Page 42 of Forever and Other Lies

He spun around. Tommy was following him. Didn’t his brother realize that he was taking the higher road? Following him was not a good idea.

“From you?” he scoffed.

Tommy glanced over his shoulder at the empty space behind him. “No, the guy standing behind me.”

“He’d be more helpful,” Derek sneered.

“He probably would be more help. But it looks like I’m the only one offering.”

“Nah, I’m good. You’ll mess it up and make more work for me,” Derek told his brother, his voice smug and dismissive.

“Pretty sure I can manage to hold up the wall while you nail it in place without MESSING IT UP,” Tommy emphasized the last three words.

“Knock yourself out.” Derek didn’t want to accept his brother’s help, but it would make the build go faster with an extra pair of hands.

“I’d rather knock you out,” Tommy muttered, and Derek pretended not to hear.

Tommy bent and picked up one end of the framed wall. “Wow, it’s hot here.”

Derek glared at him. He was not going to make small talk with his twin. Tommy could help, but it would be in silence.

They lifted the frame onto the foundation, attaching it to the metal plate.

“So, I was thinking that I’ve been kind of a jerk,” Tommy said nonchalantly.

Derek snorted. “Just kind of?”

“Are you going to make me say it?”

“Yep.” Derek paused from hammering.

“I am sorry that I wouldn’t accept your apology.”

“Damn straight you should be. You know how hard that word is for me to say.” Derek straightened and stared directly at him. “While you’re admitting your shortcomings, you should also acknowledge that you were too hard on her.”

Tommy’s brow furrowed.

“Leighton,” Derek clarified. “You should never have blamed her. You should have come home and decked me. I deserved your anger. Not her.”

Tommy stared at him. Was he considering punching him in the face? It would probably make them both feel better. He watched Tommy ball his hand into a fist, but he kept it at his side.

“I was so sick of hearing about the stupid wedding,” Derek continued. “Once again, it was all about Tommy. Tommy this, Tommy that. And I was acting stupid and selfish.”

“So, your normal self, in other words,” Tommy spat out.

Derek sent him an annoyed glance and then shrugged his shoulders. Tommy was right. “Pretty much. Still no excuse, but I had been pounding back whiskey that night. Then frigging Ben goes and suggests a game of manhunt like we were all still ten…”

Clearing his throat, he kept confessing. “I ran into her. Literally. And I kissed her.”

He could see his brother’s face growing red, and it wasn’t from the intense heat. “It’s just like my bike. You hated that I saved enough to buy it.”

“Not that stupid bike again,” Derek moaned. When they were twelve, they shared a paper route. Of course, Tommy saved every dime he earned. But Derek spent it as fast as he made it. When Tommy saved enough, he bought this bike, and Derek had been so envious of it. But he really hadn’t meant to ruin it. He truly thought he could make the jump with it. Instead, he’d cracked the frame.

“I didn’t mean to wreck it,” he told Tommy.

“Yeah, I still don’t believe you.”

Derek closed his eyes, exhaling. “Seeing we’re on this whole spill-your-guts thing, I will admit that I was jealous. Jealous of the stupid bike and jealous of Leighton. I was jealous of how much time you spent with her. I was jealous that she liked you better than me.”

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