by Jenny Penn
Patton smiled and raised her glass as she settled down into her own seat. “Here is to irritating the crap out of the men we love.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Angie tapped her glass against Patton’s as they both ignored Casey, who appeared to be brooding in the corner. “Though I would point out that, at least, you’re getting compensated while I’m still making do with a plastic vibrator.”
That had Patton giggling as she offered Angie up the same assurance every other woman ever had. “Trust me, real dick is so much better.”
“Only if it’s the right dick,” Angie corrected.
“I’ll drink to that.”
Angie kind of thought Patton would drink to just about anything if it meant emptying Chase’s bottle. That wasn’t why she was there, though. As much as she might love Patton, Angie hadn’t come over just to catch up. She had an ulterior motive.
“So…Brett and Michael are coming home finally, huh?” Angie pointedly steered the conversation in the direction she wanted it to go.
“Yep.” Patton nodded. “You now stand the chance of becoming a real woman, virgin. That is if you can convince the two biggest sluts I’ve ever met to give up their roaming ways and settle down.”
“Please.” Angie snorted up a laugh. “Brett and Mike are not the two biggest sluts you ever met. That would be your own men, Patton.”
Actually, Brett’s and Mike’s reputations were far overblown from what Angie could tell. She didn’t doubt that they had some wild times in the military, but most of their days and nights had been spent as soldiers, not as lovers.
“Nah, that would be Hailey’s men.” Patton smirked, clearly on the verge of giggles. “You should been there when they met Brett and Mike. That was one hell of an introduction.”
“I’ve heard the rumors. Something to do with them crashing through a window at an inappropriate time.”
“Hailey was tied naked to the bed,” Patton whispered, the laughter breaking into her words as she tried to continue on. “And Brett and Mike thought that Cole and Kyle were forcing the issue. They…they…”
Patton couldn’t get the rest out, but Angie already knew. “They beat the tar out of them and had Hailey’s boyfriends arrested.”
“That’s why Hailey’s looking for revenge.” Patton waggled her brows at Angie as her laughter subsided.
“Yeah.” Angie knew all about Hailey’s quest. That was partly why she was there. “When is Hailey supposed to get here by the way?”
“I don’t know.” Patton glanced over at the clock. “Soon. Just do me a favor. Don’t get her arrested again.”
“She got herself arrested,” Angie shot back. “I can’t help it if she can’t outrun the police.”
“Well, that’s because she’s short. She’s got them little legs.”
“Oh my God, it’s Lana!” Casey erupted, her bellow, causing both Patton and Angie to start.
Angie glanced instantly around, feeling her heart jolt at the very thought that Lana had dared to show up in Patton’s territory. She hadn’t, but that almost didn’t matter as Patton also glanced around in confusion.
“Who is Lana?”
That question had Casey blinking and seemingly appearing to realize that she’d spoken out loud.
“Nobody.” Casey couldn’t have looked guiltier or sounded drunker.
“Casey,” Patton pressed.
“She runs things down at the club.” Casey cringed, refusing to meet Angie’s gaze as she spilled those beans in a rush that stood in stark contrast to the way Patton slowly repeated them.
“She runs things down at the club…” Patton went still, her eyes rounding in an almost comical look. “You don’t mean Lana Vey? About five-eight with a killer body and an enviable head of black silk that never has a single strand out of place? That Lana?”
“Uh…” Casey blinked rounded eyes as she stared back at Patton.
Patton didn’t need an answer. She already knew it. That didn’t stop her from grilling Casey, as if she were in any condition to answer. With every question Patton shot her way, she stared back like a deer caught in a set of headlights until the doorbell rang and put her out of her misery.
Patton disappeared long enough for Casey to glance over at Angie, belch once, and ask, “I did wrong, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
Angie nodded, not surprised at all when Patton reappeared with Hailey and a thousand dollar bottle of wine. Chase’s collection would be decimated by the end of the night, but that wasn’t Angie’s problem. She knew Chase well enough to know he could handle Patton, just as she knew Patton could handle him.
