Page 87 of The Love Shack

“My size, but stockier.”

“Oliver.” Gray eyes conveyed acceptance and understanding. “For a fit guy like you, I imagine it was almost instinct.”

“That’s no excuse. Especially because it made everything worse. He went wild, throwing things, cursing my sister-in-law when she tried to calm him down. The baby woke up screaming, but he didn’t seem to care about that, either.” His hand on Handsome stilled, and his free hand curled into a fist. God, he’d wanted to pound his brother. By sheer force of will, he hadn’t. “It was one of the most disgusting displays I’ve ever seen from a man. Honest to God, it shamed me that he was a Roth.”

Lark leaned against his shoulder, her expression both understanding and sympathetic. “I can see why.” After a thoughtful moment, she added, “You’re his brother and you love him. You, too, had lost your father and you were worried about your mother. You wanted the best for Gordon, and the all-consuming destruction of drug dependency wasn’t it. Plus I’m sure you love your sister-in-law and niece.”

“Very much.” He missed them, especially his niece. She’d be three soon. Would he get to see her for her birthday? Didn’t seem likely. “Over the next month, his addiction got worse, until he completely bottomed out. Mom claimed he was only grieving, like her.”

“Sounds like he needed some tough love.”

That’s what Oliver thought, but no one else had agreed. “Mom didn’t understand how I was functioning fine with everything. She accused me of just carrying on as if we hadn’t lost Dad.”

“Oh, Oliver,” she said softly. “I imagine she was hurting, so she verbally struck out at you, but she should have known that falling apart isn’t your way.”

The words, stated with such confidence, drew him like a lifeline. “You’re sure about that?”

“Of course. You loved your father as much as the others. You love all of them, I can tell.” She rubbed his arm. “Everyone’s grief is different. I bet you stayed busy and tried to be productive.”

How could she already know him so well? “It was the only thing I knew to do.” He’d pushed through, refusing to let himself dwell. “I didn’t want to add to Mom’s upset.” He’d thought he was doing the right thing, only to find out he was wrong.

“It’s obvious that’s how you coped. You couldn’t understand your mother and brother, just as they couldn’t understand you.”

Grateful that Lark so easily understood him when his own family hadn’t, he nodded. “We haven’t even spoken in so long.”

“I’m sorry.” She drew a breath. “You’ll be in touch with them soon, or they’ll contact you. I’m sure of it.”

“Tonight,” he said. “I’ll call Mom tonight. It’s been two months since I left.” And for a month before that, they’d been at odds, barely speaking.

Too damn long. For all of them.

“Does she live far?”

“A few hours south.” He dropped his head back. “After things fell apart with my brother, I wanted out of there. I gave up my job, emptied my accounts, sold everything and came here.” To start over. “I wanted a complete change from the city. I know drugs are everywhere, but this town feels...”

“Wholesome.” Lark smiled up at the oak leaves overhead, at how the sunshine left dappled shadows everywhere. “Safe and welcoming. The air is fresh, everyone knows everyone else, and the sunsets on the lake are inspiring.”

“That’s about it.”

“Fewer reminders here, too.”

Another bull’s-eye. “You’re pretty perceptive, Lark Penny.”

Her slim hand curved around his jaw. “How is your brother doing now? Do you know?”

“He OD’d, damn near died, but thankfully pulled through.” That was what had sent Oliver packing. He couldn’t stick around and watch his little brother kill himself. “He’d been drinking all night, hooked up with a woman in a bar, took a pill someone gave him...”

“Oh, no.”

“So damned irresponsible.” Oliver had thought it then, and he thought it now. How could a man—his own brother—dishonor his wife like that? Risk his life when he had a child to care for?

No, he didn’t understand, and sadly, he never would. He’d be there, he’d help if he could, but he knew he didn’t have the knowledge to help Gordon get through addiction.

“Your poor sister-in-law.”

Yeah. “Once he got out of the hospital, Gordon had court-ordered rehab, and he hated it, and he hated life.” The entire thing had been ugly, but Oliver knew he couldn’t help his brother. Whenever he’d tried, it’d just made it worse. “For a while, she blamed me. So did my mom.”You should have done more for him. You could have tried harder.So many things he should or could have done.

Skipping right past that, Lark asked, “Are they still together?”

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