Double Score

She was in shock.

I rummaged through her drawers and grabbed a pair of running shorts. “And these.”

She was in a trance getting dressed.

I pulled up my jeans, fastening them as I tugged on a white shirt.

“When was the last time you saw him?” I asked.

She used the pool towel to dry her hair. “Eight years?” She looked at me.

“Damn.”

“I don’t know why he’s here. I don’t get it.”

She paced in front of the door.

“Let’s go find out.” I held her hand.

“What if he wants the team?” I saw the panic in her eyes. “What if that’s why he’s here?”

I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen.”

She was frozen in the doorway. I couldn’t get her to cross the threshold. “You don’t know that. I don’t know that. I don’t know him anymore.”

“I get that I’m not the first man people turn to for advice, but I’ll tell you something Isaac has always said.”

“What’s that?” She looked hopeful.

“Nothing happens if you don’t make it happen.”

I saw the cute little crinkle in her forehead. “That’s the advice?”

“Yeah. It means get your ass downstairs and find out what your brother is doing here. You know we’ll take care of you darlin’. Isaac will be home tomorrow, and we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

She seemed to accept my approach for now. She squeezed my hand harder than usual as we walked down the stairs together.

When we reached the kitchen Vanessa’s brother had made himself at home, helping himself to one of our beers. It was weird how I could see the familiar resemblance. He had bright blue eyes and high cheekbones, but when I looked at her, I couldn’t see a trace of him.

“So new fiancé, huh?” He chugged my favorite beer.

“So long-lost brother, huh?” I retorted.

“Hey,” Vanessa hushed us both. “I’m surprised to see you, Danny. Shocked really.”

He hopped on the counter, swinging his legs. “Grammy tracked me down.”

“Where?” Vanessa asked.

“Singapore,” he answered. He took a swig of beer. “Hell of a trip.”

“You’ve been on vacation for eight years, Danny.”

I didn’t like drama. I didn’t like family problems. Girl problems. Relationship shit. This wasn’t my scene. But I was in deep with Vanessa. We may never have a wedding. Our entire engagement might have been fake, but I had fallen for this girl.

For her laughter. The sparkle in her eye when she saw a piece of art she loved. For the way she thought through the team’s problems. How she loved me. How she took a chance on a man who had never spent more than a week with the same woman. And I wasn’t going to bail on her now. It wasn’t my fight, but if Vanessa was involved, then it was my fucking business. Her brother would have to get used to that.

I grabbed a beer from the fridge and stood next to her. I would stand by her side as long as she needed me.