Everywhere and Every Way
Page 67
They all nodded in agreement. And drank.
Cal wasn’t sure how much time passed before the silence was broken. It was as if by sharing the evening together, and the memories, the brick barrier between them began to soften and liquify. It also helped that they began to pass tipsy and hit the outside barrier of intoxication.
“Do you really think I’m like Dad?” Cal asked.
His brothers shared a meaningful look. Tristan finally spoke up. “Dad understood you the best, Cal. It was harder for Dalton and me to break into the secret club, and it seemed to get worse. Are you like Dad in a lot of ways? Yes. But you’re not cold. You’re a pain in the ass but not an asshole. Make sense?”
Actually, it did. Cal rolled the words over in his head. “I think you two were Mom’s favorites,” he said. “Dalton was the baby she doted on. And you, Tristan? She was always talking about how you reminded her of Great-Grandpa. Said you have vision and think outside the box.”
Dalton rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me this is gonna become a whinefest of who Mom loved more.”
Cal pushed his fingers through his hair. “Nah, I’m just telling the truth. No whining.”
Tristan shook his head. “You weren’t around when she was constantly telling me to be more like you. From your stupid grades to your work ethic. Drove me nuts.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Cal let the information settle into a good place. He hadn’t known that.
“I didn’t fuck Felicia,” Dalton announced.
Tristan groaned and took another sip. “Really, dude? Do we have to get into that again now?”
Dalton stared at him with pure stubbornness. “I know I deserved shit from Cal. I know I did it in the wrong way, too, but you never wanted to listen to my explanation.”
Cal let out a breath. “Fine. Go ahead. I’ve got a bottle of Jack and I can’t run away. Just tell me.”
“I caught Felicia with Jeff. They were making out in the woods.”
“Jeff Pallatin? My buddy from high school?”
Dalton nodded. “I freaked out, and when I confronted them, they swore to God it was a fluke and it would never happen again. She begged me not to tell you. Cried hysterically that you were the love of her life and one mistake shouldn’t destroy everything. The wedding was only a month away, and I didn’t know what to do.”
“You never told me about that,” Cal accused. “Why would you keep that from me?”
Dalton clenched his jaw. “I didn’t know whether to believe her! I was worried about you, and I thought if I could prove she was a cheater, I’d go to you with the information. I told her I’d keep her secret. I began to flirt with her, watching to see if she’d become uncomfortable or back off, but she came right at me, Cal. That night you walked in on us was the first time I kissed her. I needed to know she’d cheat before the wedding, with your own brother. I planned to go right to you and tell the truth, but you walked in on us and I never got to explain.”
Cal gritted his teeth and tried to sort through his rioting emotions. He’d been so hot for so long about his brother betraying him, it was hard to try to understand where Dalton had been coming from. Deep inside, hadn’t he worried Felicia wouldn’t be happy with one man? Mom said she liked her, but Cal spotted the worry in her gaze. Felicia was a glittering peacock who adored attention. She loved all the trappings Cal could give her. It had never really gone beyond the lust for money and the zeal of youth.
Dalton rubbed his head. “It was such a stupid idea. But I was only twenty-two, Cal. You rushed into the marriage after Mom died, and I was all fucked-up, thinking I was gonna be this hero and save you.”
Tristan cleared his throat. “I believe him, Cal,” he said quietly. “Dalton’s always been a man whore, but he wouldn’t cross that line. He’s also stupid enough to think that type of plan could work.”
Dalton groaned. “Thanks for nothing, bro. But it’s true. Looking back, I know I should’ve just told you straight up when I saw her kissing Jeff. Instead, I built this whole PI scenario and screwed everything up.”
How strange, after all these years of refusing to talk about the incident, that it was finally revealed in a dingy bar on the anniversary of his mother’s death. The wound that had festered for years broke open and oozed clean. The truth rang out in his brother’s voice. For the first time, Cal accepted the reality and realized though he’d screwed up, Dalton had never set out to seduce his fiancée. It was almost as if he could feel his mother’s presence wrapping around them, desperately trying to get them to listen to one another.
“I’m sorry, Cal. I really am.”
The apology struck home. Emotion clogged his throat, so he just nodded. His voice came out gruff. “Apology accepted.”
And then they sat awhile longer, not talking.
Morgan slammed the car door and trudged toward My Place. The sight of it made her shudder with bad memories, but she’d been all over Harrington and was running out of places. Her texts and calls went unanswered, and she couldn’t get ahold of Dalton or Tristan, either. Maybe Cal had sought haven in a bar more outside of the main town. She pushed open the door and stopped short. And stared at the sight before her.
Cal, Tristan, and Dalton sat on stools by the bar with two empty bottles of liquor. They were laughing. Tristan had his arm loosely wrapped around Dalton’s neck in a man hug, and Cal was scrunched forward close to his brothers, a huge grin curving his lips.
Without giving away her presence, Morgan stepped to the side and watched the amazing scene before her.
“They belong to you?” Raven motioned toward the men. Humor glinted in her dark eyes. “ ’Cause if so, you’re driving them home. They’re trashed, and I confiscated all their keys.”
Morgan smiled. Warmth flowed as Dalton gave Cal a noogie on the head. It was as if through their mutual pain, they had found each other again. “Yeah, I got them covered. What is it about men drowning their demons in alcohol?”
Raven shrugged. “Fastest way to silence them.” Her face hardened. Seems she had big secrets, too. “You’re not a hooker.”
The statement caused a flush to darken her skin. “No, I’m definitely not a hooker,” she retorted. “I’m hoping we can put that whole scene behind us and never bring it up again.”
