Page 36 of Two Sticky Nuts

“Rock bottom.” He shakes his head in disgust. “Logan’s taken everything from me, Mila. Everything. He even turned my own mother against me. Do you know she’s dying and refuses to see me?”

“You mean the mother who died in a tragic squirrel uprising?”

Carter exhales. “I was joking around, Mila. No man wants to meet a woman and start dumping all his problems on her. Also, I wanted to see how you’d react.”

“That’s not the kind of topic one fabricates, Carter. What’s the matter with you? And don’t start lying again. Logan told me you’re the one who doesn’t want to see your mom.”

“That isn’t true,” he protests.

“Why would he lie?”

“Because he wants to turn you against me, too. He won’t stop until I’m reduced to rubble.”

This doesn’t make any sense. “Why?”

“I fucked his fiancée.”

“Huh?”

Carter raises his chin. “That’s right. I did it. I’m not proud, but I won’t lie to you, Mila. She and I became friends, as any brother should with a person who’s about to become a member of the family. Then one night, Logan was traveling on business, and I happened to be in town between projects. She called, asked to meet up, and we had a few drinks. When she hit on me, I should’ve said no. But I didn’t. And I’ve lived the last five years regretting it.”

Even if there’s nothing in his voice tipping me off to his story being a lie, I don’t believe a word he’s saying, Bottom line? Carter is the one who’s been acting shady—like telling me he has an older brother.

Sorry, guy, but ten minutes older doesn’t really count. He’s your dang twin.Also, Carter stole, lied, damaged my car, and took off. Logan showed up, wanted to help, and took me to dinner. He took an interest in my life. Plus, he doesn’t come off as a fucking basket case. All signs point to Logan being the honest one.

“Tell me why Logan punched you,” I say.

Carter draws a slow breath through his nose. “Because I hit him first.”

“I didn’t see any marks on his face.”

“I hit his stomach,” he replies.

“Why did you hit him?” I ask.

“Because…because he called you a trailer-park whore. I hit him. He hit me back. Bob called security.”

My jaw falls open and kinda stays there for a minute. It’s such an outrageous, horrible thing to say that I don’t know how to react. It’s the kind of thing I find difficult to hear, true or untrue.

But is Carter just trying to poison the well? Or is Logan really this absolutely ruthless dickhead? Wolf in sheep’s clothing.

He did show up an hour late to dinner, I tell myself. Then again, he’s tried to make sure Carter’s messes don’t become my messes.

“So you were both in Bob’s room?” I ask. “The Bobsled Bob who just had a heart attack?”

“Yes,” Carter replies.

“The Bob who’s in the same hospital as your mother, who refuses to see you.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. If you’re telling the truth, then let’s go see Bob right now. He can back up your story.”

Carter’s swollen face suddenly looks like an even bigger train wreck, a brighter shade of red. His eyes close, and the sobs pour from his mouth. “Bob is dead.”

“Bob is dead?”

“He got so upset when Logan and I were going at it, he went into cardiac arrest again. The doctors tried to revive him, but it didn’t work. I feel like it’s all my fault, Mila. But it was Logan. He hated Bob ever since Bob took my side five years ago after I slept with Logan’s fiancée.”

---