Page 8 of A Matter of Fact

“Did you think of a witty comeback?” he answered.

“Is that a sex joke?” Sebastian’s voice came through the other end of the line, not their father’s. And it was a relief. He was relieved. Rhys scrubbed a hand down his face, the frown falling away as his brother’s voice filled his ears.

“I thought you were someone else,” Rhys said.

“Do you make sex jokes with other people?”

He grimaced. “It wasn’t a sex joke, little brother. Now, tell me why you’re calling so early on a Sunday morning. Shouldn’t you be hung over from the gala?”

“I only had one drink, if you must know. And you’re awake. It’s not that early.”

“What do you want?” he asked again.

“I’m getting brunch with Remington. He suggested I invite you along.”

“Not your idea, then?”

“No,” Sebastian said softly.

“Do you want me to come?” Rhys asked. “Or are you expecting me to say no?”

“Yes.”

The honesty of the dual confession felt like bricks on his chest. To an outsider, it would seem like he’d spent so much of his life being cruel to his brother. But everything he’d done had been to keep Sebastian safe, to ensure Sebastian could have a better life. Their father was not a kind man, he wasn’t paternal. In fact, he was utterly patriarchal, which was the only thing that had allowed Rhys the chance to buffer so much of his father’s cool detachment so Sebastian never had to bear the brunt of him.

Rhys had sacrificed so many things.

All for the St. George name.

All for nothing.

“Just the three of us?” he asked.

“Potentially.” It took Sebastian far more than four syllables to answer.

“Callahan?” he rasped.

“I honestly don’t think he’ll come if he knows you’ll be there,” Sebastian answered him so casually, like Callahan’s avoidance of Rhys was as normal as the trash collection on…whatever day the trash was collected on. “But he normally comes, so maybe.”

“Is this an ambush?”

“If you’re coming, I’ll tell him,” Sebastian said. “He’s my best friend. I won’t blindside him. Or Jace.”

“Remington is fond of Jace, then?”

“They’re best friends and you knowI’mfond of Jace. And you were a cunt to him in Mallardsville.”

Rhys swung his legs back over the side of the bed and looked down at his toes again. Still plain and unremarkable.

“I’m a cunt to everyone.” Rhys closed his eyes, the reminder and the truth making him feel deplorable.

“You’re not wrong.” Sebastian laughed gently. “So, will you come?”

“When and where?” he conceded.

“I’ll text you the address. See you in an hour.”

Rhys waited for Sebastian to end the call without a goodbye the way their father had done, but the glaring beeps never came.