Tucker (The Family Simon 1)

The conversation hadn’t gone smoothly. In fact, it had been pretty awful. He cared about these people, a lot, but their pain was still so palpable, their dislike of his new relationship so toxic, that he’d had to leave and he hadn’t heard anything since. He got that they were still in pain. Hell, he couldn’t imagine what it must be like to lose a child, but he didn’t understand why they couldn’t see that he had to move on.

That he had moved on.

He supposed he could petition the court for a death certificate himself instead of waiting out the seven years, but he’d rather do it with their blessing.

He glanced down at his cell. So why were they calling him now? It was Valentine’s Day and he had plans. Big plans.

With a sigh, he pocketed his phone, deciding he’d call them back in the morning and ordered a drink from the bartender. Tucker had just finished a meeting with a sponsor for one of his newest clients, Jason Spender, a wide receiver for the Bronco’s, and he had about an hour to kill until Abby met him. He was taking her out for dinner to a fancy little bistro and then to the airport.

He chuckled to himself, already visualizing her expression when he told her they were flying to Costa Rica for a week of sunshine, hot sex, and only themselves for company.

Yep. Big plans.

Shit.

“You gonna tell me what that silly ass grin on your face means?”

Tucker’s head whipped up so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. He was out of his chair, hand clapped on the man’s shoulder before the guy could say anything else.

“Jesus Christ, Teague. What the fuck?” He stared at his twin in shock. “How the hell did you…what are you doing back here, stateside? I thought you were still in South America somewhere, or goddamn Africa.”

Teague Simon slapped him on the back, in that rough way that guys do before sliding onto the barstool beside Tucker.

Tucker couldn’t wipe the silly-ass grin off his face. Goddamn but he missed his brother, and he motioned for the bartender to bring them another round. Dressed in faded green cargos, combat boots, a thick cable-knit turtleneck and a worn, black leather jacket, the guy looked all kinds of dangerous. With more than a week’s worth of stubble on his jaw and hair that looked like it needed a cut weeks ago, he didn’t exactly look like he belonged in the upscale bar.

He looked…

“Christ, Teague. You look like shit.”

Teague snorted and downed his tumbler in one long draw. He raised his glass, indicating he wanted another and leaned on the bar, his dark eyes intense as they looked back at Tucker.

“I feel like shit. But that’s pretty much par for the course these days. It’s been a crazy few weeks.”

Tucker sipped his whiskey. His brother was a photo-journalist, one usually found in the most dangerous parts of the world. Be it war in the Middle East, famine in Africa or organized crime in Mexico…he was there. He was one of the best at what he did and highly sought after, but from what Tucker could see, it was starting to show on him.

Teague’s eyes looked…haunted.

“Do Mom and Dad know you’re back?”

The family had been disappointed that Teague had been unable to make it home for Christmas and in fact, Tucker had caught his mother sniffling over some old family photos more than once.

Their son’s dangerous escapades were starting to wear on them as well, and he knew that his mom wanted Teague home on American soil. She wanted Teague settled with a wife and a pack of kids, but that wasn’t likely to happen. Teague Simon was like a lone wolf. He just did better on his own.

“Nah.” Teague shook his head. “I’m only in New York for a few hours and no time to head to Florida. Waiting for a flight out to Egypt.”

“Egypt?”

He shook his head. “Yeah.”

“Dangerous shit going on in that part of the world.”

“Someone’s got to go, Tuck. Someone needs to tell the stories. The real stories.”

Tucker didn’t say anything. He’d never really understood his brother’s need to live life on the edge. To be in places where life and death were separated by chance and luck.

Nope. Tucker didn’t understand it, but he sure as hell respected it. As far as he was concerned, his brother Teague was one of the most fearless men he knew.

“How did you know I was here?”