Page 101 of Branded
My throat spasmed.
I glanced at Smitty, saw his face had gone pale, his expression stark.
“You’re seriously holding a grudge about not making a team years ago?” I asked, bracing when Brandon’s gaze whipped to mine, lips parting. “And is where you are now so bad?” A swallow. “You know what Smitty told me before we came to dinner? How proud of you he is,” I said before he could interject. “He was so freaking excited that you just got the job at a Fortune 500 company, talked my ear off about how proud he was of you.”
The venom began to leak out of Brandon’s face.
But I wasn’t done.
The words kept coming.
“And this night, when you’re meeting me, something he’s excited to share. Not that I’m this amazing treasure?—”
“You are.”
I glanced to the side, saw Smitty’s eyes glimmering.
“You are,” he said again.
“You are, too,” I whispered, reaching forward and covering his hand with my own. “And you’re smart and funny and the man I love.” I glanced back at Brandon. “So, before you start bringing up shit that should have been left in the past more than ten years ago, you should think about the kind, generous man who’s sitting here with us, of his pride in you.” A breath. “And you should consider that he might worry about his own worth, about all those things you mentioned as faults, about being a disappointment, and how hard he works to not be one.” My eyes narrowed. “Because, for some damned reason, he wants to impress you.”
Brandon was ghost white.
But I pressed on.
“Then you should think about who the real disappointment is.”
Twenty-Seven
Smitty
“Excuse me,” Kailey said, releasing my hand and hopping down from her barstool.
A second later, she was hurrying across the bar floor, disappearing down the hall.
Her disappearing out of sight had me finally unsticking.
My feet hit the floor, and I started after her when my mom caught my arm.
“We’ll take care of the bill. And”—her face clouded—“your brother. Will you ask Kailey if we can try this again? Promise her that it’ll be without a side of the bullshit?”
I took a breath, released it slowly. “Yeah, Mom.”
Her hand hit the side of my neck, squeezed lightly. “Also, for the record, you should marry the girl.”
My lips turned up. “Already planning on it.”
“I’m—” A squeeze before she released my hand. “I’ve never been disappointed in you, baby,” she whispered. “I know you have to go after your girl, but I need you to know that I’ve always loved you for the man you are. The kind, selfless, bright, and wonderful person you are defines you, not how easily you can read some letters on a page.”
Shit.
Now my eyes were burning.
My stare caught my dad’s as I moved from the table, snagging Kailey’s jacket and purse. “Go,” my dad mouthed, “we’ll talk later.”
“I—” Brandon began.
“Not fucking doing this right now, man,” I said.
