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Tyler's jaw hung open as his lips drew taut. “Oh come on, I wasn't that bad.”

Glancing at my brother under hooded lids, my mother didn't say a word. Her eyes said it all, the look on her face told Tyler exactly how much stress he had caused her.

“Really? I was that bad, huh?” Frowning, he shrugged his shoulders. “Hm, who knew.”

“Alright, you two take this stuff into the kitchen. I'm going to go find my gran-babies.” Walking off towards the sliding glass doors that led into the backyard, she kept talking. “You know where it all goes. Some things never change.”

Tyler's eyes connected with mine as we looked down at the hoard of things at our feet.

“You heard her,” I said, “Get to it.”

“Uh uh uh.” Shaking his head, he pointed down at the floor. “You're not getting out of this one.”

“Oh, yeah, says who? You?” Taking a long step to the side, I tried to walk around him, but he blocked me by holding out his arms and putting his large frame in my way.

“I don't think so, Toad.”

“Don't call me that,” I snapped, cocking my head into my shoulder. “You know how I feel about it.”

“Then don't ask for it. Grab some bags, let's go.”

Hanging my head, I turned back around. “Fine, you win this time, but don't get used to it.”

“It's too late for that, I'm already use to winning.” Chucking, Tyler headed into the kitchen and started putting away groceries.

I felt like I had stepped back in time, as if we were teenagers again, bickering about a household chore neither one of us wanted to do.

“Aunt Gwen!” both boys yelled in unison as they ran into the kitchen.

Grabbing them both, I tugged them into my arms and gave them a big hug. “Hey guys, look how big you both got since the last time I saw you.”

Max and Jax or the Axe's as my father liked to call them. Tyler and his wife were floored when they found out they were having twins. They hadn't been dating long, Tyler was only twenty, Jill was nineteen. They were both far too young to be parents when it happened.

But those boys changed my brother, they gave him direction in his life. If he hadn't met Jill and fallen in love, if she hadn't gotten pregnant, my brother wouldn't be the amazing man he had become.

“So, how's New York?” Tyler asked as he pushed the canned olives into the cupboard.

“It's crazy, totally different than this place that's for sure.” Opening the fridge, I started putting away the milk and other cold items.

“And?”

“And what?”

“I don't know, but there has to be more.” Giving me curious look, he turned away as he spoke, not looking me in the eyes. “Is there anyone I need to meet? Maybe give the big brother speech too?”

Oh god. . . Is he trying to ask me about my love life?

Giggling, I laid my arms over the top of the fridge door, and stared at the back of his head. “If you're asking me if I'm dating anyone, the answer is no. I hardly have time for myself, I don't have time for someone else too.”

“Are you sure?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean, Tyler?”

Twisting around, he leaned against the counter. “I don't want to be that person, Gwen, but you know how it is around here. Most rumors aren't true, but some of them are.”

Dropping my head back, I looked at the ceiling. “Are you serious right now? Please tell me you don't believe anything that you've heard?”

“I just needed to ask, that's all.” Holding out his arms, he frowned. “I don't want to see you get hurt again. The thought of you going back to Yuri after what he did. . .” Pausing, he stroked his jaw. “I'd kill him this time.”