Page 50 of The One Who Risked it All

He leaned forward, his voice low but intense. “Love isn’t always easy, little brother. Sometimes, you have to fight for it. But let me tell you, it’s worth every battle.”

I felt a spark of hope ignite in my chest, but doubt quickly smothered it. “It’s different with Carla,” I argued. “There’s all this history, and all this bad blood between our families. We aren’t married. Not like you and Becca.”

“And you think Becca and I didn’t have obstacles?” Nathan countered. “The point is, Eli, you can’t let fear or other people’s expectations hold you back from something that could be amazing.”

Nathan’s serious expression suddenly gave way to a mischievous grin. “Besides,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “maybe Carla’s exactly what you need to tame that bad boy reputation of yours.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. “Oh, come on. I’m not that bad.”

“Really?” Nathan quirked an eyebrow. “Who was it that crashed Dad’s car into the church sign last year?”

“That was an accident!” I protested, feeling my face heat up. “And I fixed it, didn’t I?”

“After Pastor Justin caught you trying to rearrange the letters to spell out ‘Holy Shift,’” Nathan countered, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

I couldn’t help but laugh, grateful for the momentary reprieve from my worries. It felt good to joke around with my brother like this, even if it was at my expense.

But as quickly as it had come, the lightness faded. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Dad’s still recovering from hisheart attack. What if pursuing something with Carla sends him right back to the hospital?”

Nathan’s expression softened. “Eli, you can’t live your life based on Dad’s expectations or his health. That’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to him either.”

I stared down at my coffee, watching the steam curl up from the mug. “I know, but... I just can’t shake this feeling that I’ll be letting him down. Again.”

“Hey,” Nathan said firmly, causing me to look up. “You’re not a disappointment, Eli. You’re a good man. Dad sees that, even if he doesn’t always show it.”

I wanted to believe him, but years of trying to measure up to Nathan’s golden boy status made it hard. Still, his words sparked a tiny flame of hope in my chest. I thought I had smothered that little spark years ago.

I leaned back, letting Nathan’s words sink in. The station chatter faded into the background as I considered everything my brother had said. It hit me then, like a blast of water from a fire hose, just how much Nathan’s support meant to me.

“You know,” I said, my voice a little rough, “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad you’re here, Nate. Even if you are an insufferable know-it-all sometimes.”

Nathan grinned, lifting his mug in a mock toast. “That’s what big brothers are for, right?”

“Look,” Nathan said, setting down his mug with a soft thud. “If you want my advice – and I know you do, even if you won’t admit it – be honest with Carla. Tell her how you feel.”

I snorted. “I did. She said she needs time to figure it out.”

“Then trust your connection. It’s clear there’s still something there, even after all these years.”

“Alright,” I said, straightening up. “But if this blows up in my face, I’m totally blaming you. I just wish Dad would get over thisstupid feud already. It’s been what, forty years? You’d think he’d have let it go by now.”

Nathan’s expression shifted, a flicker of something – was that guilt? – passing over his face. He glanced around the station, as if checking to make sure no one was listening in.

“About that,” he said, lowering his voice. “There’s something you should know, Eli. Remember that Christmas when Aunt Carol came to visit from Seattle?”

I frowned, trying to recall. “Vaguely. I was working the holiday shift that year, right? Rookie duties and all that.”

“Exactly,” Nathan nodded. “Well, there was... an incident. A pretty big blow-up, actually.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What? How come I never heard about this?”

Nathan sighed, absently tracing the rim of his coffee mug. “Dad would kill me. But I think it’s time you knew the whole story.”

I leaned forward, curiosity burning through me. Whatever this was, it had to be big for Nathan to look so serious. “I’m all ears, bro. Spill it.”

As Nathan opened his mouth to continue, I couldn’t help but wonder how this revelation might change everything – not just with Dad, but with Carla too. My heart raced, equal parts excitement and dread coursing through my veins. Whatever Nathan was about to say, I had a feeling nothing would be the same after this.

I leaned in, my elbows on the table, every muscle in my body tense with anticipation. Nathan’s eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of hesitation. But then he took a deep breath, and I knew he was about to drop a bombshell.

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