Page 60 of Bad Luck Club

“Day drinking,” Iris said, shaking her head in mock sadness. “It’s a short slide into a serious problem.”

Jack waved a hand at her. “Away with you, gremlin.”

She grabbed a snack from the kitchen and headed upstairs, but not without a final parting comment. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Lee still hadn’t said anything, and he didn’t even glance at Jack as his brother sat down opposite him. Self-consciousness clawed at him.

“Decided to give it a try?” Jack said, nodding at the flight cups, collected from various other breweries.

“I decided to stop being a dick,” Lee said dryly. “It’s hard because apparently I’m really good at it.” Lee’s brow lifted. “Think I can add that to my résumé?”

Jack studied him for half a second, then released a peal of laughter. “It would be an original approach. If you were looking for a job.” He cocked his head. “Are you?”

Lee lifted one of the cups. “Not anymore.” And it was partly true. At least for now. He released a sigh. “Speaking of being a dick, I owe you a massive apology. Actually, multiple apologies.”

Jack’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I knew about your existence and never reached out.” This wasn’t the first time Lee had mentioned it, but it still sat heavy on his mind. Just one of his many sins against his brother.

Jack shook his head. “Water under the bridge, man. I never reached out either.”

“I treated you like shit after you told me about our father.”

Shifting his gaze to the sink, Jack said, “The messenger doesn’t accept the job for the glory.”

“Yet you did it anyway,” Lee said.

Jack turned back to him. “As much as I knew the truth would hurt you, I had to protect you. You’re my brother. I couldn’t let our father do that to you.”

A burning lump filled Lee’s throat. “But I was so awful to you.”

Jack gave him a tight smile. “Yeah, well, I figured you’d come around someday.” His grin turned lopsided. “Although I bet Maisie it would be closer to Brewfest.”

Lee released a short laugh. “What date did she pick?”

“When hell freezes over wasn’t on the calendar, so I think that might mean I win.”

Lee laughed again, and while he knew the beer he’d consumed had helped loosen him up, part of it was his sudden desire to finally push his hesitations aside and connect with his brother. “Well, like I said, massive apologies. Tell me what I can do to make it up to you.”

Jack shook his head, his eyes bright. “You just apologized. That’s enough.” He swallowed and glanced down at his clasped hands on the table before he looked up. “Actually, there is something else. At the risk of looking like a fool…” He hesitated, and Lee was shocked at the raw vulnerability in his eyes. “I just want a brother.”

His admission caught Lee by surprise. Adalia had told him about the hell Jack had lived through growing up with his mother. After his grandmother had died when he was in middle school, all he’d had was Iris, and she was more of a responsibility than a sibling. No wonder Jack had gone out of his way to protect Lee. He’d been trying to protect Iris for most of his life. It was ingrained in him. He was humbled that Jack actually wanted to be close to him after everything he’d said and done. His brother was a better man than he would ever be.

He forced a grin. “Man, I’ll do what I can to help you find a good one, because the brother you’re looking at is kind of an asshole.”

Jack’s chin quivered as he pressed his lips into a tight line. The unshed tears in his eyes glittered like diamonds. “I’ll take him.”

The lump in Lee’s throat was back. He didn’t know what to do, where to go from here, so he followed his gut and got to his feet. He clasped Jack’s hand and pulled him upright and enveloped him in a bear hug. “You’ve got me.”

Jack clung to him, and they stayed that way for several long seconds, until Lee finally said, “I plan on taking my big brother responsibilities seriously. The first order of business will be to ask Maisie about her intentions toward you.”

Jack laughed. “She’ll chew you up and spit you out.”

“Then maybe I’ll put that off.”

“Wise decision.” Jack stayed with him and gave Lee his opinions about the various beers. He suggested that they call River, but Lee wasn’t deluded enough to think he could repair his relationship with his future brother-in-law so easily. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to. Besides, he strongly suspected River would gloat if he were here, because he had to admit…

He wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but these were all good…no, better than good. Great. The best was Home Sweet Home, and Lee decided to push the hell out of it, first thing Tuesday after he headed to Charlotte to start winning back customers. Jack thought so too, and they agreed to back it as their favored Brewfest contender.

---