shot by one of Pitt’s men who was at the fight with Pitt. It was an accident, and it scared the hell out of me. I thought Kelton got shot. I wanted to tell you when you got home. But I was selfish. All I wanted was you and a quiet night. Then when you saw Kelton this morning, that’s when I panicked. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” I rested my forehead against hers as a weight lifted off my shoulders.
“I’m still mad at you, Maxwell. I gave you ample opportunity to tell me. I hate that you tried to shut me up in front of your brothers by kissing me. You shouldn’t put your brothers in a spot where they have to lie either. None of that was cool.” She mashed her lips into a thin line.
She was right on all levels. “I’ll apologize to them as well.” Hell, as brothers, we owed each other a lifetime of apologies. “Are we okay?” Please say yes.
She gave me a weak smile. “For now.”
I briefly closed my eyes. I was okay with for now . Lacey stewed on things longer than most people I knew.
“So, when you walked into the cafeteria, you were seething. Then Tyler had you laughing. Care to share?” Since Lacey did let things bother her, to turn from mad to happy in an instant wasn’t in her nature.
“I saw Aaron in the hall. He told me all about the fight. Since you weren’t talking, I asked Tyler about it. He said something sarcastic about fights among boys being about who had the bigger penis.” Her lips split into a dazzling smile.
My muscles had tensed when she’d mentioned Aaron, although I didn’t know how to respond to Tyler’s analogy except to kiss her. She didn’t return the kiss. I knew she needed time, but that didn’t stop my stomach from hurting at the rejection.
“How did that conversation go between you and Aaron?” I clenched my teeth.
“He’s was an ass, but I can handle him,” she said with conviction. “He knows I’m onto his psychological games. He’s not going to ruin my season. If he does, then I’ll ruin his.”
At least for now I wasn’t worried too much about Aaron. My brothers would be at practice anyway if Aaron got out of hand. Her determination to push toward her dream of a baseball scholarship always made me smile.
“I’m going to hang with Hunt while you’re at practice. Kelton can give you a ride to practice and then home.”
“Or I can get a ride from Renee or Shaun.”
Renee would be fine. Lacey had been hanging with her since they’d both made the team. But Shaun. Like hell. In light of everything Pitt had told me, there was no fucking way Lacey was getting in a car with a total stranger alone. I’d almost be happier with Aaron giving her a ride home. Almost. I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it. Kelton would bring her home.
“What do you think they want? I mean, the ones who killed your mom and Julie?”
“Where did that come from?” Her delicate brows were pinched together.
“It’s been on my mind since you told me.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. I asked Rob, and he doesn’t know either. At first, when Detective Fisher asked him about this guy, Dennis Weeks, and showed us a picture of him, Rob said he’d never seen or even heard of the guy. But I got the impression he did by the way he hesitated, looking at my dad before he answered. It was like he was asking my dad for permission to answer. Like they both knew something. I asked Rob why he was so nervous, but he said he’s just on edge. He wants to put all this behind him just like I do.” Tears clouded her eyes. “Tonight I’m going to look. My dad keeps a box of his and my mom’s treasures. I’m not sure I know what to search for, but I have to try.” She blinked and shivered.
“The bell is about to ring.” I heaved to my feet, pulling her up with me. “Can I help?” Maybe we could figure this out together. Maybe I’d have some new information after I saw Pitt.
“I’d like that.” She peered up at me, relief coloring her gorgeous
“I’m still mad at you, Maxwell. I gave you ample opportunity to tell me. I hate that you tried to shut me up in front of your brothers by kissing me. You shouldn’t put your brothers in a spot where they have to lie either. None of that was cool.” She mashed her lips into a thin line.
She was right on all levels. “I’ll apologize to them as well.” Hell, as brothers, we owed each other a lifetime of apologies. “Are we okay?” Please say yes.
She gave me a weak smile. “For now.”
I briefly closed my eyes. I was okay with for now . Lacey stewed on things longer than most people I knew.
“So, when you walked into the cafeteria, you were seething. Then Tyler had you laughing. Care to share?” Since Lacey did let things bother her, to turn from mad to happy in an instant wasn’t in her nature.
“I saw Aaron in the hall. He told me all about the fight. Since you weren’t talking, I asked Tyler about it. He said something sarcastic about fights among boys being about who had the bigger penis.” Her lips split into a dazzling smile.
My muscles had tensed when she’d mentioned Aaron, although I didn’t know how to respond to Tyler’s analogy except to kiss her. She didn’t return the kiss. I knew she needed time, but that didn’t stop my stomach from hurting at the rejection.
“How did that conversation go between you and Aaron?” I clenched my teeth.
“He’s was an ass, but I can handle him,” she said with conviction. “He knows I’m onto his psychological games. He’s not going to ruin my season. If he does, then I’ll ruin his.”
At least for now I wasn’t worried too much about Aaron. My brothers would be at practice anyway if Aaron got out of hand. Her determination to push toward her dream of a baseball scholarship always made me smile.
“I’m going to hang with Hunt while you’re at practice. Kelton can give you a ride to practice and then home.”
“Or I can get a ride from Renee or Shaun.”
Renee would be fine. Lacey had been hanging with her since they’d both made the team. But Shaun. Like hell. In light of everything Pitt had told me, there was no fucking way Lacey was getting in a car with a total stranger alone. I’d almost be happier with Aaron giving her a ride home. Almost. I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it. Kelton would bring her home.
“What do you think they want? I mean, the ones who killed your mom and Julie?”
“Where did that come from?” Her delicate brows were pinched together.
“It’s been on my mind since you told me.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. I asked Rob, and he doesn’t know either. At first, when Detective Fisher asked him about this guy, Dennis Weeks, and showed us a picture of him, Rob said he’d never seen or even heard of the guy. But I got the impression he did by the way he hesitated, looking at my dad before he answered. It was like he was asking my dad for permission to answer. Like they both knew something. I asked Rob why he was so nervous, but he said he’s just on edge. He wants to put all this behind him just like I do.” Tears clouded her eyes. “Tonight I’m going to look. My dad keeps a box of his and my mom’s treasures. I’m not sure I know what to search for, but I have to try.” She blinked and shivered.
“The bell is about to ring.” I heaved to my feet, pulling her up with me. “Can I help?” Maybe we could figure this out together. Maybe I’d have some new information after I saw Pitt.
“I’d like that.” She peered up at me, relief coloring her gorgeous
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