Page 5 of The Mistakes I've Made
“If it’s no big deal, then why are you chugging down caffeine like it’s whiskey?”
I looked down at my mostly empty coffee cup, realizing he was right. I was already in need of a refill.
“She wanted breakfast this morning.”
A smug smirk tugged at the corner of my brother’s stupid face before it quickly disappeared. He knew breakfast was the kiss of death in my book.
“Have you ever thought about maybe, one of these times, saying yes to breakfast? Obviously not with Sierra because of the wholeher Grandpops will kill youthing, but maybe someone else? It is just a meal after all.”
“No,” I answered immediately, finishing off my coffee.
“Jesus, Taylor. At least think it through.”
I shrugged and headed back to the coffeepot for a refill. “I don’t need to think it through. I’m perfectly happy with my current arrangement.”
He waited as I did my usual routine of copious amounts of creamer to coffee before speaking again, “You mean, you’re perfectly happy with banging every single tourist you meet and the occasional grandchild of a family friend even if it means possible dismemberment on your part.”
“Jimmy won’t hurt me,” I scoffed. “He’s the most lovable—”
“That guy was a fighter pilot in Vietnam. I’m pretty sure he got a medal for how many enemy planes he shot down. He’s a beast.”
“Really? Well, that’s…unsettling.”
“So, stop fucking his granddaughter then!”
“I am! I did, I mean. Remember, breakfast?”
He let out a huff. “Don’t you want to have something real with someone?”
“Like you and Cora?”
His smile softened at the mere mention of his wife. They’d been married less than a year, and they still had that glow about them. It was disgusting.
“Yeah,” he said.
Running my hands through my light-brown hair, I let his question sink in, giving it a few seconds of my time; he was my big brother after all.
“Not really,” I finally answered. “Honestly, I’m good, Dean. Stop trying to save me. I know, now that you’re all in love or whatever, you feel it’s your mission to make sure everyone else around you is just as happy as you are, but I’m really good. Promise.”
He eyed me warily.
“Besides, I seem to remember that not too long ago, the name on every young tourist’s lips was a different Sutherland brother entirely.”
“That was a long time ago,” he argued. “And let me tell you something; it got tiresome. The chase, the same boring conversation, the awkward morning after.”
“So, you thought it’d be a better idea to marry your best friend?”
His eyes narrowed as I mentally high-fived myself for that jab.
“It wasn’t my best decision, but thankfully, Molly and I came to our senses.”
Oh no, I wasn’t letting him off that easy.
“You mean, Jake came back to town and took what was rightfully his. Man, have you ever noticed how much drama this little town has going on? It’s like there’s a mini soap opera going on every time I turn around.”
“Yeah, weird,” he answered, clearly annoyed. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is—”
“What you’re trying to say is that your way—love and commitment and all that—is the best and, obviously, the only way. But here’s the thing, Dean. I’ve been handling things on my own for a while now. While you were recovering from your accident, I was busting my ass off, rebuilding this company like I had done time and time before that. So, don’t come in here and act all big brother on me like you did when we were kids. I love you; I do. But we’re past the age for love advice, okay?”
