Page 19 of Their Rustic Retreat

“Meaning, you regularly stole from me and lied to me and threw me under the bus? Some brother you are.”

That back-and-forth makes Hawk and I exchange glances. Sure, we tease one another relentlessly and call each other names, but we would never dream of doing such things to one another.

Soon enough, the cops do arrive. They arrest Jessie Joe, even as he continues to protest and starts screaming that he has dirt on everyone, including Hawk and I.

I’ve never done a crime more serious than jay-walking, and Hawk might have littered once by accident. I know, we’re such horrible people.

I’m filled in on what’s going on. Who this creep is, who his boss is, and how I’m likely never going to have to worry about any of them ever again.

As we fill out the police reports, leave our statements, and are finally free to go, my brother, Tristian, and I return to his car. We drive back to the family home.

Hawk and Tristian are mostly quiet until we get to the driveway. It’s been a long day, and everyone’s tired, so I kind of understand why everyone isn’t very talkative.

Finally, Tristian speaks up. “Are we cool?” he asks, in the direction of my brother.

Hawk pauses for a moment. “We got stuff we should probably talk about. But you’ve proven to me that you got your heart in the right place. It’d be wrong to hold this past against you, as you’re trying to change for the better. So, really? Yeah, I think we’re cool.”

Hawk offers a fist, and Tristian accepts it with a bump.

My brother then leaves the car, leaving me and my boyfriend behind.

We get out of the car, too, and proceed to lean on it, looking up into the night sky.

“I never realized how many stars the city’s lights prevented me from seeing,” Tristian says.

“That’s a problem in the city?”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen the sky more vivid than in Evergreen Valley.”

For a time, we just enjoy the view. The constellations, the brightness of the moon, and the simple serenity of it all.

But we can’t escape our words forever.

“I’m sorry if I wasn’t completely straight with you,” he says.

“What’s there to apologize for? You didn’t do anything wrong, Tristian.”

“I mean, yeah, but hiding that I’m on the run from the mob? That I had just witnessed a murder, and that might cause issues? It feels wrong that I got you involved in all of that without warning.”

I lean into him, holding him close. “Everything’s fine, right? The bad guys are going to jail, and no one’s hurt unless they deserve to be.”

“Something could have gone wrong.”

“But nothing did.”

He holds me close as well, a hand around my waist. “Jessie Joe’s never been a violent type, but what if you freaked out and made him lash out?”

“That didn’t happen. And we shouldn’t obsess over the past when a good future is in front of us.”

He looks at me with a wide smile. “You’re too good for me, Serena.”

“No, I’m just right, and that’s why you should shut up about this and stick with me.”

He laughs a deep belly laugh. “Is there any question on why I’m falling so deeply in love with you?”

“That I’m perfect and wonderful and beautiful and sexy?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m trying to be sweet and poetic about it.”

---