Chapter 37
I was numb. I got home right at sunset. I saw someone sitting out on the pontoon. Heaving a great sigh, I walked toward the dock.
“I don’t know if I can do this right now,” I said. My brother, Joe, turned and waved.
“Head in and take a shower,” Eric said as he came out of the house with two beers in hand. “I was just about to fill him in. You want me to ask him to leave?”
“He can do what he wants,” I said. “I just don’t have the energy for another round.”
“He’ll be kissing your feet, Cass,” Eric said.
“He’ll want an apology,” I said. “He wants to say I told you so.”
I kissed Eric and headed upstairs. Despite my empty stomach, I wasn’t sure I’d make it back down after I washed the day away.
I don’t know how long I was in there. The hot water sluicing down my back was a catharsis.
I was happy for Katy. But I was sad for her, too.
She’d told me the truth. Maybe she still did love Tom.
Maybe they would have worked it out. But I also knew she still loved my brother.
As much as I used to care about her, theirs was a toxic relationship.
Given the chance, they would destroy each other.
Joe was still out there when I got out of the shower and toweled off. I slipped into a comfortable tank top and shorts. The window was open. Sound carried on the lake. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. But I could hear every word Joe and Eric said.
“She wants me to apologize,” Joe said.
“Don’t you think you should?”
“Not for protecting Emma. She knows I’d do it again.”
“The thing is,” Eric said. “I respect that. I do. Because you are Emma’s protector. Until the day you die. I love that kid with all my heart, too. I’m glad she has you in the world. Because I know you’ll always make sure she’s safe.”
He was quiet for a moment. I couldn’t see my brother’s expression. He leaned away from Eric. “But …?”
“But,” Eric continued. “You need to know that I’m that person for your sister.
I know you love her. I know you’d do anything for her.
Hell, I know you’d kill me if I ever hurt her.
I love her, Joe. It’s more than that though.
You were willing to burn everything to the ground to do what you thought was right for Emma.
As you should. I’ll do the same for Cass.
What you did could have ruined her. I know you know that.
I also know you were willing to have her pay that price because you thought it was for Emma. ”
“It was for Emma.”
“Let me finish,” Eric said. “I’m telling you that’s who Cass is to me. The person I’ll burn everything to the ground for. Every one. Including you.”
God, I loved them both. Their thick-headed, stubborn alpha male selves who thought I was out here needing their protection when most of the time it was the other way around.
“Let’s hope you never need to,” Joe said. “Because I am sorry for what this almost did to Cass.”
“Good,” Eric said. “So tell her. Quit being so stubborn and tell your sister you were wrong even if you don’t believe it.”
I closed the bedroom window. Later. I knew Joe would probably spend the night. In the morning, I’d get up early and make them both breakfast. Things would be difficult between us for a while. Until they weren’t.
Because this was my family. We were the best parts of each other and sometimes the worst.
Slowly, I walked downstairs and out the double doors toward the lake. Eric and Joe were still deep in conversation at the end of the dock. When Joe saw me, he stiffened. Eric patted him on the shoulder. Joe and I walked toward each other. We met halfway just as I was about to step onto the dock.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was wrong.”
“Yeah. You were. But I knew better, too. I shouldn’t have let myself get involved. I should have told you no the moment you asked me to help Katy.”
His face fell. “No. You shouldn’t have. Cass, I was wrong for lying to you. For lying to the cops. I wasn’t wrong about forcing you into this. You are the only person who could have done that for Katy. I know in my soul she’d have been convicted today without you fighting for her.”
“You don’t think you’re wrong. You’re only saying that because you think you’re supposed to.
Because you think it’ll make everything okay and I’ll stop being mad at you,” I said.
“Honestly? I don’t even think you’re sorry.
Because you did everything you set out to do.
You kept Sharon from finding out what Emma did.
And you got me to help Katy. But Joe, you’ve done a lot of damage too. You used me.”
He dropped his head and clenched his fists. I could see the anger rising in him. But he took a breath. Slowly, he lifted his head and met my eyes. “Yes. I did.”
“And you’d do it again,” I said.
He looked skyward for a moment, then met my eyes. “Are you any different?”
I took a breath, fully intending to tell him yes. That I was different. Except we both knew I wasn’t. That I, too, would fight as dirty as I had to if it meant protecting someone I loved. Because I might have. If I had found out Joe had been the one who killed Tom, would I have kept that secret?
I looked down the dock. Eric had his back to us, watching the last remaining bits of sunset gold slip beneath the trees. I knew I kept a thousand secrets to protect the people I loved. Including Eric. But that was a story for another day.
I looked back at my brother. “No,” I said. “I’m no different. I can admit that. But you have to promise me. We work together. Always. Not against each other. And you never talk to the police without me again.”
He smiled. “I’m not exactly planning to have a reason to talk to the cops again. Now Vangie?”
I shook a fist at him. “Don’t jinx us.”
Joe put his hands on my shoulder. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “I love you. You’re right. I won’t admit I was wrong. But I do admit I should have trusted you. I’m sorry things went so sideways.”
“Me too,” I said, stepping into his embrace. “I love you, you idiot. You’re all going to be the death of me.”
Joe laughed. “You’re too stubborn to die. But you’re also the best. Come on. I could use a beer. You could use some wine.”
With his arm around me, we walked back up to the house. Joe got a strange smirk on his face as he held the door open for me.
“What?” I said, already regretting that I had asked.
“I wanted you to be the first to know. Katy and I are getting remarried. She wants you to be her maid of honor.”
I froze in my literal tracks. Then his smirk came back. “Too soon?”
“Jokes,” I said, looking for a weapon. “You’re telling me jokes now.
” There was nothing at hand to throw at him.
I settled for a green pool noodle leaning against the porch chair.
Joe was strong, but I had quicker reflexes.
Before he could get his hands up to defend himself, I beat him mercilessly with the foam noodle, driving him backward, tripping over his feet as he stumbled into my house.