Looking Inside

“If you think that, you should bring her the good stuff,” Trey said.

Kevin dropped into a chair. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m a shit guest. Dad and Kacy were certainly making that clear by the time I left Rockford a few ho

urs ago.”

“Everyone knew something was bugging you,” Trey said honestly.

“You weren’t in the best of moods either.”

Trey shrugged his acknowledgment. Thinking about why he’d been so restless over Thanksgiving brought up the image of Eleanor standing there a half hour ago, that afghan wrapped around her breasts, her hair wild and sexy, her golden green eyes glistening. Why had she looked so somber as she regarded him?

Damn, I wish I could figure her out.

Kevin grimaced and rubbed his eyes. There were lines of tension around his brother’s mouth and eyes that Trey had never seen before this Thanksgiving.

“I know I was an ass. I apologized to Mom and Dad before I left. Kacy, Mike and Jason had already left, so I didn’t get a chance to apologize to them yet.” He winced. “Christ, my eyes burn. I haven’t been able to sleep lately.”

“You’re starting to freak me out. Are you sick or something?”

Kevin gave him an incredulous glance. “Do I look sick?”

“Uh . . . yeah, a little. Mom was all worried because you hardly ate any of her stuffing or pumpkin pie.”

Kevin suddenly broke out into harsh laughter and leaned back in the chair. “No, I’m not sick. Not in the way you’re thinking, at least. Damn,” he muttered, shaking his head as if he were going over some morbidly funny joke in his head. He took another drink of his bourbon, still grinning like a madman.

“What?” Trey demanded. “What the hell is going on with you?”

Kevin looked around his penthouse, his grin fading. “Jesus, will you look at this fucking place? My little brother, the billionaire.”

“I’m not a billionaire,” Trey said, frowning because his brother had changed the subject.

Kevin gave another bark of incredulous laughter. “You’re a hell of a lot closer to it than I’ll ever be. It’s funny. Kacy and I always had the big sibling rivalry, but it’s you we should have been jealous of all along.”

“What purpose would that serve?” Trey asked wryly.

“It would have given me a break from Kacy, and Kacy a break from me.”

Trey laughed. His brother joined him. Again, Kevin’s narrowed gaze traveled around the penthouse. “It’s huge, isn’t it? It’s not much of a place for a family, though, is it?”

“Since when would something like that have bothered you?”

“Maybe for about a month now.”

Trey paused in the action of reaching for his water, stunned. Kevin was quite the playboy. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

“Are you serious?” he asked quietly.

Kevin just nodded, his dazed expression making it clear he couldn’t quite believe it either.

“You’ve fallen for someone?” Trey clarified. “That’s what your pissy mood and the lack of sleep and—”

“The fact that I look so sick are all about?” Kevin finished darkly. “Yeah. That’s what they’re all about.” He took a drink and swallowed. “I’m worried I’m terminal too.”

Trey snorted. Kevin gave him a sharp, annoyed glance. “What are you griping about?” Trey wondered. “It’s a good thing, isn’t it? You’re in love with someone.”

He shook his head in amazement when Kevin didn’t argue.

“What’s she like?” Trey asked.