Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
“When you’re done eye-fucking your way into more trouble, think you can invite me in so we can talk?”
Both brothers jolted and spun around like they’d been electrocuted.
“Seth?” Connor’s face went pale. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Well, look what the California breeze blew in,” Jack drawled, his trademark smirk sliding into place. “You’re here to lecture us, right? That means Mom called, and you came running. Son-of-the-year recipient right here, folks…”
“Can the sarcasm. Someone has to be the adult in this situation.” Seth pushed past them into the apartment and immediately understood why they’d taken Gia to Grace’s house.
What a fucking disaster. Granted, he was a neat freak, but holy hell. Empty pizza boxes littered the card table that served as their dining room. Their couch looked as if it had survived more than a few frat parties and possibly a small war. The kitchenette consisted of a mini-fridge, a hot plate, and a sink full of dishes that might qualify as a biohazard. But hey, the TV was state-of-the-art, currently flashing a collection of photos of scantily clad bikini babes.
“Charming place,” Seth said dryly, settling into the only chair that didn’t look like it would stain his pants. But he sure as hell wouldn’t want to take a blacklight to it.
“It’s not that bad,” Connor mumbled, but his face said he knew better.
Seth snorted. “Sure. That’s why you took Gia to Mom’s instead of…impressing her with this palatial penthouse. Speaking of your girlfriend, is that who just left?”
“No.” Connor looked pissed. “After Mom started her fire-and-brimstone routine, Gia was done.”
“She wanted nothing to do with our ‘family drama,’” Jack added bitterly, making air quotes. “Having your boyfriends’ psycho mother scream about eternal damnation kinda kills the mood.”
Seth felt a stab of sympathy. He remembered being young and stupid, thinking physical chemistry equaled love. Laura Clarke and the summer he’d turned fifteen came to mind… “So the blonde I just saw wasn’t Gia?”
“No. That’s Hannah. Or Holly. Something with an H.” Jack shrugged like it didn’t matter, but Seth caught the slight tightness around his eyes. “Met her in Physics. I put her in my contacts as ‘Horny’. She’s… uncomplicated.”
Seth tried not to roll his eyes. “Were you two ever serious about Gia?”
Both brothers stared at him like he’d spoken in tongues.
“Define serious,” Jack shot back with a bit less bite than usual.
“Were you in love with her? Seeing a future? Ready to fight for her?”
Jack huffed. “Dude, we’re twenty-one. We’re supposed to be having fun, not planting white picket fences.”
“Besides,” Connor added, “if she couldn’t handle one bad episode with Mom, what kind of future would we have?”
There it is. The fundamental difference between his brothers’ casual approach and the love he’d found sharing Heavenly with Beck. When Grace inevitably lost her shit about their relationship, they wouldn’t run. They’d stand with him, their hands in his, and weather whatever came.
“You know why I’m here, right?” Seth braced his elbows on his knees and glared their way.
“To give us another lecture about responsibility and discretion?” Jack’s snark was back full force. “Save your breath. We heard your little ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ lecture the first time.”
“Not well enough, or I wouldn’t be trying to talk sense into you now.”
Connor gulped. “We thought you’d be too busy playing house with Beck and Heavenly to come.”
“You mean you hoped. But here I am…”
“Nobody’s making you stay,” Jack shot back.
“Don’t be a disrespectful shit. I can still put you down with one punch.” Seth studied his brothers’ faces—near replicas of his a decade ago, but filled with a wariness that hadn’t been there last summer. Beneath their defensive postures, he caught glimpses of the boys who used to climb into his bed during late-night thunderstorms.
Connor stomped to the fridge and snagged a couple of beers. “Want one?”
Seth shook his head. “No, thanks. Tell me precisely why you two rocket scientists decided to take Gia to Mom’s house?”
“She and Carl were supposed to be away all weekend,” Connor explained. “We wanted more room so we could spread out. At home, the TV is bigger, the beds are more comfortable, and the kitchen is prime.”
“Yeah, Mom always stocks the good food,” Jack added. “We figured we’d throw some steaks on the grill and make a weekend of it. No harm, no foul. Until Mom came home early.”
Seth stared at his brothers, seeing so much of his younger self in their cavalier attitudes. Before Autumn and Tristan. Before he’d learned that the universe could rip away everything he held dear in a single heartbeat.
“I’m here because Mom isn’t just upset. She’s threatening to disown you both.”
Seth’s announcement seemed to suck the air from the room. Connor, clutching his beer, actually staggered back. Jack closed his eyes and cursed.
“Seriously?” Connor demanded. “Would she really—”