Page 32 of Worthy Now
My brother grins widely and sits at the breakfast bar, peering at the casserole dish like he hasn’t had a home-cooked meal in months. That is likely true, given his living situation.
“Can a man not come home for a visit, simply because he misses his siblings?”
“Okay, now I know something’s up,” I say, striding around the island to study his expression. Resting my hands on the marble counter, I tilt my head and give him a look filled with suspicion. “You forget that I raised you, and the Jude I know wouldn’t give up the chance to party and get laid, because he misses this face. As handsome and compelling as it may be.”
“What if I came to see Anna?”
“Then you’ll have to wait until tomorrow, since she’s staying at a friend’s house tonight to study for a test.” My brother gives mean unconcerned shrug that confirms his impromptu visit has little to do with him wanting to see his family. “Let’s cut the crap, Jude. Not that I’m not ecstatic you’re here. Even though I really wish you could’ve timed your arrival better. Don’t you have a game this weekend, Mr. Big Shot?”
“I’ll be back with plenty of time to spare. My flight leaves late Thursday night. Honestly, I just needed a change of scenery.”
“You fucked some clingy chick, and now she’s stalking your ass, trying to get you to propose, while she’s picking out names for your firstborn. And you thought getting out of dodge might send the right message. Give her some time to fixate on some other poor sap. Am I right, or am I right?”
Jude stares at me, eyes wide, lips forming the perfect o, before he shakes his head and huffs angrily. “How the hell do you always do that?”
I bark out a loud laugh while I begin setting the table for three, knowing damn well my brother will scarf down half the casserole on his own. That boy could eat an entire cow and not break a sweat.
“It’s a gift,” I shrug. “So, now what? You’re going to hide out here and hope she’ll forget about you? I hate to break it to you, bro, but girls like that aren’t easy to shake. They don’t give up justbecause they can’t locate you for a few days. Trust me. I’ve been there.”
“Dude, way to burst my bubble. I’ll admit, the whole out-of-sight-out-of-mind idea seemed like my best option after she showed up at my dorm yesterday, dropping off baked goods for me and my roommates. But speaking of your personal experiences, Tessa is back, huh?”
“I hope you’re not gossiping about me like a nosy old lady, Jude Nelson!” the woman in question scolds as she rejoins us, dressed in a pair of jeans that look painted on and an oversized salmon colored shirt that hangs loosely off one shoulder. Her hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail, and her feet are bare, giving her an air of homeliness with just the right amount of sex appeal.
Jude hops off his stool and wraps my girl into a bear hug that lifts her straight off her feet. “I would never,” he says with feigned innocence, holding Tessa at arm’s length and looking her up and down. “Holy shit, Miss Davidson. I know we haven’t seen each other since I was a pimple-faced pre-teen but, dayaaaam. Looks like time’s been kind to the both of us.”
Tessa giggles, throwing me a look that suggests the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I grunt and refocus on getting dinner on the table, running a knife through the casserole to divide it into equal pieces.
“I have to say it, though. I’m a little disappointed.”
Tessa’s brows pinch in confusion. “How so?”
“I thought you were smart to leave this redneck town in your rearview. So why the fuck are you back here?”
“It wasn’t by choice. My mom’s sick. Breast cancer.”
“Shit,” Jude’s expression is sympathetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Tessa lifts a shoulder as she pours herself a glass of white wine. “It is what it is. The prognosis is good, so I’m trying to stay positive.”
Jude gladly accepts the beer I’m holding out and wastes no time twisting the cap off.
“That’s good news. Doesn’t explain what you’re doing with this caveman, though. Let me guess,” he says before anyone can get a word in. “You got a front-row seat to the Megan and Carter fairytale and thought to yourself, hey, why not get back together with someone who wouldn’t mind knocking me up every other year?”
Utterly unperturbed by my muttered, “Asshole,” he continues.
“So, tell me, Tessa. Are you ready for that white picket fence, the permanent pregnant belly, and the bone-deep exhaustion that comes hand in hand with raising a pack of feral kids? Not to mention the saggy boobs and the overbearing husband expecting dinner and a blowjob every night?”
“Jesus Christ, Jude,” I bite out, absolutely mortified by his lack of social skills. “How about you sit back down and eat? Might help keep that overzealous trap shut for a bit. You really have no filter, do you?”
Tessa produces a very unladylike snort and follows suit, pulling herself up onto a bar stool beside him. “You don’t even realize how alike you are, do you?”
I throw her an affronted look. “I was never that bad.”
Tessa gives a loud, “Ha,” and I decide to let it go when I see the sheer delight on her face. She’s having a good time, and I don’t mind taking a few blows to the old ego if it keeps her smiling like that.
Over the course of dinner, I can’t help but notice her stealing glances at Jude with an almost awestruck expression. I tilt my head and watch him inhale his food like he’s been raised in a barn. Barely taking the time to chew, he produces a slew of obnoxious slurping noises that make me want to rip my own ears off just to escape them. It’s at that moment I realize I’ll most likely never understand what it is about my brother that seems to enthrall every woman of childbearing age.
“Alright,” I snap, leaning back in my seat and regarding her with a bewildered expression. “Why do you keep staring at him?”
