Page 87 of Brace and Chase

“And I had great plans for today, but they were shot to shit when I found Lu and Tanner naked.”

I have no clue who Lu or Tanner are, but putting all the context clues together, I get a reasonably clear picture, and it’s not a pretty one.

“Motherfucker,” Charlie mutters. I stare at him and I have to admit, I’m kind of impressed. He just transformed into a protective older brother right in front of me.

“Two days ago, yeah,” the one wearing blue—I should probably learn their names soon—adds in a way-too-bright tone for the situation. “So now we’re here,” he continues with a wide smile that’s as fake as my teeth. “Until Monday. To spend Valentine’s Day in the City of Sin. Any chance you can get us tickets to tonight’s game? And you up for going out tonight?” We all just stare at him, Charlie looking especially incredulous, but he justkeeps going. “I thought we could hit a casino, maybe a show, and then watch you kick Atlanta’s ass for the first time in your career on Sunday, then we’re heading back home with our souls healed and ready to face our lives with a brighter outlook.”

He smiles like what he just said isn’t the biggest delusional load of bullshit ever said.

“This one stupid?” I ask Charlie, pointing at the blue-wearing twin, and I regret how harsh I sounded a second later. I meant it to sound like a joke, but trying to keep up with the accent plus Charlie annoying me by keeping us a secret... well. It didn’t come out well at all.

That’s why I don’t blame Charlie for giving me the murderous glare I haven’t seen since right before he kissed me that first time.

The black-wearing twin appears between us then and his stare is just as angry. He jams a finger right in the middle ofmy chest. “You better watch your mouth or I’m going to show you how real men fight on solid ground,Santa,” he growls and says my name with derision.

“What—” I start my explanation but Charlie doesn’t let me get another word out.

“Just shut up. And never call my brother a name again, okay?”

I nod but he doesn’t see it. He’s already turning around to look at the blue-wearing twin.

“Fi,” he says, with what I can tell is his best interpretation of a man who has patience. “I love that you thought to bring Beau here, and we can most definitely make all of your plans happen. What Beau just went through is fucked up, but you won’t be going back home a better man, and you’re most definitely not gonna heal a damn thing here. But we are going to get Beau drunk, and hopefully he can realize that although everything sucks...” He turns toBeau. “You still have us. Always. And you know what Grandpa Yoyo has always said... ‘Home is where a Heart is.’ So welcome home, let’s get you settled.”

“Love the sentiment,” Beau says, and rolls his eyes dramatically. “But Finn got us rooms at the Winner so we’re not even sleeping here. And I don’t want to go out to a club or get drunk. You know I get awful hangovers.”

That gives me an idea. Angry at Charlie or not, I feel like Beau really needs some cheering up, and I’m generally very good at that.

“Maybe the pain of a hangover will help with forgetting the heartbreak and betrayal,” I suggest, but Charlie scowls at me.

“Not helpful,” he mutters, but clearly Beau disagrees.

“More helpful than all your lovey-dovey bullshit. Now just give us passes for tonight, will you?”

“No. I don’t have any more tickets for tonight’s game.” This surprises me. Who did he give his tickets to? “I can get you some for Sunday, but if you want to go today, then I’m going to have to call in a favor to get you into Gab’s suite.”

We’re lucky she’s going to be at the game tonight. She had told us she probably wouldn’t, but I guess she loves us after all. The resentment in my thoughts isn’t lost on me, but I’m still keeping my head firmly buried in the sand when it comes to her.

“That is better,” I agree. “Gab will fix them both,” I point out. Because I do believe she will. She’s a special woman, our Gab, and no one else needs to know how conflicted I am over her right now.

“Excuse me?” The other twin—Finn—snaps at me.

Before I can put my foot in it again, his twin comes to the rescue.

“Oh, please. You need professional help to fix that crippling eternal optimism.”

They bicker about that until Charlie interrupts them, clearly having a lot of experience when it comes to them.

“Okay, okay. I’ll drive you to your hotel and make sure you have a ride to the arena tonight, okay?”

And then he just leaves.

Without looking at me, without saying one word to me, he just... leaves.

TWENTY-EIGHT

SWEETHEART

I geta confirmation text from Gab about my brothers watching the game with her as soon as I walk out of the resort’s lobby.

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