Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
His expression crumbled into misery as he nodded. “Yeah. Maybe.”
I placed my hand, palm up, on the counter, and Trevor set his on top for me to hold. “If you leave, the place won’t be the same. Top Shelf will never recover from losing its best bottle service boy.” I meant it as a sincere compliment, not an ego boost, but a bit of Trevor’s typical spirited spark flared back to life in his eyes.
“Well, of course,” he said with a saucy wink. “No room is the same when I walk out, and I’ve worked at Top Shelf for years. I’m practically the mascot.”
That got me laughing and lightened the mood. Both of us had heavy things on our hearts —not bad things, but significant life changes have a reputation for being difficult, even when positive.
“Whatever you decide, I have your back a hundred percent, Trev, but I sure will miss the fuck outta you.”
He squeezed my hand, then blew out a long breath. Gratitude shone in his damp eyes. After blinking rapidly a few times, he let go of my hand and cleared his throat. “Okay, enough of all this serious bullshit. You need to tell me every surface you’ve fucked on in this bougie penthouse.”
As I was about to tell him to fuck off, the sound of the front door opening, followed by the whir of my mom’s wheelchair, reached the kitchen.
“Mama Nicole is home!” Trevor jumped up and ran out of the room. It’d been a few months since he’d seen her, and they’d always gotten along well—too well. They tended to spend their time together roasting me and laughing like besties.
“Trevor, my handsome boy,” she said. “How are you?”
I got up and followed the path he’d taken toward the front door.
He bent and placed a kiss on her cheek. “I’m great, but no one wants to hear about me. Tell me all about what it’s like living in this absolute palace,” he said, eyes glowing as he waved a hand around the foyer. Leave it to Trevor to have my mom charmed in seconds.
She beamed as she raved to him about how much she loved it and her new space. Her face glowed as they chatted. In the few days since we moved in, I noticed a lightness about her I hadn’t seen in years. Something about this penthouse injected her with a newfound happiness and excitement for life.
Was it merely a new location? After living in one home for over twenty-five years, was she thrilled to venture somewhere else? Perhaps it was the size of her room and bathroom or the building’s impressive ADA accommodations that allowed her easy access to every amenity they offered.
I’m sure a combination of factors led to her increased joy, but if I had to point to one factor, I’d say it was the absence of Kenny in her home.
Living with him caused her an immense amount of stress, and I suspected she’d been hiding it from me. Now that she didn’t have to live with the volatile unpredictability of his moods and actions, she was free to relax.
How did I miss the strain my brother caused her? Guilt gnawed at my insides but solidified the decision I’d been wrestling with. I needed to locate Kenny, sit with him, and discuss the plan for the house.
And that plan needed to be to put the house up for sale.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
RYDER
“Sweetie, this is way too much. I’d have been more than happy with a café or even fast food.” Nicole glanced around the ritzy restaurant I’d been to countless times with apprehension in her gaze.
“This is one of my favorite restaurants. I promise you’ll love it.”
She chuckled. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
My new mission in life was to take Alex’s mom to every great restaurant in Boston and beyond. She’d expressed her worry on more than one occasion about maneuvering her motorized wheelchair in public spaces, and I found that unacceptable. For what I paid to eat at these establishments, they could damn well make the proper accommodations for anyone who came through their door with enough money to afford their pretentious meals.
I inhaled the delicious aroma of buttery seafood as I turned toward her. “Come on, don’t you smell that? Isn’t your mouth watering? There’s no way you can resist. Their food is too amazing.”
The right side of her mouth quirked, and she shook her head at me. I’d helped her style her shoulder-length graying hair and pick out an outfit for today’s lunch date.
“Okay, fine, you got me. It does smell incredible. And I’m starving. I was so nervous for my appointment earlier that I couldn’t eat breakfast.”
I frowned. How had Alex and I missed that? “Aren’t you supposed to eat with your medications?”
She patted my hand. “I’m fine, Ryder. I’ve been taking care of myself for many years.” She chuckled and shook her head. “I swear, you’re almost as bad as Alex with the mother-hen routine.”