years with your head in a book so it’s right and proper not to waste it. And I’m proud. Very proud. So is your grandfather even if he’s too muleheaded to say it aloud.”
No, he wasn’t.
Sean stared across the table into blue eyes exactly like his own and felt the same way he had when he was six years old and his grandfather had found him with his head in a book instead of with his hand on a saw.
Walter O’Neil couldn’t imagine why anyone would want a life that didn’t involve Snow Crystal. He couldn’t understand why anyone born and bred here would want something more. Something different.
Despite his grandmother’s attempts to clear the air, the atmosphere was tense and it came as a relief when Alice pronounced she was tired and Walter dutifully offered to escort her home. With Kayla driving them the short distance, and his mother and Jess going to help them settle in, that left the three brothers alone.
“Holy shit.” Tyler sprawled in the nearest chair and closed his eyes. “Well, that was relaxing. I’d forgotten how much I love family time. When I grow up I want six kids and a hundred grandkids, preferably all with different opinions and expressing them at the same time. Can’t think of anything better.”
Sean’s phone buzzed again and he glanced at it in frustration and saw Veronica’s name.
Already right on the edge of control, he closed his eyes. Not now.
“Is that the hospital again? Answer it, Oh, Great One.” Tyler reached for his beer. “Heal the sick and don’t mind us. We’re cool with the whole God complex you’ve got going here, isn’t that right, Jackson?”
“We’ll just wait in line while you tend to the injured.” Jackson’s tone was light but his eyes were concerned and Sean knew he was worrying about their grandfather.
“It isn’t the hospital. It’s a woman.”
And he didn’t have the energy to deal with that particular woman right now. He had to decide what to do for the best. Staying here would be best for his grandmother, but his grandfather didn’t want him here.
Tyler grinned. “Is she hot?”
“Body like Venus.”
“Then either answer the goddamn phone or give it to me and I’ll answer it.”
“She thinks she’s the one who will reform my workaholic ways. Last time we spoke she told me she loved me.”
Tyler recoiled. “On second thoughts, switch your phone off.”
“She’s in love with you?” Jackson helped himself to another slice of chicken. “I didn’t think you dated women long enough for that to happen. How many times did you go out with her?”
“Twice.” Sean dropped his phone onto the table. “That turned out to be one time too many.”
Tyler was helpless with laughter. “Twice and she was ready to have your babies? Where do you find these women?”
“There was a whole line of them when we were growing up,” Jackson said irritably. “Mostly crying on my shirt. They wanted to know why Sean didn’t love them back.”
Tyler took another slug of his beer. “Didn’t realize you turned down sex to be here. It explains why you’re in a filthy mood.”
Sean clenched his jaw and turned his phone off. “I’m not in a filthy mood.”
“You are borderline dangerous. I recognize the signs.” Tyler suppressed a yawn. “Instead of exploding, you simmer like a pot left on the heat. Same when we were growing up.”
Jackson stood up and started stacking plates. “Listen, about Gramps—”
“Forget it. He doesn’t want me here. Enough said.” Sean pushed his food away untouched. “I’ll finish the deck tomorrow morning and be back in Boston by dinnertime. That way everyone will be happy.”
Including him.
What had he expected? That his grandfather would suddenly accept who he was and what he wanted? That they’d mend broken fences and sit around the table sharing a drink together?
Life wasn’t that neat and tidy, was it?
Tyler tipped his chair back and stuck his feet up on the table. “So you’re leaving
No, he wasn’t.
Sean stared across the table into blue eyes exactly like his own and felt the same way he had when he was six years old and his grandfather had found him with his head in a book instead of with his hand on a saw.
Walter O’Neil couldn’t imagine why anyone would want a life that didn’t involve Snow Crystal. He couldn’t understand why anyone born and bred here would want something more. Something different.
Despite his grandmother’s attempts to clear the air, the atmosphere was tense and it came as a relief when Alice pronounced she was tired and Walter dutifully offered to escort her home. With Kayla driving them the short distance, and his mother and Jess going to help them settle in, that left the three brothers alone.
“Holy shit.” Tyler sprawled in the nearest chair and closed his eyes. “Well, that was relaxing. I’d forgotten how much I love family time. When I grow up I want six kids and a hundred grandkids, preferably all with different opinions and expressing them at the same time. Can’t think of anything better.”
Sean’s phone buzzed again and he glanced at it in frustration and saw Veronica’s name.
Already right on the edge of control, he closed his eyes. Not now.
“Is that the hospital again? Answer it, Oh, Great One.” Tyler reached for his beer. “Heal the sick and don’t mind us. We’re cool with the whole God complex you’ve got going here, isn’t that right, Jackson?”
“We’ll just wait in line while you tend to the injured.” Jackson’s tone was light but his eyes were concerned and Sean knew he was worrying about their grandfather.
“It isn’t the hospital. It’s a woman.”
And he didn’t have the energy to deal with that particular woman right now. He had to decide what to do for the best. Staying here would be best for his grandmother, but his grandfather didn’t want him here.
Tyler grinned. “Is she hot?”
“Body like Venus.”
“Then either answer the goddamn phone or give it to me and I’ll answer it.”
“She thinks she’s the one who will reform my workaholic ways. Last time we spoke she told me she loved me.”
Tyler recoiled. “On second thoughts, switch your phone off.”
“She’s in love with you?” Jackson helped himself to another slice of chicken. “I didn’t think you dated women long enough for that to happen. How many times did you go out with her?”
“Twice.” Sean dropped his phone onto the table. “That turned out to be one time too many.”
Tyler was helpless with laughter. “Twice and she was ready to have your babies? Where do you find these women?”
“There was a whole line of them when we were growing up,” Jackson said irritably. “Mostly crying on my shirt. They wanted to know why Sean didn’t love them back.”
Tyler took another slug of his beer. “Didn’t realize you turned down sex to be here. It explains why you’re in a filthy mood.”
Sean clenched his jaw and turned his phone off. “I’m not in a filthy mood.”
“You are borderline dangerous. I recognize the signs.” Tyler suppressed a yawn. “Instead of exploding, you simmer like a pot left on the heat. Same when we were growing up.”
Jackson stood up and started stacking plates. “Listen, about Gramps—”
“Forget it. He doesn’t want me here. Enough said.” Sean pushed his food away untouched. “I’ll finish the deck tomorrow morning and be back in Boston by dinnertime. That way everyone will be happy.”
Including him.
What had he expected? That his grandfather would suddenly accept who he was and what he wanted? That they’d mend broken fences and sit around the table sharing a drink together?
Life wasn’t that neat and tidy, was it?
Tyler tipped his chair back and stuck his feet up on the table. “So you’re leaving
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