Take Me Down (The Knight Brothers 2)

He told himself there was text, phone, and FaceTime. That he could come visit her and vice versa. But it wouldn’t be the same. And eventually it would fade. Wasn’t that the way of things?

His heart slammed in his chest at the possibility of losing her for good. He didn’t want to go, but other than the woman he loved and a piece of commercial property he didn’t need to be here to own, what did he have here?

No job, no way to make a living, and he wasn’t the type to do nothing for the rest of his life. He might not love his job with Knight Time Industries, but at least he had a place to park his ass every day and a way to make money. He didn’t need the income but he sure as hell had pride and he would earn what he lived on.

He walked through the downstairs hall to the kitchen.

Although Parker had told his brother to leave, he had a hunch the bastard would be waiting for him. And sure enough, not only was Ethan still in the kitchen, he was talking to James, laughing at something the man said.

Narrowing his gaze, Parker stepped into the room. “Well, someone’s suddenly in a good mood.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Ethan said. “But James has a decent sense of humor.” He paused. “Also he was telling me his plans for this place and how he wants to fulfill his wife’s legacy.”

A glance at James and Parker looked back to Ethan. “And suddenly you believe in true love and you’re on board?”

Ignoring his snarky comment, Ethan went on. “Then he told me Emily’s plans for expanding the coffee shop her friend owns.”

Parker remained silent because Ethan didn’t deserve more.

“He also expounded on how grateful he is and how he and Emily insisted on formal legal contracts and agreements to pay you back.”

James remained silent, letting the brothers hash things out.

Still not satisfied because he didn’t owe Ethan an explanation for who he gave money to or under what circumstances, he folded his arms across his chest as if to say, And?

“And I jumped to conclusions,” he said, an apologetic, wry expression settling on his lips, which was something, coming from Ethan. “Can we speak privately?”

It wasn’t enough. He’d ripped into Emily without even knowing her.

“I’ll apologize to her,” Ethan added, his tone sincere, as he pretty much read Parker’s mind.

And dammit, this was why it was hard to stay mad at his brother. “Fine. Let’s take this into the family room. James, do you mind?”

“Have at it, boys.” Parker sensed he wouldn’t be so nice if he knew how Ethan had spoken to his daughter.

Ethan followed him into the big room and sat down on the chair, leaving the sofa for his brother. “I fucked up,” Ethan said, both hands in the air. “Plain and simple. They seem like a good, solid family.”

“They are.”

“And my own situation may have colored my judgment.”

Parker cocked an eyebrow. “May have?”

“Did.”

“You can’t stay this angry. It isn’t healthy.”

Ethan pushed himself to a standing position and began to pace. “Yeah, well, you tell yourself that after your wife fucks a drug dealer and steals from your company to fund her habit.”

Parker winced, glancing over at James, glad to see the other man had disappeared, probably gone to his room.

“Fine. So here’s the deal. I won’t tell you how to live your life and you’ll stop digging into and telling me how to live mine. Sound fair?”

“Touché.” Shoving his hands into his front pants pockets, Ethan turned to face him.

“Good. Now you should know I’ve decided to come back home with you. It’s time.”

Ethan cocked his head to one side. “I thought you loved this woman. How do you go from love to leaving in the span of one fuck session upstairs?”

Hands curling into fists, Parker glared at his brother. “I swear to God–”

Ethan chuckled and Parker shot him a dirty look. Then he sobered and went on. “It’s going to kill me to leave as it is. As Emily pointed out, the longer I stay, the harder saying goodbye will be.”

Ethan sat back down and leaned forward in his seat. “Bring her with you,” he said as if it were simple.

“I wish, but her roots are as deep here as the trees out there. Her father, her best friend, this inn, her new business. She loves all those things. I wouldn’t ask her to give them up for me.”

Ethan studied him. “Then for the first time in my life, I have no advice to give.”

Smiling wryly, Parker agreed with his brother’s assessment. “Me, neither. So I’m going to do the sensible thing and head home and figure out what I’m doing with my life.” The painful thing. The thing that was like ripping his heart from his chest. “We both know my life is in Manhattan. My family, my business … what would I do with myself out here? I’m sure as hell not going to teach skiing even if I did get back on the slopes,” he said. “And I can’t fathom not working for a living.”