Page 14 of Forsaken Trail (Runaway 4)

“Yes.” August fist-pumped and grinned at me.

I gave him a wink.

August had four piggy banks, more than any kid needed, but each had a purpose. One was for his birthday money. One was for money he found himself, like pennies and dimes discarded on sidewalks. The third was for his weekly allowance. Clara paid him five dollars a week to make his bed each morning and pick up his toys at night. And the fourth, the most recent addition, was for money he took off Brody and occasionally Clara when one of them slipped and swore in his presence.

Last night when he’d given me the full tour of his room, showing me everything new he’d acquired since my last visit, he’d made sure to give each of the banks a hefty shake.

The bad-word piggy had by far the most change.

“Okay, kid.” Brody gave August a fist bump. “I’d better get out of here. I’m all out of quarters.”

“Or you could stop saying bad words,” I said.

That comment earned me a death glare over his shoulder, but when he touched the tip of August’s nose, it was with a warm, genuine smile. Brody’s affection for August was his only redeeming quality.

That, and the way he looked in a tux.

Even I had to admit he looked delicious. The suit wrapped around his broad shoulders and encased his strong arms. His slacks molded to his thick legs and muscled behind. The trimmed beard added a rough edge to his otherwise smooth, classy appearance. And the tie . . . I wasn’t going to admit that I wanted to untie it with my teeth.

He was infuriating and arrogant. But damn . . . there were very adult words and scenarios running through my mind. If August had any clue what I was thinking, I’d fill that piggy bank to its ears.

My cheeks flushed. A flare of desire coursed through my veins. Any other man, and I’d be a puddle of lust by the end of the night. But this was Brody. All I had to do was wait until he opened his mouth to speak and he’d turn me off entirely.

“Have fun,” Clara said as Brody returned to the driver’s side of his car.

“Not likely,” I muttered.

“Then have . . . er”—she looked between the two of us—“safe travels.”

“Save me some pizza,” I said when she came over for a hug.

Clara was a hugger. She hugged her hellos. She hugged her goodbyes. She hugged everything in between. When we’d split apart, it was the one thing I’d missed most. Conversations we could have over the phone, but they were no replacement for a rib-cracking hug.

I’d found myself giving more hugs when she wasn’t around, simply because I’d missed them from her.

“Thank you for doing this,” she whispered.

“For you? Anything.” I let her go and waved goodbye to August.

I slid into the car, surprised to find the leather seat cool to the touch. Someone had come out here and started the engine to let the air-conditioning run. I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t even that hot outside, but heaven forbid Brody break a sweat.

He climbed in behind the wheel, but he didn’t pull out of the drive. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because Clara asked me to.”

Beyond the windshield, my sister took August’s hand and the two of them walked down the driveway toward their house. She was still in her sweats from this morning. Her hair was a mess and her eyes tired. But she hid it as best she could for her son. She smiled and swung his hand beside her hip, taking him home, where they’d probably cuddle on the couch watching cartoons until it was pizza time.

“You hate me,” Brody said.

When I turned to face him, his green eyes were waiting.

Brody’s eyes were the first thing I’d noticed about him years ago. They were disarming. They were almost too bright to be real. The green was a spiral of shades from lime to hunter. It was all held together by a ring of sable around the iris. They always reminded me of a patch of creeping Jenny snaking its way through moss on a summer day.

“Yes, I do.” I hated Brody. I’d been hating him for years. “But I love Clara more than I hate you. Apparently, this wedding is important. And if I didn’t go, she would have.”

He blew out a deep breath, facing forward. “It is. Important.”

“Then let’s go.”