Page 10 of Changing Lanes

Unfortunately, I already know the answer to both: yes. He plans on doing both. Thoroughly. Just like Tysen did in his underhanded I’m not a threat until you make me one type of way.

And when the next brother down the line comes to visit, he’ll do the same, too. They’re all the same.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“They’re probably not even here, you know? They work.”

“Where?”

My eyes roll on their own, I swear.

“Some new garage,” I say, remembering my interview with them there. It was nice. Really nice. They both own it with their old roommate apparently. Everyone working there knew their shit when I scoped it out while waiting on the tallest one to finish a job. Honestly, they probably don’t even price gouge their customers. Fraud tends to happen when the lips spewing it are as clueless as the ones devouring it and I doubt anyone within those walls is thirsting for lies, not when their skills speak for themselves.

I open the front door, dropping my backpack full of my scrubs and stethoscope on the floor.

Jesse whistles behind me and I spin to see him checking out the new digs.

“Right? Fully furnished. And they actually have decent taste, unlike the hooligans I grew up with.”

He shoves me as I pass to the bathroom making me laugh, then I take my time washing my hands and face. The repurposed whiskey bottle used as a soap dispenser is my favorite thing in the blank canvas that is my new bathroom. Excuse me, shared bathroom. The thought of Beckett and I showering in the same space—separately, of course—sends tiny chills along my arms. His big, naked body lathering up where my naked body lathers up.

My eyes land on his body wash. The scent is faint, thankfully, but it’s there. It’s everywhere. A mix of wood and vanilla, earthy yet sweet, the notes tease my nose and I lose the battle, inhaling deeply. The moisture hanging thick in the air hints at his recent shower and my face heats at the images now flashing through my mind.

I find Jesse asleep on the worn brown leather couch when I return to the living room. Ah, the joys of being a man and not having any reservations about falling asleep in a strange place.

Why is he so tired though? He doesn’t even work nights.

I watch him for a while, just staring at my big brother, and wondering what else I need to do to get our family back in order. When will we be normal again?

When were we ever?

Technically, we’ve never been normal with enough boys in the house to start a sports team but that didn’t matter to me. I loved them. I love them. I love us as a family of differently cut pieces standing together as a whole.

Without our mom, the most important piece, we’re sliding further and further apart. I can only hope we find our way back to each other. And soon.

Shaking my head, I lay a blanket over his sleeping form then head to my room to do the same.

CHAPTER 4

Paige

I toss the lettuce, smothering it with the homemade Italian dressing before distributing it evenly between two plates. Jesse pretends to gag so I add more to his, piling it high. The brief smile I catch is worth the curse word that follows. At twenty-seven years old, you’d think he’d be out of his vegetable hating phase. He’ll be fine eating one salad.

I think.

“Can you drop me back at work?” I ask, eyeing his fork as he pushes around his heavily-coated lettuce with it.

Waking up from a restless sleep filled with vanilla scented woods, I came out to find Jesse watching TV like he owned the joint. I made him help me with the box of DVDs I haven’t had time to unpack yet before getting myself a shower and making us dinner.

We haven’t spent this much time together in a long time and I don’t want it to end.

“I can’t. I have plans.”

My lips dip as I rush to hide my face.

“You do? Like a date?”

Growing up, I knew Jesse had girlfriends but he never spoke about them or brought any around. The boys were relentless in giving him shit but he’d never waver. He was always putting Mom’s needs first and often forgot to be a kid himself.