It was Lana that she worried over.
Angie counted Lana as a friend, even if she didn’t dare to reveal that fact to Patton. Not that she was keeping the secret to protect her own interest, but she didn’t want to end up in a war between the two of them. After all, Patton had a right to hate Lana just as Lana had the right to hate Patton. They were both in love with the same man, and that was never good news.
There was nothing to be done about it. Chase was in love with Patton. Whatever he felt for Lana paled in comparison. In the end, that meant she was the one who was going to get hurt. So, she was the one who had Angie’s sympathy.
Hailey, on the other hand, would have Angie’s undying gratitude if she helped Angie finally get her chance with Brett and Mike. That possibility had Angie offering Hailey an oversized smile and hopping out of her seat to engulf the other women in a big hug. Angie greeted Hailey with an enthusiasm that was not wholly returned.
“Hey, Hailey! It’s been years.”
“Hey, Angie,” Hailey returned with a caution that spoke volumes about their past relationship. So did the way she eyed Angie as she released her. “You look good.”
“Good enough to seduce your brothers?” Angie asked as she did a turn and showed off what she knew was a killer body.
Hailey, though, didn’t look too terribly impressed. “It’s not your body that you have to work on. It’s the crazy.”
“Hey! I resent that.” Angie didn’t really, and the laughter in her tone assured Hailey knew it. “I come by my crazy naturally. No work needed.”
“Is that right?” Hailey lifted a brow as Patton filled a new glass with Chase’s precious wine. “Well, let’s hope my brothers have developed a taste for crazy because, if you can convince them to settle down and stay home, I’ll love you for the rest of my life…What is this? I don’t like wine.”
Hailey’s nose wrinkled as she leaned away from Patton, who was trying to hand her a glass.
“This is Chase’s punishment. So drink,” Patton commanded.
“Do you know you’re bossy?” Hailey shot back.
“And sit!”
Hailey rolled her eyes at that and yanked out a seat. She plopped down into it and shot a glare back up at Patton. “Happy?”
“Very.” Patton smiled as she settled down into her own chair and glanced around the table. “And why wouldn’t I be? I’m with three of my best friends and on my way to getting drunk.”
“I think Casey has beat you there,” Hailey muttered as she eyed the other girl.
“What?” Casey blinked at the sound of her name. “Did I do something?”
“No, honey, you didn’t do anything,” Angie quickly assured her, honestly afraid of what might come out of her mouth next. “Why don’t you rest your head on the table and take a little nap?”
“Or I could have another glass of wine,” she suggested, appearing to perk up all of a sudden.
Patton was way too eager to pour Casey one as far as Angie was concerned, but she kept her opinions to herself. After all, she wasn’t anybody’s mother. God only knew how her children would turn out. They’d probably inherit her gift for foresight. Just the idea left her unnerved because she knew how much trouble that kind of intuition could be.
Then Angie remembered that all of her kids would have Brett and Michael as fathers. They were reasonable enough men. Soundly lo
gical. Sort of. After all, it wasn’t completely rational to swear that they’d marry her if they de-hymenated her. They’d meant that as an insult, an expression of their total lack of interest in her, but Angie had taken it as a challenge. It had been one the whole town had taken an interest in.
Was she right? Was her gift real? Her dreams prophetic? Or did Mike and Brett mean what they said? Did they really have no interest in her?
Those questions had burned through the gossip mill all those years ago and most people had come to the conclusion that she was nuts. That Mike and Brett had run all the way to the marines to escape her. That had led to painful jokes about how they’d rather be dead than be with her, but Angie hadn’t let those snickers bother her.
She knew the truth.
They’d come back for her.
They had. Only the question was, who were they now? Angie didn’t suspect they were the same men who had left. Brett had always been the wild one, but she’d seen him grow in the letters he sent back to her. His notes had been randomly infrequent but long and honest when she’d received them.
