The fruit’s sweetness barely registered as he bit into it and braced himself for a lecture. Liam only showed that much concentration when he was about to dissect something—in this case, Niall’s life.
“Still holed up in your apartment?” Liam spit a few seeds into a napkin and dropped his rind into a garbage bag, his eyes never leaving Niall’s, his expression serious.
Niall shoved his hair off his damp forehead. “Leave it, bro.”
Liam stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Not a chance. As your older brother by three minutes, I want to hear that you’re getting out, working with people, maybe even dating the next time I visit. Got it?” Liam gave him a light punch and tried to grin, but it slipped off his face before it stuck.
Niall glanced away and shrugged. He wasn’t making promises he couldn’t keep. “I heard you. So how’s the new job? Saved any stranded campers yet? Tranquilized any bears?”
Liam’s low laugh rumbled. “Being a park ranger isn’t as exciting as that. Mostly I’m checking trails and filling out paperwork. You should come upstate. Visit.”
“Maybe,” Niall temporized. He missed his brother, but unlike his twin, he’d had enough of outdoor life.
“Shoot,” Liam exclaimed as he angled his head and peered over Niall’s shoulder. “Looks like Ma’s upset.” He started in her direction then stopped and turned back, his eyes direct. “We’ll catch up later before I head back, okay?”
Niall nodded then watched his brother stride away. In the doorway to the family’s upstairs apartment, his mother turned in circles and wrung her hands, her eyes wide. He held himself back, wanting to help. But the last time he’d visited, she hadn’t recognized him. He wouldn’t risk getting her agitated like that in front of her relatives.
His tense shoulders relaxed when Liam led her to a table full of her siblings, her sudden smile reminding him of the mother she used to be. How was it possible to miss someone who was still with you? Yet he did, more so now that she didn’t always know him. Maybe she sensed he wasn’t the man she’d hugged the day he’d deployed.
He turned away from his family and scooped a plastic cup into an ice cooler. As soon as he finished this drink, he’d slip away, hopefully unnoticed. But when he raised a jug of soda to pour, his younger brother Conner sprayed him with a water gun.
“Hey!” He lunged and Conner darted away, laughing.
“Got you, loser!” But the boy sputtered in surprise when Niall closed the distance and dumped his ice down the back of Conner’s shirt.
“You need to cool off, kid.” He ruffled Conner’s bright red hair.
“I’ll be back, old man,” the teenager warned, stepping backward before turning and racing to join the rest of his cousins. Niall’s lips twitched. When he’d been Conner’s age, everyone over twenty had seemed ancient.
“Knock knock.” His nine-year-old sister, Ella, rapped her knuckles against his leg.
He looked down and couldn’t resist returning the wide smile that swallowed half of her tiny face. He tweaked her upturned nose.
“Who’s there?”
“Rita.” She clapped a hand over her mouth, but her giggle poured out anyway.
He tapped his chin, giving every appearance of thinking it over, though she’d told him this joke on Memorial Day.
“I give up. Rita who?”
“Rita lot of books!” She lowered her hands and the gaps between missing teeth showed as she snickered again. “Will you read to me at bedtime, Niall? Pleeeeeease. You do the Beast voice the best, and I want to read about Belle.”
He pictured socializing for the rest of the long afternoon, making small talk into the evening before he carried his yawning sister up to bed. But before he could shake his head, he caught her pleading look and softened. He couldn’t refuse Ella. Ever.
“Yes,” he growled in his best Beast voice. “But you must promise to stay with me forever.”
He held her tight until she broke free, laughing, and raced away, calling, “Never,” over her shoulder.
Kayleigh’s laugh at their lunch the other day came to mind as he poured his soda. She’d seemed fine—strong even. He’d given her his best advice and had seen for himself that she was doing okay. Since he couldn’t reveal information about her brother, there was nothing else he could do to help. Nothing except think about how good it’d been to see her again ’round the clock....
He bolted back his drink and returned Aunt Lucy’s wave. A few times, he’d considered returning Kayleigh’s calls about her business proposal before stopping himself. She hated secrets, and he held the biggest of all from her. Despite that, a part of him had wished things were different once he’d returned to his quiet apartment and missed her laugh.
But avoiding her was the right thing to do. By not encouraging Kayleigh to follow a dead-end path, he was doing her a favor. Like her brother, she was rushing headfirst into danger with her risky start-up idea. And while he couldn’t take back what had happened to Chris, he could stop Chris’s sister from making a fatal mistake.
So why, then, had he started researching dating apps? Sizing up the market? Even purchasing a few to investigate? It must be idle curiosity, since he had no intention of accepting her offer.
Working with her wasn’t going to happen.
Then, to his surprise, she appeared at their side gate. MaryAnne led the way, a tall woman with light brown hair beside her. Kayleigh, slender and graceful, followed holding hands with two boys, one too young to be in grade school. Were they her children? She’d mentioned an ex-fiancé, not an ex-husband. Something about the thought unsettled him.
Wearing a white tank top that showed off her smooth, sun-kissed skin, and jean shorts that topped lean legs, Kayleigh looked good. Better than good. Without thinking, he took a step in the group’s direction.
“Oh, there you are, Niall!” shouted MaryAnne.
He flinched. Idiot. He should have bolted for the house the minute he’d spotted them. Later tonight, he’d set his sister straight about ambushing him with surprise guests.
Before he could duck away, another brother, Daniel, tossed him a beach ball. He chucked it back to the group of preteens sitting in an aboveground pool and returned their wave. When he glanced back, the group had reached him.
“Hi, MaryAnne.” He forced his eyes to skim past Kayleigh when they wanted to linger. “Kayleigh.”
Her hands rested atop the two boys’ heads, and her eyes sparkled silver in the bright light. When a dark curl fell across her cheek, he watched as she tucked it behind her ear. “Hi, Niall. I ran into MaryAnne while visiting my grandfather, and she invited us over. It’s nice to see you again.”
His stomach rolled and he took a short breath before nodding, his expression neutral. It was good to see her again. But if he showed her any encouragement, she’d corner him with her business presentation. Better to put some distance between them, fast.
“Aiden’s got hamburgers
