Page 77 of Forever and Other Lies

“Bullshit.” Harry poked him hard in the arm.

“Mom!” His mother shook her head.

“What? It is total crap. The boy has been his own worst enemy most of his life,” Harry argued.

“Sitting right here. Right beside you,” Derek muttered.

“Harry is right, son. You wouldn’t have built this beautiful house if you had no plans to fill it up with a family.”

He gaped open-mouthed at his mother. “A single man can’t live in a beautiful house?”

“Oh, he can. But that would be a very stupid man,” Harry poked him again. “Don’t be a stupid man.”

He stood, rubbing his arm. “How about I give you both a tour, and then you go harass someone else? Ben is still single. He’s all gaga over Bianca Grotta and she’s not interested. Isn’t she too old for him? Or maybe she isn’t.”

Both women fell for the bait and started discussing the state of his younger brother’s love life as he gave them the grand tour, which ended on the back deck.

“Wow,” both women exclaimed at once, staring at the reclaimed arched door frame that Jamie had salvaged from an old church.

The oversized arch had rustic doors attached on either side and had been secured into the ground. It stood at the edge of the property, highlighting the stunning view of the valley below. It was indeed a jaw-dropping focal point. He didn’t mention that it had been Jayna’s idea.

“That would be a perfect wedding altar,” Harry said, playfully slugging him again. “If you hadn’t let Jayna dump you, you could have stood right under that arch and married that girl.”

“It’s never too late,” his mom winked.

His eyes narrowed. Jayna had said it would be a unique way to draw the eye to the incredible view. Damn that woman. She had tricked him into building a wedding altar on his property. She probably had a good laugh with Jamie over it.

Relief flooded him when his mother and grandmother left, only to turn into a groan as Tommy arrived.

“Wow, this is quite the place,” Tommy whistled as he did a slow turn.

“Thanks. You just missed Mom and Harry.” Derek opened the fridge and pulled out two beers.

“Isn’t it too early to be drinking?” Tommy asked, but still accepted the offered beer.

“Again, Mom and Harry were just here.” Derek twisted off the cap and took a long swallow.

“Ah, that bad?” Tommy pulled out a bar stool at the island and sat.

“Apparently, it’s too nice of a place for a bachelor.”

“Who decorated it?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? Is it so far-fetched to believe I did?” Derek pulled out a stool and sat beside his brother. He couldn’t begin to put into words how relieved he was that the relationship with his twin had been restored.

“Yeah! You can’t bullshit your older brother.”

“You are 6 minutes older than I am.”

“Key word being older,” Tommy stated. It was a card he’d been playing their entire life.

“Okay, Jayna may have helped.”

Tommy nodded. “So, what’s up with that? Heard she dumped your sorry ass last weekend.”

He needed to change his front door mat from ‘Welcome’ to ‘Go away.’

Chapter 38

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