More than once, she’d felt like his confessional as he expressed opinions about his job, coworkers, and lifestyle that often held a note of discontentment. They’d also held a hint of the man he’d grown into. He was curious and cared about people. Most of his frustration came from an inability to help or even know what to do to help.
Mike, on the other hand, had left Pittsview a thoughtful over-achiever who was known for his understanding and kindness. Angie suspected those qualities might have rusted over the years, given his notes had been all too brief and abrupt. She had read between the lines, though, and knew things were difficult for him.
Angie suspected that Brett wasn’t the only one questioning his role in the world. Or, maybe, that was just her being hopeful and refusing to believe the obvious. Mike wasn’t interested.
If that were true, he’d have to be clearer than that. Soon, he’d have the opportunity to be.
Chapter 1
Wednesday, June 25th
Brett woke up to the sound of running water and smiled as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. His grin dipped as he glanced down at the clock on the nightstand and realized how late it was. It was almost eight in the morning, and he was still in bed.
He should be ashamed of himself.
Out of the marines almost three months now and he’d already fallen out of the habits they’d drilled into him. There were only two excuses for sleeping late, but there wasn’t a woman in his bed and he hadn’t spent the night working. What he had been doing was existing off fast food and alcohol for the past several weeks, but then that had been life on a fishing boat.
Fishing meant fish. Fish were good for a body.
Not good enough, though. Swearing there and then to get in at least a five-mile run that morning, Brett rolled to the side of his bed and sat up, almost banging his head against the ceiling. He’d long outgrown the top bunk of the bed he had shared with his twin brother as kids. The problem was the room hadn’t grown with him, and it was still too small to fit two twin beds.
Hailey’s room, though, was big enough for a princess. That was just what he thought of his sister. She was a future queen in jeans and way too good for the two turds she was dating, or had been dating.
Last night Brett had gotten the call he’d been waiting for. Finally, Hailey had come to her senses and kicked both of her boyfriends to the curb. That meant they were fair game, and hunting season had just started. That thought put the smile back on Brett’s face.
As a matter of habit, Brett tended not to like any man who showed any kind of interest in his sister, but with Cole and Kyle, it was even more personal. He hadn’t forgiven either one for what he’d caught them doing to his sister. The thought that they were doing it every damn night…Brett took a deep breath and let it out before he popped a vein.
It was fine.
It was over.
Hailey was back home where she belonged. Of course, her return meant only their mother’s room was available, but it had been turned into a shrine. They’d lost their mother years ago. That had been a rough time, though, one Brett suspected had been harder on Mike. His brother was a deep fucker and tended to internalize things, he and Hailey both, which was why Brett wouldn’t even consider disturbing their mother’s bedroom for a second.
Instead, he kept his chin buried in his chest and jumped down to the floor. Brett paused long enough to tug on a pair of jeans before heading down the hall to bang on the bathroom door and remind Hailey that other people had to brush their teeth.
He didn’t get a response, not that he expected one. Hailey had always been stubborn and a little vindictive. He knew she was still carrying a grudge about what had happened when they’d returned home a month back. She might have a little bit of a right to be annoyed. They had crashed through her windows, but they’d bent on rescuing her.
How were they supposed to know that Hailey had been corrupted by two perverts? As far as Brett was concerned, Hailey should get the hell over her hissy fit. After all, he was the one who had that horrible image burned into his mind. Brett was going to need therapy to get rid of it.
Of course, his definition of therapy, though, didn’t include some tweed-wearing twit sitting on his leather padded seat. No. It came from revenge. That was just what he’d come home for. Cole and Kyle, the two idiots Hailey had made the mistake of falling for, were going to pay for ever touching his sister.
Now that she’d dumped them, Brett could get around to making their lives miserable without having to worry about Hailey making his that way. That thought put the smile back on his face as he shuffled into the kitchen to find his twin relaxing at the round table tucked into the corner.
