Page 37 of Hunter Moon

Aspen

Maybe it was mean of me, but it seemed like Harmony hadn’t changed much from the spoiled preteen I’d left behind when I joined the navy.

She wasn’t wrong that I’d screwed up—if anything, she was one of the only people who’d been entirely up front about it. But it seemed like an extension of how much she’d disliked me before, as opposed to Shiloh, who had felt abandoned and betrayed. Harmony hadn’t liked me before because I was a reason Brook hadn’t spent all his free time on her, and she’d decided that my leaving justified her dislike.

Even that would have been easy to let go of, to ignore, but then shoving Brook’s suffering in his face, well... it just seemed like Harmony was still that angry kid who wanted the world to revolve around her. But my world was never going to revolve around anyone but Brook.

She could hate me forever, and yell at me all she wanted, but only if and when it didn’t hurt him. I wasn’t going to let anyone use me as a tool to hurt Brook, even if her goal was to protect him.

Because Brook didn’t need protecting from me.

Wanda Chadwick’s eyes lit up when we walked in the door, and without a word, she led us to the booth in the back that we’d spent so many hours in as kids, I was a little surprised the seat didn’t bear the imprint of my ass.

“Menus?” she finally asked as we were sitting down, reaching for the pocket where she kept her pen and notebook.

Brook shook his head, but instead of looking her in the eye, he stared at the chipped Formica tabletop. “Just hot chocolate for me, please.”

“The same,” I agreed, then leaned my chin on one hand. “With lots of whipped cream. Oh, and you still have that apple bread pudding?”

She snorted and tucked her pen back into her pocket. “How else would I serve apples for dessert without trying to compete with your brother’s pies? Two hot chocolates, one with extra whip, and a bread pudding. Butterscotch sauce?”

“Yes, please. And a double serving of the pudding, if you would.” I gave her my best innocent smile, which everyone seemed to like even if no one was ever fooled into thinking I was innocent.

She glanced between me and Brook for a second. “Extra fork?”

I blinked repeatedly. “Oh you think I’m ordering for him too? I mean, I guess he can have some of mine, but I’d never make Brook eat a delicious dessert smothered in butterscotch sauce.”

She sighed at me, rolling her eyes and turning toward the kitchen, and for a moment, it felt like we were back in 2000, ordering milkshakes,Teenage Dirtbagplaying in the background and her looking like she thought the song had been written literally about me.

As if he read my mind, Brook was trying to smother laughter, and whispered, “I think you just gave her a flashback of our childhood.”

I grinned wide at him. “Are you suggesting that’s bad? I was a goddamneddelight.”

At that, he actually lost it, laughing out loud. More than I’d have expected for a relatively weak joke, in fact. Not that I thought the laughter was fake, just that maybe he’d really needed it.

“You’re such an asshole,” he wheezed out as he trailed off, dropping his hands to the table with an expression of helpless surprise. Like he couldn’t understand how much he liked me. It was a pretty common sentiment from people who knew me.

I reached out with both hands, twining our fingers together—loosely, so he could pull back if he wanted to. “I know. I mean, everyone who’s ever met me knows it. Hard not to.”

“You’re a lovable asshole, so it’s hard to turn you away. Plus you’ve got that smile. Hits us right in the gut, and even though we should be smacking you on the nose with a newspaper, we just smile and sigh.” He squeezed my hands reassuringly, and I wasn’t sure whether to feel complimented, or like I was the family dog who wouldn’t stop shitting on the carpet.

Maybe both.

The silence that fell over us would have been normal and not at all awkward when we were kids, but things were different now. Now, I needed to constantly be on my toes. Be proving that I was here, and engaged, and staying. So when we went quiet, I felt like it was on me to pick the conversation back up.

“So Shy’s still pissed about the car,” I said. Because naturally, reminding him of how I abandoned them all was the best subject.

His brows drew together, confused for a moment, and when they cleared, somehow, there was his amused smile. “Oh wow. I’d completely forgotten you offered to help her with a car. She’s never going to let you live that down.” He pulled his lower lip between his teeth, frowning. “I never did it either. I wonder if—”

“It was never about the car.” I gave his hands a distracting little squeeze. “It was about me teaching her. Being there. She never had any doubt about you being there for her.”

And of course, I’d proven that I wouldn’t be there.

His lips quirked up on one side and he shrugged. “Mrs. Matheson still has that old T-bird in her garage, I’m pretty sure. Not that I’m suggesting you bribe my sister with a car, but I know the garage still has the parts for it. Still gathering dust.”

“Think she’d have time for it now? Or give a damn?” Oddly enough, the idea appealed. Not as a bribe, but because I’d always liked Shiloh. And I’d wanted to spend that time with her.

He cocked his head back and forth, considering, then finally gave me another shrug. “Maybe. I’m sure she’d still love doing it, if she’s willing.”

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