Page 76 of Messing With My Brother's Best Friends

I snorted, a dismissive reply on my lips, ready to be uttered before I stopped myself.

“I’m OK, Alan, honest.”

“Well, if they start shit with you, let me know.”

His low growl had me grinning. Alan kept himself fit, but there’s a different kind of strength that comes from working for a living all day. I knew Alan was a good boxer, but if he shaped up to the guys…? He noted my rising eyebrow. “I might not be the guy who makes people disappear, but working in finance, you always end up coming across the people that do, if you catch my drift?”

“Hidden depths, Alan. Hidden depths.” I twisted the car keys on my finger and then remembered who they belonged to. “But I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. I’ve known these guys since I was a kid, so there’s been girls, so many girls…” I sucked in a breath. “They’ll move on from this just like they have everything else.”

I told myself that, over and over, as I drove back home. But my manifesting fell to pieces the moment I opened the front door. The aroma of lamb, thyme, and garlic, flavoured with a bit of Worcestershire sauce, hit me as soon as I stepped inside, taking me back years. Mum always made shepherd’s pie for me on my birthday because it was my favourite, and it was the only way she could get Finn to shut up about there being pumpkin in it. On my birthday, even Dad forced him to shut up and eat it as my brother shot me dark looks across the table. I hadn’t had it since I left home, so the smell had me pausing on the doorstep, just breathing it in. Then I was walking forward, down a darkened hall, and into the living area where someone had set up dinner.

The room was dark as well, so it was only the ambient light pooling in through the big sliding doors that illuminated the basket filled with fresh bread rolls, the yeasty scent all too familiar. The shepherd’s pie, complete with lightly browned melted cheese on top, sat in the centre of the table, waiting to be eaten.

They’d made it for me.

Not just my favourite food, but Mum’s recipe, I could just tell. The aroma was exactly the same, even if muted now since the food was cold. I felt a pang as I stepped closer, then another, seeing the cutlery and plates set out on the table. Four place settings. My fingers flexed, wanting to snatch one away, shove the plate in the cupboard, but before I could get close, he arrived.

“You’re home.” Van was trying to keep his tone light, his smile there, but it faded too quickly. “We made you dinner, but—”

“Barbie came to work and wanted me to come around to talk. I left her at a bar the other night because I was with you guys when I was supposed to catch up with her.”

He nodded slowly.

“And now you were with her, when we thought you’d be home with us.” I bristled at his tone, stepping closer, ready to tell him that I didn’t owe anyone anything, when he grabbed my wrist. “Where’s your phone?”

“Here, but…” He held up the screen so face ID would unlock it, then went into my notification settings. “What’re you doing? Van, what’re you—?”

“You don’t owe it to us to come home. You don’t owe us an explanation of where you go and what you do, but…” He held up my phone. “Texting us back so we don’t freak the fuck out would be very nice.” His lips curved just a little. “We had to talk Connor down from calling the cops and lodging a missing person’s report.”

“Don’t you have to wait twenty-four hours?” I squeaked.

“That’s a myth. Kendall…” My phone was pressed back between my limp fingers and as I gripped it, his hands went to my jaw right before his forehead pressed against mine. “I know this is moving really fucking fast, but for us it feels like it’s been moving way too slow. We’ve been waiting for you for nearly ten years, babe. You’re just gonna need to be a little patient with us.”

I did? I was ready to be angry, to jerk myself away with a hiss, but his words disarmed me so thoroughly I found myself just standing there, feeling his lips hover in the space above mine.

“You cooked Mum’s shepherd’s pie for me?”

“Yeah, we did. Connor rang your mum and got the recipe.” That sent alarm bells off in my head, but they were smothered as he got closer. “We worked together and got it made as close to the recipe as possible.”

“But you didn’t eat any?” I asked, glancing at the table then him. “You guys went without dinner?”

“We had a few pieces of toast and a beer instead.”

“But aren’t you hungry?” Not for food, that became apparent. I meant to say that seriously, but as his eyes shone, my words took on new meaning. “I mean, you went to all this work.”

“I can’t eat it without you.” I jumped as a hand went to my waist. “It tastes like shit without you.” Both hands closed around me and then hoisted me up so I sat on the end of the table. “Nothing’s good without you, Kendall.” He stepped between my legs, whispering his words against my lips. “Just you, baby.”

I stared at him then, needing to respond, but as my mouth fell open, a loud rumble from his stomach had both of us looking down.

“Um… seems like your belly has other ideas,” I said.

“Fuck…” He pulled back slowly with a grin. “Maybe I am hungrier than I thought.”

“Well, c’mon. Microwaved shepherd’s pie is almost as good as fresh.”

Chapter 40

Van

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