The Langfield Brothers: Box Set

31. Brooks

THIRTY-ONE

brOOKS

Me: I need an excuse for why we can’t go to mom’s for dinner tomorrow.

Aiden: I got nothing.

Gavin: Everything okay?

Beckett: Already done. Finn broke Dad’s whiskey decanter with the Nerf gun last time we were there.

Me: Tell that kid I’ll buy him whatever he wants this week as a thank you.

Beckett: Yeah, no. We don’t need any more animals in this house.

Gavin: Oh, you know you miss Junior.

Beckett: I can’t wait until you have kids.

Gavin: LOL never happening. You are having more than enough kids for the rest of us.

Beckett: Duck you.

Me: I’m coming over tomorrow. I need advice.

Aiden: Finn does give great advice.

Gavin: Aiden, you’re an idiot. Brooks, I’ll ask again. You okay?

Me: No.

Aiden: I’ll be right over.

Beckett: Let him be. I’ll see you all tomorrow? We can take DOG to the park with Finn. And Brooks, you can snuggle Addie. She makes everything better. If that doesn’t help, then we can make friendship bracelets with Winnie.

I shake my head and read that last text again. It’s insane to think that’s who my older brother has become. And yet, beneath the hard CEO persona he wore for so long, he’s always been caring and attentive. And he’s always been so damn aware of what the people around him need.

For most of my life, I thought my uncle had taught me to be a good person, but the more distance I put between myself and him, the more I see that the lessons that really shaped me all happened at home.

Maybe Sara is right. Maybe Seb had nothing to do with the parts of me she loves. He molded me into the athlete I am, sure. But the nice guy, the one who smiles at everyone, the guy who genuinely enjoys life? I can still be him in spite of Seb, not because of him. And more importantly, I think I want to be that guy for Sara. And for me.

Gavin: Ha! So you admit you named him DOG? And cuddles with Addie sound perfect. I’m in. Brooks, call me if you need me.

Aiden: Same.

Me: Thanks guys. I’ll see you tomorrow.

“And that, Uncle Gav, is how you tie the bracelet off.” Winnie holds up the blue and gray beaded bracelet that says Best Uncle .

I snatch it from her hand before Gavin can accept it. “Thanks, Bear,” I say with a cheeky smile. Beckett gave her the nickname when he met her, and it stuck.

We’ve been through the whole list of Beckett’s suggestions. We spent the afternoon at the park letting Beckett’s mutt of a best friend chase the squirrels while Finn chased him. I got in some good snuggles with Addie before she went down for a nap, and now bracelet-making time is over.

Liv and Dylan are in the kitchen making dinner. Dylan’s husband Cortney is snuggled up with his baby girl on the couch, and Beckett is set up in his favorite armchair. The two of them are chatting baseball. The season is over, but they’re already making plans for next year.

Aiden has disappeared with Finn and Liam, Dylan’s teenage son. I don’t even want to know what kind of prank they’re planning.

Finn jabbered on about how he took over as king of pranks when they moved out of the brownstone from hell—Beckett’s words, not mine—and Liam shot Beckett a look. Probably because of the curse the six-year-old so naturally uttered along with his declaration.

Beckett shook his head. “I already paid Finn for that slip. I’m not paying you because he repeated it.”

Winnie giggles, her freckled cheeks going rosy. “I’ll make three more Best Uncle bracelets. But I’ll use fire colors for Uncle Dec’s.”

I bite back a groan. I always forget that there’s another uncle to contend with. Liv’s brother still lives in their hometown and is the local fire chief.

Winnie darts out of the room and clomps up the stairs, probably in search of more beads.

Thankful for the break from bracelet-making, I slump back in my chair at the dining room table.

“You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Gavin doesn’t look away from the bracelet he’s making. Oddly, this one says Peaches .

“Might as well call the rest of them in so I don’t have to tell this story seventeen times.” I push back and balance on two chair legs, then I let out a whistle. “Beckett, can you come here?”

Cortney stands, cradling his sleeping daughter on his chest. “I’m going to put her down and see if Dylan and Liv need help with dinner.” He winks at me, then heads out. The man has an uncanny ability to read the room, so I have no doubt he understands my need for privacy. I appreciate it. I need their advice, and in order to get it, I’m going to have to open up. But I’d rather keep the details of the situation in the family.

Sara’s relationship with Seb is her secret, not mine, so I avoid that issue and stick to the ones that involve me. I explain how Coach caught us fooling around and how I got into a fight with him over it. I keep some of the details vague, since Seb’s official story is that he tripped and fell and that’s why he’s sporting a broken nose.

The way Gavin’s eyes narrow on me makes it clear he’s reading between the lines, but I continue on.

“Anyway, I didn’t handle it well. After the fight with Seb, I pulled back. He never should have seen her in that position. I shouldn’t have put her in that damn position. And now she’s worried that her job isn’t secure. She was upset and afraid that she took things too far with me. And because of the way I acted, she’s worried that she’ll be left in the cold.”

Gavin lets out a low whistle.