Cal wasn’t sure how much time passed before the silence was broken. It was as if by sharing the evening together, and the memories, the brick barrier between them began to soften and liquify. It also helped that they began to pass tipsy and hit the outside barrier of intoxication.
“Do you really think I’m like Dad?” Cal asked.
His brothers shared a meaningful look. Tristan finally spoke up. “Dad understood you the best, Cal. It was harder for Dalton and me to break into the secret club, and it seemed to get worse. Are you like Dad in a lot of ways? Yes. But you’re not cold. You’re a pain in the ass but not an asshole. Make sense?”
Actually, it did. Cal rolled the words over in his head. “I think you two were Mom’s favorites,” he said. “Dalton was the baby she doted on. And you, Tristan? She was always talking about how you reminded her of Great-Grandpa. Said you have vision and think outside the box.”
Dalton rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me this is gonna become a whinefest of who Mom loved more.”
Cal pushed his fingers through his hair. “Nah, I’m just telling the truth. No whining.”
Tristan shook his head. “You weren’t around when she was constantly telling me to be more like you. From your stupid grades to your work ethic. Drove me nuts.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Cal let the information settle into a good place. He hadn’t known that.
“I didn’t fuck Felicia,” Dalton announced.
Tristan groaned and took another sip. “Really, dude? Do we have to get into that again now?”
Dalton stared at him with pure stubbornness. “I know I deserved shit from Cal. I know I did it in the wrong way, too, but you never wanted to listen to my explanation.”
Cal let out a breath. “Fine. Go ahead. I’ve got a bottle of Jack and I can’t run away. Just tell me.”
“I caught Felicia with Jeff. They were making out in the woods.”
“Jeff Pallatin? My buddy from high school?”
Dalton nodded. “I freaked out, and when I confronted them, they swore to God it was a fluke and it would never happen again. She begged me not to tell you. Cried hysterically that you were the love of her life and one mistake shouldn’t destroy everything. The wedding was only a month away, and I didn’t know what to do.”
“You never told me about that,” Cal accused. “Why would you keep that from me?”
Dalton clenched his jaw. “I didn’t know whether to believe her! I was worried about you, and I thought if I could prove she was a cheater, I’d go to you with the information. I told her I’d keep her secret. I began to flirt with her, watching to see if she’d become uncomfortable or back off, but she came right at me, Cal. That night you walked in on us was the first time I kissed her. I needed to know she’d cheat before the wedding, with your own brother. I planned to go right to you and tell the truth, but you walked in on us and I never got to explain.”
Cal gritted his teeth and tried to sort through his rioting emotions. He’d been so hot for so long about his brother betraying him, it was hard to try to understand where Dalton had been coming from. Deep inside, hadn’t he worried Felicia wouldn’t be happy with one man? Mom said she liked her, but Cal spotted the worry in her gaze. Felicia was a glittering peacock who adored attention. She loved all the trappings Cal could give her. It had never really gone beyond the lust for money and the zeal of youth.
Dalton rubbed his head. “It was such a stupid idea. But I was only twenty-two, Cal. You rushed into the marriage after Mom died, and I was all fucked-up, thinking I was gonna be this hero and save you.”
Tristan cleared his throat. “I believe him, Cal,” he said quietly. “Dalton’s always been a man whore, but he wouldn’t cross that line. He’s also stupid enough to think that type of plan could work.”
Dalton groaned. “Thanks for nothing, bro. But it’s true. Looking back, I know I should’ve just told you straight up when I saw her kissing Jeff. Instead, I built this whole PI scenario and screwed everything up.”
How strange, after all these years of refusing to talk about the incident, that it was finally revealed in a dingy bar on the anniversary of his mother’s death. The wound that had festered for years broke open and oozed clean. The truth rang out in his brother’s voice. For the first time, Cal accepted the reality and realized though he’d screwed up, Dalton had never set out to seduce his fiancée. It was almost as if he could feel his mother’s presence wrapping around them, desperately trying to get them to listen to one another.
“I’m sorry, Cal. I really am.”
The apology struck home. Emotion clogged his throat, so he just nodded. His voice came out gruff. “Apology accepted.”
And then they sat awhile longer, not talking.
Morgan slammed the car door and trudged toward My Place. The sight of it made her shudder with bad memories, but she’d been all over Harrington and was running out of places. Her texts and calls went unanswered, and she couldn’t get ahold of Dalton or Tristan, either. Maybe Cal had sought haven in a bar more outside of the main town. She pushed open the door and stopped short. And stared at the sight before her.
Cal, Tristan, and Dalton sat on stools by the bar with two empty bottles of liquor. They were laughing. Tristan had his arm loosely wrapped around Dalton’s neck in a man hug, and Cal was scrunched forward close to his brothers, a huge grin curving his lips.
Without giving away her presence, Morgan stepped to the side and watched the amazing scene before her.
“They belong to you?” Raven motioned toward the men. Humor glinted in her dark eyes. “ ’Cause if so, you’re driving them home. They’re trashed, and I confiscated all their keys.”
Morgan smiled. Warmth flowed as Dalton gave Cal a noogie on the head. It was as if through their mutual pain, they had found each other again. “Yeah, I got them covered. What is it about men drowning their demons in alcohol?”
Raven shrugged. “Fastest way to silence them.” Her face hardened. Seems she had big secrets, too. “You’re not a hooker.”
The statement caused a flush to darken her skin. “No, I’m definitely not a hooker,” she retorted. “I’m hoping we can put that whole scene behind us and never bring it up again.”
