Page 311 of Steamy Ever After

“We need to talk,” he said to his parents. “All of us. I’m going to find Maddox and Naughton and ask them to come up to the house. Okay?”

“You get Maddox, and I’ll find Naughton,” his father offered.

“I’m already here.” Maddox left the kitchen.

“And, Ma, please start acting like yourself again. It’s almost like I don’t know who you are anymore.”

“Let her be, son,” said his father as he walked out the front door.

Brodie shook his head. He planned to get to the bottom of all this craziness today, with his parents and with Peyton.

When his father returned with Naughton, Brodie asked everyone to sit at the kitchen table, while he remained standing.

“To begin, things between Peyton and I are not resolved. I haven’t spoken with her, but I intend to, very soon. There is something she needs our help with. You may tell me that you don’t think this is any of our business, but as Kade’s brother, I’ve made it our business.”

“Go on, son.” Laird raised his hand when Maddox opened his mouth to speak. “Let him finish.”

“I spent a couple of hours with Alex Avila, and she told me Peyton’s ex-husband filed a petition asking for joint custody of her boys.”

His mother gasped, and both his brothers stood and paced the kitchen.

“Go on,” his da repeated.

“Her father asked their lawyer to fight it, but I want us to support her in every way we can.”

“Of course we will.” His mother spoke, and for the first time since he arrived home from Argentina, he saw the fire return to her eyes.

“I’ll know more later in terms of what she’s facing, but for now, I want to make you aware of it. Also, I understand Lang has been going to the boys’ basketball games. I’d like to start going myself.” He looked at his two brothers, who nodded in agreement.

“Finally, I’m going to see Peyton as soon as we’re finished. She and I have a lot to discuss. I’ve been made aware of an issue with her health, and my guess is that is why Lang was able to blindside her with this custody petition.”

“Brodie—”

“Ma, Alex wouldn’t elaborate. She said Peyton needed to tell me herself.”

He looked from Maddox to Naughton, but neither spoke.

“Mad, am I ready?” Brodie asked.

“Yes, you are.”

“Alex told me you mean well, and for now, I’m going to take her at her word.”

“Good.”

“Can I have my keys, please?”

His father opened a drawer in the kitchen. “They’ve been in here all along. Well, since your brothers went to the airport in Los Angeles and brought your car home.”

In the weeks between the plane crash and today, his body had been ravaged to the point of near death. Whatever health problems Peyton faced, he’d help her. He knew what it was like to fight to stay alive, to keep his body from succumbing to overwhelming odds against him. The advice Kade had given him in his dreams kept him going.

“Get up, get moving,” Brodie had dreamed Kade telling him. “Keep hydrated. Keep warm.” The dreams he’d had of Peyton gave him the will to listen to the ones he had of Kade.

Whatever was wrong with Peyton must be bad, maybe even life-threatening. He couldn’t imagine any other circumstance in which she’d stop working entirely or allow Alex to close Stave even temporarily. He couldn’t fathom her missing her boys’ sports events and have no knowledge Lang had been there instead.

Brodie pulled up near the Wolfs’ house, turned off the truck, and took several deep breaths. Here he was, in the place he’d wanted to be for so long. This was it—either she’d forgive him and let him be in her life, or she wouldn’t.

Alex had told him to remember two very important things when he talked to Peyton. Apologize last, after he told his story, and refrain from saying he regretted anything.

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