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“You’re my brother. I love you. I was presumed dead. So no, I don’t hate you because you didn’t immediately accept me,” she replied honestly, although ithadhurt a little. She’d always been close to her twin brothers, and she knew they had always protected her from the brunt of their father’s crazy behavior. Kade was the brother who made her smile, and needing to prove herself to him had pained her, even though she logically understood why it had needed to be done.
“I was an asshole. I knew it was you from the moment you criticized my shirt and called me by name in the park, but all I could think about was what would happen if Max got attached and something happened. He was a mess, Squirt. He walked around like an empty shell, like he didn’t care if he lived or died. Honestly, I don’t think hedidcare. I didn’t want to see him suffer anymore,” Kade finished abruptly, as though he were uncomfortable talking about Max’s grief. Or his own.
Mia clasped his hand gently and squeezed, glad her brother had been there for Max and that they’d grown close. She gave him a mock scowl as she answered, “I’m twenty-nine years old, almost thirty. Don’t you think it’s time to stop referring to me by that stupid childhood nickname?” God, she’d always hated it. When they were younger, she had prayed for a growth spurt that had never happened just so she could tower over Kade and Travis to make them stop teasing her about being vertically challenged. She was five foot four inches, not incredibly short, but her brothers were both nearly a foot taller than she was.
Kade grinned and winked at her. “Nope. You’re still a squirt.”
“And you still wear bad shirts,” she reminded him fondly, looking at today’s ensemble. She was guessing he’d toned it down for the hospital. Today he looked almost normal in a black t-shirt and jeans, emphasizing his attractive blond hair and blue eyes. No wonder the women had swooned over him in all fifty states when he was a pro football player. Women had been easily swayed, swearing their allegiance to his team just because Kade was playing. As his sister, she’d just rolled her eyes, laughing when every woman she knew wanted to meet him. Her brother had never been especially flirty, and he was far from a ladies’ man. He’d been faithful to his longtime girlfriend for years, and the bitch had broken his heart.
Kade squeezed her hand back. “I just don’t want you to think I’m not happy to have you back. I am. More than I can say. But I was worried about Max, too.”
She looked up at him, meeting eyes so much like her own. “I’m glad. Really.” Strangely, she was happy. If Kade had been trying to protect Max, it made her love her brother even more.
“He loves you, Mia. It just sucks that now I’ll have to put up with all three of them acting like idiots over their women, one of them my sister.” Kade nodded his head toward Sam and Max, and Mia knew he was including Simon in his statement, even though Simon was absent.
“You’ll survive,” she answered unsympathetically, knowing Kade just hadn’t found the woman who was right for him. She’d never liked his ex-girlfriend, and although she didn’t want to see her brother’s heart broken,shedefinitely hadn’t beenthe one.
Mia watched Max as he slapped Sam on the back and rose, strolling over to sit beside her.
“What are you two talking about?” Max asked casually, stretching his jean-clad legs out in front of him and eyeing both of them cautiously.
Mia flinched, knowing her reappearance had caused tension between her brother and her husband.
“Squirt refuses to feel sorry for me because I have to deal with you, Sam, and Simon freaking out about your females,” Kade said woefully.
“You’re still on my shit list, buddy,” Max warned, glaring at Kade. “I’m offering a temporary truce because of the situation, but I still plan to pound you the first chance I get. If you said one word to upset her, I’ll make you regret it.”
“Yeah. Let’s see you try it,” Kade shot back, grinning. “I might have a lame leg, but I can still kick your ass.”
“No mercy because of your leg. I’m not going easy because of it,” Max warned him. “It’s healed.”
“I didn’t expect you to. Give it your all. Just have an ambulance on standby when you decide to try it,” Kade retorted amicably, as though he were talking about the weather instead of putting his buddy in the hospital.
Mia almost got whiplash looking back and forth between the two men—one apparently nonchalant, the other furious.
“Both of you stop,” she ordered. “We’re here for a happy occasion.” She turned to her husband. “Kade was concerned about you. I don’t blame him for that. I’m glad he was trying to protect you, because I love you.” Turning to her brother, she poked her finger in his face. “And you behave. You’re deliberately provoking him, and it’s not amusing.”
She faced forward, watching Sam and Helen talk but not able to hear their words clearly. She could feel two set of eyes on her, and finally, a large, muscular arm reached across her.Kade’s.
“Kiss and make up, man.” It was a smart ass comment, but Kade’s tone was sullen.
“Fine. I’ll kick your ass later,” Max agreed, sticking his hand out to shake with Kade.
Mia bit her lip, wondering if the testosterone overload of sitting between the two men was going to kill her. “I’m glad you two can act like adults,” she commented drily.
“Do I have a choice?” Max asked, settling back into his chair.
“Not if you want to get some later.” Her sassy comment slipped out of her mouth before she could think better of it.
“Sweetheart, forthat, I’d get down on my knees and beg.”
Mia shivered, the reply low, sexy, and making the memories of the night before form in her mind with perfect recall.
“Shit. Give me a break. TMI. She’s my damn sister.” Kade’s voice was disgusted as he rose from his chair. “I’m going for coffee. Anybody want anything?”
“Coffee,” she and Max said in perfect synchrony.
They looked at each other and laughed. “Addict,” Mia accused, still laughing.