“Mine was the name of my mom’s brother.” He rolls his blue eyes. “I never met him, but I think he must have been a pretty cool guy.”
My gaze slides over the light blue skate shorts and white hoodie he has on. They compliment his olive skin and black hair perfectly.
I point at the cast on his arm. “What happened there?”
He looks down at it. “Skateboarding.”
“He sucks.” Breccan laughs. “Like totally sucks. We spent hours in the hospital waiting for him to get patched up because he took a spill.”
“Shut up.” Zachariah waves his casted arm in the air. “Like you could do better.”
“Any day of the week.” Breccan leans his hip against the wall.
“Do you know anything about seventh-grade algebra?” Zachariah turns his attention back to me, wiping his hand under his nose. “Germany doesn’t and he’s no help with my homework.”
I giggle. “Germany?”
“He had the flu a couple of years ago.” Breccan grabs his stomach in jest. “He kept telling us to stay out of his room because of the germs. We’ve called him Germany since.”
I scan the faces of Jeremy’s three siblings. They don’t resemble one another, or him.
Jeremy looks down at his watch. “It’s getting late, Zach. You should get to bed.”
“It’s Friday night.”
“Shit. Today was a bitch. I lost track of what day it is.” Jeremy laughs.
Zachariah shakes his head. “And he tells me not to cuss.”
“That’s a privilege reserved for age.” Jeremy pats him on the shoulder. “Linny and I are going to head down the block to the pub for a drink before I take her home.”
“We cook spaghetti every Sunday and watch a movie. Do you want to come?” Breccan jerks his thumb over his shoulder toward what looks like the main living area.
We haven’t made it past the foyer.
“Our spaghetti is the ultimate,” Zach chimes in. “Say you’ll come.”
I look over at Jeremy. His eyes are filling with tears.
“I’ll be here.” I nod my head. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Chapter 52
Jeremy
Fear can bring a man to his knees. It can stop him in its tracks.
That’s what mine did to me. My fear of telling Linny about my father and my fear of what she’d feel knowing that I’ve taken on the task of caring for Athena, Breccan and Zach.
She walked into my townhouse filled with grace and compassion, even though I sent her in there blind.
She hasn’t said much since we sat down at a table in this pub. It’s a stone’s throw from my front door.
I come here when I need a minute to breathe or think. The bartender knows me by name and by drink.
I surprised her tonight when I ordered two glasses of soda.
Linny didn’t want anything stronger. I didn’t either.