Page 2 of (Un)Spoken

When my brother's wedding invitation first arrived, I stared at it like it was a three-headed monster. For years, we’d been at odds, a result of Cole’s medically induced departure from the army and the years of alcoholism that followed. He’d fallen into a deep depression, and the only solace he found was at the bottom of a bottle. I’d tried for years to get him some help, to show him he could heal without masking the pain. But that had resulted in his hostility, words that still clung to me like scars. Five yearsago, I’d had enough and entirely cut him out of my life, refusing to let him take me down with him.

I thought that was the end of our relationship, but then, almost a year ago, Cole started calling, trying to get back in contact with me. At first, I ignored his calls, waiting and listening to his voicemails, trying to ignore the cracking of the ice in my heart. When I finally took the risk and answered his call, the relief in his voice was palpable.

That was almost eight months ago, and now, Cole always attended our weekly calls. At first, I thought he’d stop, especially after we’d started to mend our rift a little. Cole was never good at facing his failures, preferring to hide behind his snark and sarcasm rather than express any vulnerabilities. But this new version of my brother not only admitted his flaws but also made up for them in spades. And I had to admit, as much as I wanted to keep my walls high, he was cracking them, little by little.

But flying across the country to attend his wedding? It felt monumental, like an unsteady step I wasn’t sure I was ready to take.

I shook my head, forcing myself away from those nagging thoughts. It was just a wedding, which was pretty much a fancy party. Parties were fun,right? It had been a while since I attended one, but I remember having a good time. So what if I didn’t know most of the guests, and the groom was my newly-reacquainted brother, and the bride was practically a stranger? I’d go, show my support, and then head back home before anyone even noticed my presence.

“This is why most people drink,” my best friend, Hadley, called out from my phone screen. While mine was perched on the bathroom counter, hers was propped up on a coffee table back home, her feet wiggling as she paintedher toes a shade of hot pink. She paused, thinking over her words. “But that probably wouldn’t help things between you and Cole.”

“You think?” I teased back, running my hands over my ratty t-shirt. I probably should have brought a change of clothes, but almost everything was meticulously folded into my carry-on, all arranged to ensure that the dress I’d brought for the wedding arrived in one piece. It was the fanciest dress I’d worn in, well, years. Hadley had convinced me to buy it, claiming to have evidence that dressing your best was the key to faking confidence. It sounded ridiculous to me, but I would take any help I could get.

I glanced at my cut-off shorts, unsure if I loved or hated how they clung to my thighs. Growing up, I’d always played sports, never having to worry about gaining weight because I was constantly rushing around to practices, scrimmages, and games. But now that that part of my life was over, it showed in my body. It had changed over the years, and although it didn’t seem like much to others, I could feel the shifts. As much as I tried to love every curve, there were so many days it was more challenging than others. I ran my hands along my skin, mumbling affirmations to myself. I had enough anxiety building up. The last thing I needed was my old friend self-doubt rearing her ugly head.

“Tor?” Hadley called out from the phone, clearly noting my zone-out.

“Yeah.” I swatted my hand toward the phone. “I’m sorry. I just wish I wasn’t doing this alone.”

“I thought your parents were there?”

“They flew up last week to spend time with Cole and his fiancée. They want to help as much as they can with the wedding.” I toyed with my nail beds. “But we’re kind of atodds about this trip, so I don’t know if they’re going to make my life any easier.”

“Then maybe you should find a guy to spend the night with.” She smirked through the screen. “Live a little now that you have some independence.”

“Hadley Rose, you are the worst influence in the world!”

“Part of the reason why you love me, babe.” She blew a kiss through the camera lens. “But I mean it, Tor. How long have you been single?”

I grimaced. “Eighteen months.”

“Victoria!”

“Don’t.” I hide my face in my hands. “It hasn’t been my priority, you know that. Plus, after everything with Cam…”

Hadley sighed, her face softening as she looked at me. “Listen, Tor, we all thought you and Cam were endgame. But you did what was best for both of you. You broke up with him because you wanted to find that soul-consuming type of love. And no offense, but you’ve been hiding out ever since.”

“I have not!” I shook my head. “It’s not like I have a lot of time for dating. And honestly, I’ve been with one guy my entire life. We started dating in middle school. Trying to find someone in the real world? That’s freaking terrifying.”

“So don’t think about it that way. Think of it as a chance to try something new for a couple of days. Forget everything else in your life and focus onyoufor once,” Hadley answered. “Besides, a wedding is a perfect excuse to get out there. Flirt a little. Have some fun. Ask a guy to dance. And if it’s a bust, you’ll never have to see them again.”

“But–”

“No.” She held a finger up to silence me. “I have everything handled here. Your one job this week is to have fun.And if you even think about calling twenty times every day, I will block your number.”

“Don’t you dare.”

She arched a brow. “Don’t test me, Campbell. Now, get your sexy ass out there and have some fun for both of us.”

Dragging my suitcase behind me,I stepped out of the Albany airport, scanning the crowd for Cole. The airport was significantly smaller than Dallas-Fort Worth, but being somewhere new always put me on edge. I liked to know my surroundings- I wanted to feel prepared. Just as I was about to dig out my phone and dial Cole’s number, a loud honk sounded from an older Jeep parked at the end of the strip.

As my brother hopped out of the driver’s side, my breath whooshed out of me. It had been so long since we saw each other in person. When I thought about our last time together, pain and regret colored all of the memories. They were filled with words I’d longed to take back, and I’m sure Cole felt the same. He’d been a shell of his usual self, his eyes dark with anger and rage.

But the man standing in front of me now looked good—healthier than I’d seen in years. His broad and genuine smile lifted some of the heaviness from my chest.

Cole walked over to me in three long strides, scooping me up into his arms. Even though we were siblings, he’d gotten all my dad’s height, so my feet dangled above the ground when he tugged me up. As much as I’d been dreading this trip, having my brother here—safe and healthy—was more of a relief than I could put into words. He heldme for a long moment before setting my feet back on the ground.

He took a step back and chuckled, “Shit, Tor. I can’t believe how grown up you look.”

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