Writing On The Wall (The King Brothers Duology #2)

Chapter 46

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

IVY

The top of my thighs tingle as the sun continues to warm them through the glass wall. Gran’s chair squeaks beside me while we rock our wicker chairs in the solarium.

“I’m so glad you redid this little room. It’s everything I always dreamed it could be,” she says, smiling softly at the little additions and updates.

My eyes sweep over the thrifted Persian rug and the abundance of potted plants, the latter all gifted from Gail and Opal. Each plant is carefully positioned for optimal happiness. A smile spreads across my face as I glance at the chandelier hanging above us—the one Ethan wouldn’t let me hang, even though I tried to do it myself, anyway. At least there were no major injuries, and now it’s up and shining beautifully.

The low bookshelves lining two of the walls have a small growing collection of books. In the past I mostly listened to audiobooks, but I find myself liking the real thing better now that Ethan is around to read to me. “It’s my favorite room,” I sigh, closing my eyes and leaning back, lulled by the motion of my chair .

The room is filled with the melodic chirping of birds and the gentle creaking of our chairs as we relax, soaking in the serene afternoon.

“Now, tell me about this Toby business, honey. You were never dating?” Gran raises one eyebrow, straightening to sip her sweet tea.

A snort escapes before I sit up and explain how my small, fake-dating fib ended up spiraling out of control. By the time I’m done, Gran shoulder’s are shaking at how I let things get carried away in my mind. “Toby actually just started dating another teacher at our school,” I add. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth, though. I should have trusted you.”

“I forgive you, Ivy June. But I think there’s something else we should discuss, too,” she says, leaning over to grab my hand. “You’ve been holding yourself back ‘cause of your struggles. But now that everything’s out in the open, are you finally ready to take the plunge and go after your dreams?”

A crease forms between my brows as I struggle to speak. My lips move, attempting to form words, but the exposure sends a swarm of anxiety through my stomach, stealing my voice.

“I’ve seen your interest over the years, sweetheart. How you can’t ask the occupational therapist at the retirement village enough questions. I remember the college applications you’d spend hours staring at in your senior year of high school. And I’ll bet you’re still curious about studying O.T.” She lets out a short chuckle as her kind eyes roam my face. “You’re a lot like your Pop, you know that? He struggled with dyslexia, although it didn’t have a name back then. But I knew his mind worked differently.”

“I…I didn’t know that,” I breathe.

“I didn’t realize it was something a person could get help for till much later. I should have spoken to your parents about it when you were a child. The problem with this family is we don’t talk about things enough. But I’m not too old to change that, starting now.” Warm wrinkled hands grasp mine lovingly. Gran shifts so she’s facing me, her crystal blue eyes moving closer. “As long as you promise to look your fears in the face and figure out how to make your dream come true, despite your challenges.”

For the first time, the idea she’s nudging me toward doesn’t feel like something insurmountable. It’s still daunting as hell, but the past few months have helped me shed some of the misconceptions I’ve held about my abilities and self-worth, and I’ve learned to truly love myself. I glance down at my feet to admire the Crocs I now wear comfortably and confidently. These purple monstrosities are just a small symbol of how I’ve become more confident in my skin. I actually believe that I can pursue these scary things now, despite knowing it’ll still be difficult. But I know there’s help out there, and I’m not afraid of accepting it anymore.

I dab at the tear that rolls down my cheek, giving Gran a watery smile. “Yeah. I think I’m gonna do it.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispers into my hair as she wraps me up in a tight hug. Then she pulls away and cups my face with her hands. “You’re so brave,” she adds, smiling warmly. “Now. Tell me about Ethan before he gets back. That man is smitten with you, by the way. He looks at you the way my Oliver looked at me.”

“I wish they could’ve met.” I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “Ethan is amazing. But believe it or not, we couldn’t stand each other in the beginning,” I say over a bubble of laughter.

