Page 21 of Somewhere You Belong

I nod. “I feel the same way.”

“I can’t believe it’s been six months already.”

Mentally, I knew the significance of today’s date, but again, I didn’t want to bring it up. And every time I think about the last conversations I had with my dad, anger steeps in my gut. “I know. It still doesn’t seem real, even though we knew it was coming.”

“I’m not sure death is any easier even if you know to expect it or not.” He sighs, and for a moment, I remember his own experiences with death that still affect his life. I love my brother, I do. But damn, the man lives way too far in the past while his future is slipping away.

Much like my own, but I’ll be the last one to admit it.

“All we can do is make sure we take care of her and don’t let her feel like she’s all alone.”

“I agree,” Penn says, sighing into the air around us. “But I feel like it’s not enough.”

“Seems like nothing ever is,” I add, knowing those words apply to many aspects of my life, ones I can’t do anything about now even if I tried.

“So, I got a job for tomorrow.” His change of topic is welcome.

“Yeah? Doing what?”

“The renovations for the house on Bayshore Drive.”

That detail makes my ears perk up. “Really?”

“Yeah. Seems like the new owner’s looking to fix it up and sell it.”

“Fuck.” In the years since I left the Marines, there’s only been one house in Carrington Cove I’ve had my eye on buying, and it’s the very one Penn’s talking about.

Growing up here, I used to walk by that house all the time, wondering what it looked like inside, envisioning myself living there when I was older. And about six years ago when I knew my time in the service was coming to an end, I decided to look into the house since it’d always been vacant. Turns out it was tied up in a trust with an obscure name, and the owner asked not to be contacted about selling.

I was disappointed, especially because I knew if I’d just had the chance to talk to the owner, I probably could have convinced them to sell. Instead, I’ve been biding my time, ready to make my move if the opportunity arises.

And my brother freaking knew about this and didn’t tell me.

“Did you at least tell them I’m interested in the house?”

He scoffs. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t think the owner is going to want to sell it to you.”

“Why not?”

He grins mischievously, and I instantly want to punch him in the face. “Just a hunch.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I consider his response. “What aren’t you telling me?”

With a pat on my shoulder, he begins to walk away. “Just think of this as payback for all of the shit you give me about Astrid.”

“Penn!” I call after him before he gets too far.

“Yeah?”

“Brandon’s been gone for four years. It’s okay for you and Astrid to move forward.”

His head hangs as soon as I remind him of why he doesn’t act on his feelings for her. “Believe me, I know how long it’s been, Dallas. And that’s exactly why things have to stay the way they are.” Then he heads back inside, and I'm left standing there turning over his words in my mind.

I’ve never felt so stuck in my life. And sounds like I’m not the only one. Hell, I bet all of my siblings also feel stuck in the rotation of this earth. Life has held us in place for the past year, and I’m not sure how to move on.

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