Page 7 of Endlessly Yours (The Wilder Brothers #10)

“Rory isn’t going to take handouts from us, at least not something that big,” Ava said slowly.

“As it is it’s going to take guilt and pressure in order for her to let us help with the paperwork that it’s going to take for the move.

Because I don’t know exactly what those little girls are going to need, but we’re going to make sure they have everything. ”

“Damn straight,” Aurora said as Ridge squeezed her shoulder.

“We’re not going to be able to bring their parents back, or help any of the hurts, but we can make sure that they have a pillow to sleep on and people around so they know they’re not alone.”

“And we won’t be so cult-like,” Kendall pointed out. “And I know people joke that the Wilders can be, but what the hell is this community?”

“All I know is if that community comes after those kids, they’re going to have to face us,” I blurted, and people once again stared at me. “What? I don’t like the sound of them.”

“Same here,” Elijah said as he looked through his phone. “Oh, and we have lawyers, too, so we’ll ensure that we can take any necessary steps to guarantee it’s not an issue.”

“I don’t think it will be,” Ava put in. “I think once the girls are here, they’re going to cut ties. At least, that’s what Rory felt. It just feels icky.”

Wyatt leaned forward. “Okay, so let’s find them a place to stay and figure out how to get Rory to agree to move.”

I shook my head and stood up, pulling my phone out of my pocket. “You know what, fuck it. I’ll deal with it.”

Everyone gaped at me. “What?”

“What do you mean by you’ll deal with it?” Wyatt asked slowly, looking as if I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had.

“The house next door to mine is open. My renters moved out, so there’s enough space for everyone. And it’s in a good school district, close enough so Rory can drive them both. Though, I don’t really know what grades they will be in.”

“That’s a brilliant idea,” Ava said as she stood up. “Rory’s going to hate it, but maybe I can convince her. And that’ll ensure that she’s close enough to all of us, and you’ll be right next door to help her if she needs anything. It’s perfect.”

I didn’t like the odd look on her face, one that said she had something else up her sleeve, or maybe I was just thinking too hard.

I shook my head, though. “No. I’ll handle it. I’ll make sure she does what we need her to. You guys handle all the rest. I’ll make sure she has a place to come home to.”

And with that, I walked out, leaving everybody flabbergasted. They called after me, but I ignored them.

I needed to head to Rory’s and make another fucking terrible decision when it came to her.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I drove towards Rory’s small apartment, wondering what the hell I was doing.

But for the life of me I couldn’t think about three people in that tiny apartment, trying to navigate a new world.

I knew firsthand what it was like when your world broke into a thousand pieces.

Because those little girls would be grieving and would have no idea what the hell they were doing.

And I knew that Rory wouldn’t be grieving at all.

She would be pushing it down, working on a checklist like everybody else, and she would do her best to think of the girls and not of the fact that she had just lost her sister.

I couldn’t do much, and I didn’t want to do anything else, but I could do this.

I was already out of the car and walking up her steps before I thought better of it. I knocked as quietly as I could, but I was a big man, and it sounded more like a pounding than anything.

Rory pulled open the door, eyes wide. “What are you doing here Brooks?”

I studied her face, the dark circles, the paleness. But her eyes weren’t puffy and her cheeks weren’t red. She hadn’t cried other than those few tears that had fallen after the first phone call. She was going to break, and I didn’t know what the hell I would do when that happened.

Wait. Why would that matter? It wasn’t as if I was going to be there when it happened. Rory wasn’t mine. I had already dealt with losing somebody before. I wasn’t going to deal with losing somebody else again. Let alone someone who was clearly dealing with things that were way too much for me.

“Here. Take these.” I held out my hand, and Rory looked down at it, confused.

“Brooks. What are you doing here? I’m exhausted, and I’m trying to figure out how to get the girls here because I don’t know how much stuff they have.”

I shook my head. “Let Ava help. You know the Wilders already have a fucking spreadsheet going.”

She blinked. “What?” Then she realized I was standing in her doorway and gestured me inside. “Come inside. I don’t need my neighbors to hear everything. What are you saying?”

“Let Ava help when she calls you. Or hell, when she comes over. Just let her help.”

“Brooks. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know your best friend. She’s going to want to help. They’ve got plans. You be there for the girls. Now take these.” I held out my fist again, and she still frowned.

“What are they?”

“Keys.” I dropped them in her open palm, her eyes wide.

“Keys for what?”

“I own five homes. I built them and I rent them out. I live in one of them, and the one next door is open right now. It’s a four-bedroom, meaning the girls can either share or have their own, I don’t know what the hell girls their ages do.

But you can have your own room, and there can be a guest room or an office or whatever you need.

I know the area well, and Ava and the others can help you.

But just don’t think too hard. You’re not going to be able to fit the girls in here. Take my keys.”

I stood there, heart in my throat, wondering what the hell I was doing. I hadn’t even spoken in complete sentences and was now asking the person I tried to stay away from to move next door to me.

“But, no, we’ll be fine here.” Her cheeks pinked in a pretty blush, and I shoved that thought away. “And I don’t need your charity.”

“You can pay rent. I don’t fucking care. But what I do care about is the fact that I have the space, and you need it. Just let someone help you for once.”

Her eyes narrowed, finally an emotion other than bleakness filling that gaze. “You know what? That’s rich, Brooks.”

“Just move in. The others will help you with it. I’m leaving tomorrow because I need to set up the expansion. I’ll be over an hour away for the next few weeks.” I hadn’t really wanted to leave tomorrow, but frankly, I needed to get out of here. I needed to breathe and focus on something else.

Not the fact that I had just asked my worst and best fantasy to live next door to me.

Not to mention, an anniversary I didn’t want to think about was coming up, and I would rather be away from my family for that than have to deal with any pitying or worrying looks.

“You can’t just give me a house.”

“I can. We can talk about paperwork and whatever you need later. But those girls are going to need a place to sleep. And you don’t need to stress about other things out of your control. Just take it.”

“Brooks. I don’t know what to say.”

I reached out without conscious thought, my fingers sliding along her jaw. She froze and leaned into the touch. I stood there, feeling her soft skin against my rough calluses, and sighed.

“I’m so damn sorry, Rory.”

“Me too. Me too.” She let out a deep breath, then finally rolled her shoulders back, so I let my hand drop. “Okay. I guess we do need the space. Thank you, Brooks.”

I just shook my head and wondered what the hell I was doing.

I’d needed to help her. Every part of me needed that. I couldn’t give her anything else, but I could give her space. At least for the girls. Because now I would be their landlord. Their neighbor.

And there wasn’t enough space in the world for me to figure out what to do with that.