“Mornin’, sleepyhead,” Mike called out without even looking up. “You missed the morning run.”
Wearing a pair of gray sweats and nothing else, Mike had his bare feet propped up on the table with his nose buried in the morning paper. The heady aroma of coffee filled the air, drawing Brett toward the counter where Mike had left out a mug for him.
“I don’t see you wearing any sneakers,” Brett muttered, well accustomed to the gloat in his brother’s tone.
“I left them out on the porch.” Mike peered over the paper to waggle his brows at Brett. “You might even find old lady Hinkle out there, too. I think I’m going to have to start running with a shirt on. Otherwise, there might be a rash of heart attacks breaking out all over the neighborhood.”
Brett rolled his eyes at that. Being identical in almost every single way but for personality did not stop Mike from assuming he was the good-looking one. It didn’t help that women bought into that lie. Hell, if Brett wanted to, he could douse himself in cologne and press his clothes, too, but he wasn’t into pimping himself, especially not when it would have been a lie.
He looked tough, and he liked it rough.
He also liked to brush his teeth before he drank his coffee.
“How long has Hailey been in that shower?” Brett asked, ignoring Mike’s smirk.
“Long enough to assure we don’t have any hot water left,” Mike retorted as he lifted the paper back up, no longer interested in the conversation.
“And you haven’t harassed her?”
“I’m reading the paper.”
Brett rolled his eyes at that. The Pittsview paper had to be the biggest journalistic joke out there. After all, what did they have to report on? Mailbox smashings? Cows being tipped over? Or perhaps Mrs. Hinkle dying of a heart attack in her front yard as Mike jogged on past?
“Well, then I guess you won’t mind waiting until I’m done,” Brett shot back as he plunked his mug back down on the counter and headed back toward the bathroom.
Hailey might think she was being clever, trying to run them out of hot water, but he was still the older brother. Besides, he was used to cold showers. After all, the marines didn’t provide spa-like retreats for soldiers in the field. Hell, they were luc
ky to get to bathe daily.
There were all sorts of things the marines hadn’t allowed them to do, but then there were all sorts of tricks that they drilled into Brett, tricks Hailey was about to get a taste of if she didn’t get her ass out of the shower right then.
* * * *
Mike watched Brett storm out of the kitchen and rolled his eyes. He didn’t see why his brother felt the need to go piss off Hailey. They should just be thankful that she’d come to her senses before either Cole or Kyle managed to knock her up. Just the thought of those pricks touching his sister had him tensing.
He really didn’t like them, and now he didn’t even have to pretend to. Not that Mike had ever bothered to put much effort into pretending, but he hadn’t pounded the bastards into the ground, and that seemed like a very gracious consideration on his part. Hailey probably wouldn’t agree, but women tended to be funny about those kinds of things.
Thankfully, Hailey wasn’t too funny.
He and Brett had seen to that. They’d had no choice. Without a father around to help make sure she didn’t end up harmed or too prissy, he and his brother had taken up the task. They’d turned her into a proper tomboy, one most of the other guys had been afraid of, but they’d been gone a long time.
It was clear their absence had been felt. Hailey had turned into a girl over the past ten years. Worse, she’d turned into a woman. A woman with bad taste in men. Thankfully, she’d realized that truth. Mike was grateful it hadn’t taken too long and was more than willing to sacrifice a few hot showers for the cause.
Brett, on the other hand, clearly wasn’t.
Mike rolled his eyes as he heard his twin pound on the bathroom door and holler out that he wasn’t above turning the water off if Hailey didn’t hurry her ass up. Threatening was a waste of breath as far as Mike was concerned. Everybody knew actions spoke louder than words.
Hailey’s rang out in silence. She didn’t respond to Brett, and neither did the water cut off. It was going to, though, one way or another. Mike glanced up as Brett stormed back through the kitchen, wearing a scowl and muttering to himself about bullheaded redheads.