Page 39 of Mine For The Winter

Kris shrugged. “We all got allocated somebody at work. We finished a huge deal that caused us a lot of stress, but made us even more money and the CEO insisted that we all have somebody to talk to.”

“Really?” Gabe frowned. “Like mandated therapy?”

“Not really. We got six sessions. I booked some more after.” Kris shifted in his chair. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Of course it is,” North said. “You’re the brother who never talks to any of us. And now you’re talking to a stranger?”

“Laura isn’t a stranger. She’s a licensed psychotherapist.”

“Your shrink is a she?”

Kris rolled his eyes. “Yes. And she’s excellent at what she does.”

“And she told you to come here?”

“Not in so many words. I just kind of talked and talked and she pointed out the pattern to what I do. I realized I needed to do something about it.”

“What kind of pattern?”

“That I can’t hold down a relationship. That I avoid people to stop from being hurt.”

“But you got engaged. Nearly adopted a kid.” Gabe frowned.

Kris swallowed hard, because that episode wasn’t one he was proud of. It had happened years ago, when he thought it was time to settle down. He’d moved in with his girlfriend and her daughter.

And yeah, he didn’t hold down that relationship either.

“I’ve apologized to Melissa. She’s married with another kid now.” And he was happy for her. When he’d seen her last month she’d been glowing.

“So now you’re here because your therapist thinks you should be. Why?” Gabe ran his finger around the top of his soda can.

“To see my brothers for a start.” Kris gave them a sheepish look. “I shouldn’t have left you like I did. Or stayed away so long. I shouldn’t have left so fast that you could barely blink and I wasn’t here anymore. And then I wasn’t here when Grandma died and you needed me.”

Gabe and North gaped at him, surprised. But they weren’t as surprised as he was. Maybe their newfound ability to tap into their feelings was rubbing off on him.

“Don’t be an idiot. You’ve always been around. You help out when you can. There’s no rule that says just because your last name is Winter you should stay in this town for the rest of your life.” North shrugged.

“He’s right,” Gabe said. “You get to live your life any way you want it. I’m just glad you’re here now.”

He should have known they’d forgive him. Damn, he loved these two lumpheads. “Thanks,” he muttered.

“It was never us you needed to talk to,” North said. “Was it?”

“What do you mean?” Kris asked, his brows pulled tight.

“I mean it was always Kelly. She was the reason you left. The reason you didn’t come back, right?”

Gabe looked from North to Kris. “You’re not Cole’s dad, are you?” he asked, “Because that’d be whack.”

Kris frowned. Where the hell had that come from? “No I’m not. And if I was his dad, I would have never left the way I did. He’s Lyle’s.”

A cry came out from the nursery and North stood and rolled his shoulders. “Duty calls,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

When he left, Gabe turned to Kris. “I don’t really get what you and North are talking about.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Kris shook his head. “It’s old history. You were probably off snowboarding or something.”

Gabe grinned. “Probably. But take it from me, whatever’s bothering you, you need to sort out. I learned that the hard way. I nearly lost Nicole because I wouldn’t tell her how I felt.”

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