Page 28 of Rhett

“Rhett.”

“Leave it alone.” I set the tomatoes and lettuce aside.

“You goddamn Swift brothers are going to be the death of me.” I try to walk away from him, but he stops me with his body. “Morgan loves those stools. He’s been trying to figure out where they came from. Tell him.”

“You tell him,” I argue like a child.

“Why don’t you want him to know? They’re incredible. You’re so fucking talented. Jesus, I had no idea. Have you always liked building things?”

I sigh, drop my head back and bang it softly on the cabinets. “It was a waste of time.”

“It sure as shit wasn’t a waste of time! If you like it, that’s what matters. Why have you not been doing this your whole life? At least in your spare time. Or maybe you have? What do you do with all your pieces? Do you have a shop online?”

My head spins with all his questions. I literally have to bite down on my tongue not to snap at him and tell him to leave me alone. “I was curious as a child. I stopped because we both know that wasn’t my path. When I quit my job and stopped talking to my father, a possibility opened that it could be my path.” My truth makes me sick. What kind of man lets his own father run his life so completely? I can’t imagine how disgusted Dusty must be with me, how disgusted Morgan and East will be when they find out.

Dusty’s jaw is clenched tight, and I can see him working to loosen it to say, “I’ve only wanted to commit one murder in my life, and that’s Gregory Swift.”

“He couldn’t force me to do what he said. I had a choice. I made it. There’s no one to blame but me.”

“I beg to fucking differ. You forget I’ve been around your family my whole life. I know who and what your dad is. None of it was any of your faults.”

I have a feeling Talia would say the same. What’s with me and wondering what she would think about things? “We’ll have to agree to disagree.” I stir the soup. “Lunch is ready.”

“I don’t know how to keep this from Morgan. You’re my friend, a brother to me, and I don’t want to betray your trust.”

I would never ask that of him, not anymore. I almost ruined Morgan and Dusty all those years ago, and though I don’t havethe words to tell either of them how much I regret it, that kiss weighs on me daily. “Tell him.”

“Why don’t you tell him? Do you know how much it’ll mean to him that you made those stools for him? He loves you, Rhett. I know it’s hard to see that, and I know the two of you have a lot of anger between you, but he loves you, and all he wants is a relationship with his brothers.”

I nod, somewhere deep inside me knowing he’s right. What he doesn’t understand is how much I don’t feel worthy of that desire. I’ve been horrible to Morgan most of his life. I kissed Dusty and chased Morgan away. I never got Easton the help he needed. I never stopped my father from verbally and mentally mistreating them. It was my job to take care of my siblings. My job to protect them and make their lives easier. My job to be their brother, and I never did that the way I should have.

“Tell him,” I say. “I can’t…”

Dusty nods, and then thankfully, sees I’ve had enough. “Come on, brother. Let’s have lunch.”

Brother. That’s all I really want, not just from Morgan and East, but from Dusty too.

CHAPTER TEN

Tripp

“So, I hiredRhett to work part-time with me,” I tell Meadow as I drive her to school. I make sure my jobs are scheduled so that I can take her every morning. Since Mom often picks her up, I like to be the one to take her in. Plus, I enjoy these moments with my daughter. I’m glad I’m the one who gets to tell her to have a good day.

I don’t understand how April could have chosen to miss this, how she made the decision not to be in our child’s life. She’s missing out more than she’ll ever know.

“Oh, that’s nice. I didn’t know he’s a carpenter.” She sets her phone down on her lap.

“I didn’t know either. I stopped by the other day to thank him again for coming to your birthday and found him working in his shop. He’s good, Meadow-bug, you’d be impressed.” She’s creative in every way possible. Clothes and fashion are her passion, but she enjoys building with me too.

“Maybe he’ll show me his work sometime.”

I nod. I hope so too. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the way he acted when I found out. Why would something like his woodworking be a secret? But then, Rhett is such a mystery. Maybe that’s why I’m so interested in him lately. Why I randomly stop by his house or get excited at the thought of him working with me today.

“I think he likes you,” Meadow says.

“Wait. What?” I whip my head in her direction. “Rhett isn’t… We’re not…”

She giggles. “I didn’t mean likethat.”

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