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Mills pulled his fist back and slammed it forward into the wall, cracking the wood plank he’d struck and leaving his knuckles bleeding.

“I can’t do this.”

West grabbed his shoulders and steered him into the kitchen to shove his hand under the faucet.

“What? What can’t you do?”

“I know I’ve been a shitty brother. I missed things I should’ve seen. I judged our sisters too harshly. I wasn’t always here for them. But goddammit, I’ve apologized and I’ve tried. I can’t fix it if they aren’t willing to give me a chance. They act like we aren’tpart of this fucking family, and maybe that’s the way they’d prefer it, but we’re a fucking part of it.”

I hung my head and blew out a deep breath.

“You’re right.”

“I feel the same way. We all messed up but they aren’t giving us room to make it right. They’re shutting us out. Just like Reagan.” West grabbed a handful of paper towels and held them to Mills’ fist. “And if she goes to them to tell them all of her grievances with us, things are just going to get worse. We’re never going to have a relationship with our sisters. They’re going to invite Reagan and our son to their homes and events and eventually Lucky will be old enough to wonder why his aunts hate us.”

I shuddered. “No. This shit has to end.”

“And Reagan?” Mills looked between us. “How do we fix that?”

I didn’t know. It was clear none of us knew what to do. We were in over our heads. Reagan was important to us but I wasn’t sure any of us were ready to label just how important she was. It still felt so new. I wasn’t willing to lose her, though. She was meant to be with us, with Lucky.

“We just have to make it clear to all of them that Reagan is ours and that we’re human. We make mistakes but that’s no excuse to get together and shut us out. If we’re willing to talk about shit, they should be, too. Things have to change. With all of us.” West shot Mills a look. “You need to apologize again for the stupid shit you said. And then we need to make it clear to Reagan and our sisters that we’re fucking trying. That deserves a little effort from them, too.”

“So, we’re going to the diner?” Mills grabbed a kitchen towel and tied it around his knuckles. “I’m not going to make a scene this time.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” I smirked at the dirty look Mills shot my way. “Let’s go get our family.”

CHAPTER 42

Reagan

“I need to talk to y’all about your brothers.” I swallowed a large gulp of sweet tea and tried to shove down the urge to cry with it. I felt more emotional than ever after fighting with Mills and telling Tate and West to stay away. No matter how upset I was with Mills, though, I couldn’t get the image of his shoulders slumping when he found out about yet another family event he wasn’t invited to out of my head. He’d crushed my feelings earlier in the day but if there was a chance I could help keep his from being crushed by his sisters over and over again, I was going to take it.

Maxie, Nellie, and Vera, were all sitting closest to me in the middle of the tables we’d taken up at the diner. Their husbands were spread out around them, each keeping a kid or two busy. Arlo had Lucky and was having a blast watching Lucky scowl at everyone and everything but Hank. It seemed Lucky and Hank were already best friends.

“What’d they do this time?” Maxie shook her head. “I knew something was wrong. You look like you’ve been crying.”

“God, those men. They can be such idiots.” Vera rolled her eyes and leaned forward. “Tell us everything they did so we can skin them alive for you.”

I put my glass down a little heavier than I meant to and rattled the silverware on the table.

“Honestly, it seems like that idiot gene runs in the family.”

Nellie sighed.

“Shit. We did it now, didn’t we?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, you did. There’s no reason to assume your brothers did anything wrong, but you did. That wouldn’t even be so awful if you gave them a chance to be here to defend themselves but youdon’t. None of you ever invite them to anything. Do you think they don’t notice?”

“I told them they could come tonight.” Maxie’s cheeks were flushing. “I mean… Right?”

“You mean that sad invite you threw out after telling them everyone was getting together? That was pathetic and you know it. I love you guys like you’re my own sisters but you can’t keep doing this to your brothers. Every time you don’t invite them to something, I watch it hurt them. They want to be your brothers so desperately but they don’t know where to start and none of you are helping.” I took a deep breath and shook my head. “I’ve heard enough about everything that happened before I got here to know they let each of you down. They’ve fucked up. What was the point in telling them how they failed each of you if you didn’t plan on giving them a chance to be better?”

Nellie sighed and sat back in her chair.

“It really bothers them when we don’t invite them?”