“Then we will figure it out.” I said, lifting her to her feet and grabbing the shampoo she left the last time she stayed over, and squirted it into my palm before I started massaging it into her hair, rubbing my fingertips into her scalp and making her groan. “Together. You, me, and our Hotshot. That’s all that matters to me.”
“Me too.” She sighed, leaning against me as I took care of her. “God, you two are all I need.”
I openedmy front door hours later to find Lucas standing on the landing below my door. Hands in his pockets, heavy flannel jacket on, and his hat pulled down low. I could tell he wasn’t here on a social call.
“What’s up?” I asked, stepping out onto the landing and gently closing the door behind me. Ten minutes prior, I receiveda cryptic message from him as Goldie lay snuggled into my side, asleep in bed.
Lucas
I’ll be at your place in ten minutes. Meet me outside if you’re not alone.
Given that it was nearly midnight, something in my gut hardened immediately when I read his text.
“Is Goldie here?” He asked, leaning back against the railing as I joined him.
“Yeah, she’s asleep.”
“Is she okay?” He asked, making me pause.
Hours ago she had burst into my place, upset, raging at the world, and it had taken hours to get her to open up about what had happened to set her off. She told me about the women at the store and the horrible things they accused Rhea of so flippantly.
But was that what Lucas was talking about?
“Why?”
He sighed and looked down at his boots. “I was at the grocery store earlier and ran into her.”
“Ran into her?” I questioned, trying to piece together Goldie’s story of the whole interaction. “When?”
“About the time she started losing her mind on a couple of women in the meat section.”
There was no judgement to his tone, but I didn’t like the accusation made in his statement either.
“Do you have any idea what those women said to her?” I snapped a little more aggressively than I had meant to.
“They didn’t say anythingtoher, Tanner. That’s the problem.” He urged, and I felt like my eyes were going to bulge out of my head.
“Are you calling Goldie a liar?”
He sighed again and held up his hands. “No, I’m not, Tan. Calm down.”
“What are you doing here then, Lucas?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Helping you,” he replied. “Or at least I’m trying to.”
“I don’t understand.” I rubbed my hand across my face, trying to keep up with him. “She said she stood all alone in that store, with no one willing to have her back. And now you’re telling me that you were there the whole time? Why didn’t you say something? If not for her benefit, then for mine? I would do that for Carrie if I found your wife backed against a wall without you around!”
“Goldie was angry.” Lucas said firmly, “She wouldn’t have heard reason if I had said it to her directly. She left long before I could even try.”
I scoffed and turned away from him, putting my hands on my hips in frustration. I had admired my brother from afar for years, always yearning to be as honorable and strong as he was my whole life.
And now?—
Reality tasted bitter in my mouth.
“Before you cast me out for not having her back, listen to this.” He said, drawing my attention back to him.
“What?”