook my head. Sometimes my brothers were such idiots.
But so was I, so who was I to talk?
We finished our lunches, and I ignored the buzzing of my phone as my brothers discussed their bet in the group chat.
Whether or not they kept each other to it, and money exchanged hands, I knew it was basically a joke—we’d bet on things all the time growing up, back when the prize had usually been a candy bar instead of cash.
After paying the bill, we got up and left. On the way to my SUV, I checked my phone to make sure none of the messages were from Summer, but it was just my brothers placing their bets. I replied to remind them they were doing it right in front of me, although I knew they didn’t care.
As I got in and turned on the engine, my phone buzzed again. This time it was a call, and since it was Summer, I answered.
“Hey,” I said. “Did you find a dress?”
“I just saw him.”
Like the flip of a switch, I was instantly in security mode. Without hesitating, I pulled onto the road. “Where?”
“Outside the boutique. About two blocks down and across the street. There’s people all over walking around. He disappeared behind them, and I don’t see where he went. But I swear it was him. He’s here.”
“Don’t panic,” I said. “Where are you now?”
“In my car. What do I do?”
“Drive to the sheriff’s office in case he’s watching you. I’ll meet you there.”
“What about Nate?”
“I’ll call my sister and tell her to lock the doors and stay inside. We’ll get him together.”
“How did he find us?” Her voice was tinged with fear.
“I don’t know, and it doesn’t really matter. We’ll handle this one step at a time. Go straight to the sheriff’s office and don’t worry if you’re followed. The asshole won’t want to tangle with law enforcement.”
“I’m heading there now.”
“Good. It’s going to be all right. I won’t let anything happen to either of you. I promise.”
“Okay. Hurry.”
I ended the call, anger seething in the background, but I kept it at bay. I needed focus, not rage.
But there was no way that asshole was touching them.