Gran nods, pointing a finger my way. “That’s how you know you’ll always have passion in your relationship. Did you know your Pop and I were engaged a week after we met? A month later we eloped. Best decision I ever made,” she tells me, her tone wistful.

“No way! I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, I knew right away that he was one of the good ones. Ethan is, too. Now come on, I wanna know how he swept you off your feet.”

The sun continues to move slowly across my thighs, the ice in our teas melting as I recap how Ethan and I got to where we are now.

“I wonder where he is,” I lift my wrist, checking the time. “He wouldn’t tell me what he was up to today. Just said if it went well, he’d have a surprise for us.”

“ Us ?” She lifts a brow. “Well, now I’m intrigued.”

“Hey, Vee.”

“Ross?” I gasp, turning to find Ethan and my brother filling the doorway of the sun room.

“Ethan…Wh—what are…uh…what’s going on?” I stammer, getting out of my chair.

“Hey, babe, let’s sit.” He smiles, placing a kiss on my cheek before ushering us to the kitchen table. Ross rubs the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact as we take our seats. Gran carries our empty glasses to the counter before pulling two more from the shelf.

Ethan sits next to me, scooting his chair closer before propping one foot on his knee. He interlaces our fingers over the table, a hint of pride in his expression as he nods toward Ross.

Ross clears his throat, finally lifting his eyes to meet mine. “Vee, I know words aren’t enough right now, that I’ll need to back them up with my actions. But I want to say I’m sorry for taking advantage of our relationship for so long.”

My heart thuds in my chest, eyes bouncing to everyone in the room. Gran places a fresh glass of tea in front of each of us and rests a palm on Ross’s shoulder, giving him a squeeze and a pat as she passes him. She finally takes a seat, and Ross continues.

“Ethan has paid off my debts?—”

My jaw lowers, and my brows pull together as I glance between Ethan and Ross. My first instinct is to apologize to Ethan for having fallen for Ross’s sob story and giving him a reason to get dragged into this mess in the first place. But Ethan made the decision to help Ross on his own, so all I can do is trust him and allow my brother the opportunity to earn back some of my faith in him.

Ethan squeezes my hand before picking up where Ross left off. “I’d like to think of it as more of a loan, since my help includes a few conditions. Ross has agreed to get help for his gambling and also get assessed for dyslexia. He’s also going to work for me so he can pay back some of his debt while he gets back on his feet, at least until he decides what he wants to do with his life.”

“And ‘till I can figure that out,” Ross continues with a soft smile toward Ethan, “I’ll be staying busy, using my hands, and making an honest living.” He clears his throat, his brows creasing as he lifts his eyes back to Ethan. “Thank you, man, for giving me a chance to fix my mess. I dunno where I’d be right now if you hadn’t helped me.” His fingers sweep under his eyes, and he clears his throat again as he pushes back tears. “You saved my life, Ethan.”

Ethan’s lips curl into a slight smile as he nods in response. Gran and I join in, our sniffles mingling with the sounds of our watery laughter. I take a moment to really look at the my brother. The tension that once weighed heavily on Ross’s soul and casted shadows over his eyes has lifted. Although I know he still has a long journey ahead of him, I feel my own burdens easing and being replaced by a renewed hope in my brother’s future .

“All right, enough blubbering,” Gran swats with her hand.

“Wait, I have something else for you ladies,” Ethan announces, walking to the living room. Gran gasps loudly, her hands covering her mouth when he returns with the music box in his hands. He gently places it on the table in front of her, and a soft “oh” escapes her lips.

Ross and I huddle behind Gran, sharing a smile as she opens the lid, her hands hovering reverently over the delicate flowers and little bird.

She cranks the handle, clapping when the bird begins to sing and flap its wings.

“Thank you,” I mouth to Ethan, and he returns a wink and a flash of his incredibly sexy grin. And suddenly, my biggest problem is having a boyfriend I find utterly irresistible. Well, that in addition to the fact that he knows it.