“I’m speaking to my brother, by the way,” I say pointedly. “Not to the owner of the team or her boss.”

Gavin juts his chin. “That’s a given. As your brother, I love seeing the two of you together. And as your boss and hers, I’m all for it. The fans love it too. Obviously we’d all prefer that you’re dressed when we see you together, but I think Beckett’s with me when I say that sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment and do stupid things.”

Beckett smirks. “I never do anything stupid.”

“Conning your drunk employee into marrying you in Vegas isn’t stupid?” Liv asks as she walks into the dining room.

“No. It was the most brilliant thing I’ve ever done.” He pats his lap, signaling for her to join him.

With a laugh and shake of her head, she slips into the seat beside him. He, of course, tugs her closer and rests a gentle hand on her stomach.

Gavin clears his throat and plants his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. “This shit with Seb—it gonna be okay?”

“Not if he keeps treating Sara like she’s a puck bunny,” I say, clasping my hands on the table in front of me.

Liv sucks in a shocked breath. “He said that?”

“He did,” Gavin answers for me. “I heard it the night she ended up on the ice while Brooks did push-ups.”

Beckett grimaces. “And you didn’t say anything to him?”

Gavin waves his hand. “Sara glossed over his comment. She called Lennox over, and I got distracted. But obviously shit like that doesn’t fly. What does he have against her?”

I lower my head and survey my Best Uncle bracelet. Dammit, I hate lying to my brothers, but I refuse to spill Sara’s secrets. “He thinks she’s a distraction.”

“Is she?” Beckett asks.

I tip my chin up and glare at him. “Yes. Just like Liv is for you.” Then I turn to Liv and soften my tone. “A good distraction. I can do my job and have a girlfriend. I just, ah—” An annoyed breath escapes me. “I’m screwing it up with her. Seb said those things, and then War meant well, but something he said got in my head. And…I don’t know. I just figured a little distance would be best. Give me a chance to clear my head. But now she thinks I don’t care about her.”

Beckett nods. “Open communication is key. As are dates. That’s always been my rule.”

“Yup,” Liv agrees, sitting straighter. “Friday night date nights. They were his requirement when we were fake married.”

“It was never fake,” Beckett grumbles. “See that ring on your finger? It’s been there since the day you became my wife.”

She presses her lips together but can’t hide her smile. “I love riling him up.”

Squinting, I assess my oldest brother. “So you forced Liv to go on dates with you, and that’s how you got her to fall for you?”

Beckett’s face darkens, and he pitches forward. “Watch what you’re suggesting.”

Liv laughs beside him. “Yes. It was his only rule. I had many.”

I arch a brow. “Any good ones?”

“He had to watch the kids on Thursdays. No PDA. No kissing.”

Head tipped back, I bark out a laugh. “Those are awful.”

The growl that Beckett lets out practically rattles the table. “Telling me.”

Liv smiles. “Not awful. Because when he did all those things, I knew that he genuinely wanted to. That it wasn’t just a PR stunt to him.”

Beckett weaves his fingers with Liv’s and squeezes her hand. “I always wanted you.”

“I know that now, baby.” She bumps his shoulder with hers. “I didn’t know it then, though. And it was hard to believe. We’d worked together for years, and he never said anything.”

“You were married,” Gavin quips, but he quickly slams his lips shut when Beckett glowers at him.

“You want to show Sara you care about her?” Liv asks, keeping the conversation on track.

“Yeah, this week was stressful for me, and I didn’t handle it well. I think she took it personally.”

“I did too.” Gavin scoots in closer, back to steepling his fingers in front of him.

Liv frowns at him with a disapproving look she usually reserves for her husband.

He holds up his hands. “What? It’s my damn team that’s playing like shit. I take it personally.”

Aiden snorts from the doorway, then saunters in and drops into a chair across from me. “Then throw on a pair of skates and get out on the ice. Score the damn goals for us.”

“Or block them,” I challenge.

Gavin shakes his head. “I’m just saying that I get where Sara is coming from. You are all broody motherfuckers?—”

“Thousand dollars, Uncle Gav.”I swear Finn’s voice echoes from the vents in the room.

“You should pay for my curses, since it’s your mother ducking fault.” Gavin pulls out his wallet and hands it to Beckett to take out the cash.

My oldest brother counts out the hundreds loudly, then calls his son in. “Huck, it’s all here!”

Finn darts into the room, snatches the cash, and nods at Gavin. “Pleasure doing business with ya.” Then he’s gone.

Liv just closes her eyes and shakes her head. Probably silently calling us a bunch of idiots. She wouldn’t be wrong.

“Do you need help coming up with date ideas?” Aiden wiggles in his seat like an excitable puppy. “Because seriously, I am an epic planner.”

I settle back against my chair and close my eyes. For a long minute, I replay all their comments and suggestions. I need to show Sara that I’m still the guy I was when we were just friends. That no matter what our label, she’ll always be my girl. Regardless of how things progress with us, I won’t get weird again. I need to open up to her. “Nah,” I say, hit with the perfect idea. “I know exactly what I want to do.”