Page 3 of No Second Chances

Where Kennedy is concerned, I don’t have eyes or ears for anyone else. It’d been one of the reasons I joined the Marine Corps with my twin and her big brother. She had asked me to protect him, and of course I said yes. Always had and probably always would, even without her asking. I swear, I can practically smell her fruity perfume from across the room too.

“Kennedy’s here.” Remy nods toward the doors that lead to the parking lot. “Try not to piss her off anymore? I only get two weeks with her, and I don’t want her to shut me out.” That haunted expression is back, and every fiber of my being burns to know what it is that he is hiding.

My bag comes around the carousel, so I grab it along with Remy’s next to it. Danny, I leave to fend for himself while he is trying to chat up one of the women from the flight. Only to watch him curse and rush to get it before it vanishes behind the wall.

Belatedly, I answer Remy and hope he doesn’t notice the little white lie. “I’ll do my best.” I don’t have a choice though; I have to piss her off. If I don’t, I’ll end up doing something stupid, like kiss her, and then I’ll have to make her mine.

As it is, I know it is only a matter of time before I act on my feelings for her. I just need to figure out a way to keep my best friend in the process.

Then I see her, watching her brother from across the room, and I wish she was staring at me that way. Remy shoots me one sidelong glance, easily reading every single emotion I’m trying to keep hidden. His expression is very clear and I know our friendship, even my life, is on the line.

Shit is about to get messy.

2

KENNEDY

Sweaty palms are just the start of the panic attack I’m currently experiencing while standing in the very public and crowded airport. Every second that passes echoes in the heartbeat residing in my throat, making it hard to breathe, let alone think.

As the passengers from their flight all filter down the escalator and into the baggage claim, there is still no sign of Remy. Ten minutes of waiting has my skin starting to crawl, and the next thing I know, I’m beginning to pace while muttering to myself.

The bored-looking old woman next to me chuckles. “Don’t worry, dear.” Her thick Maine accent makes it sound more like deah than the actual word, and her wrinkles remind me of my grandma before she died. “I’m sure whoever you’re waiting for is just taking their time.” She is watching the escalator with sharp eyes. “I’m waiting on my Peter. He’s been visiting our children down in Florida. I’m glad he’s back, though. I’ve missed him dearly.”

“It’s my stupid brother,” I tell her with a shaky smile, thankful that someone is inadvertently helping me through the nerves I just can’t shake. Blowing out a deep breath, I manage to keep talking. “I’m assuming he’s got some of his friends with him. At least, that’s what his text said.”

“Well.” Her smile grows even brighter when an older man with a weathered smile stops at her side and presses a soft kiss to her forehead. He doesn’t say a word as she keeps talking. “I know they’ll be down soon. You have a good day.” With a kiss for the man at her side, she gives me one short wave and they are gone.

Belatedly, I realize I hadn’t even introduced myself. All of that fades when I see a pair of combat boots hit the top of the escalator, closely followed by another and then another. Three pairs in all, and they are painfully slow in their descent. The way the airport is set up, there is a giant half wall that hangs down, obscuring the view, making it so no one can see who is actually coming down the escalator, at least not until they are halfway down. So, there I am, waving like a lunatic, when my brother and his friends step down. Except Remy doesn’t so much as look at me while he goes to get his bag, and I’m even more embarrassed than before.

I wait, rather impatiently, and think about marching over and confronting him about it. I’m just as stubborn as he is. He must have forgotten it is a family trait. If he wants to be a giant pain in the ass and ignore me, he can. Even though I’ll wait him out. I always win, and today will be no different than the many, many times before. While waiting, though, the heartache I’ve felt at his absence when I needed him most just grows larger and larger. Then I remember that the distance between us is all my fault.

In my entire life, I’d never felt as broken as I had when my brother wasn’t there. There were so many times I’d picked up my phone to send him a text… Only to stop in my tracks because his phone was sitting on our kitchen counter when he was in boot camp or after, when he went to training school. I was too embarrassed to face what had happened. So, I kept silent, and the more time that passed, the easier it was to just not dial his number. I told myself we could talk when he got home. Was it the right way to handle everything? No, definitely not, but there was no explaining that to my brain. So, when he texted our mom and asked for a ride from the airport for him and a few friends, I jumped at the chance.

He turns, his bag in hand, and smiles directly at me. With just that smile, everything else fades away. There is no anger there and no resentment at me for not calling or texting him. Only the affection I’ve always seen when he looks at me.

I cock my head to the side, debating my options. I can wait for him to get to me, or I can have a little fun with it. Obviously, I have to choose fun. Meaning that when I see him turn away briefly, I sprint the short distance between us and throw myself at him. Remy has no choice but to drop his duffel so that he can catch me, which he does with an even bigger smile on his face.

Overwhelmed and unable to process much of anything at the moment, I start crying into my brother’s shoulder. There is no chance the makeup on my face is going to survive the torrent of tears I’m currently shedding. Thankfully, he is traveling in BDUs because otherwise my mascara would be staining whatever he had on.

“Come on, Eddie.” His words don’t match his actions because he just squeezes me tighter.

“You’re embarrassing me,” I mutter into his shoulder once I have myself under control. “Let me go.”

“Nope.” He laughs and turns back to the other man who arrived with him. “Linc, can you grab my bag? I’ve got to torture Eddie here.”

At the mention of Linc’s name, I choke on imaginary spit. I saw him, of course, but seeing Remy for the first time in months has gotten the better of me. Although, if I’m being honest, there is no chance in hell that I’ve forgotten for a second that Lincoln Hayes is there. His brother, Danny? I could forget him in a heartbeat. It doesn’t even matter that he is almost identical to his brother. I know the difference, and for some reason, Danny always comes out behind. I’ll never forget Linc, even though I’ve tried.

“Shit,” I mutter and promptly hiccup. “Put me down, you stupid big-head.”

“Nope,” Remy says gleefully. “I think I’ll just carry you all the way to your tiny-ass car as punishment for making me get into that abomination.”

“Hey!” I slap him, hard. No one insults my baby, not even him. “Pedro the Prius is amazing and you’re lucky to get to ride in him. Only thing is, I didn’t bring my car. I brought your stupid truck.”

Remy freezes and carefully sets me down at the mention of his baby. “You brought her?” He almost looks choked up as he asks. And I know he remembers my intense dislike for anything bigger than a car. “You didn’t have to do that, Kennedy.”

“Yeah, I did,” I tell him honestly. “I’m working on overcoming my fears.” I mean to casually throw out the words, to make them lighthearted and fun. Instead, they come out loaded and heavy.

Thankfully, Danny completely ignores me and practically sprints outside.

---