Page 3 of Hale Yes (Highway to Hale #1)

Remington sets his hands on his hips, the pink of his cheeks showing his indignation. “You expect me to fly this woman to the Hamptons tonight?”

We all burst out laughing. Well, all of us except my older brother, who has his trademark scowl imprinted on his face. “Bro, the Hampton Inn is right down the street,” I explain.

His face is a mask of confusion before it hits him and his nose wrinkles. “Like that hotel chain? Did you at least book me the penthouse?”

Cue more hilarity while Remi glares. He’s such a snob. “Yeah, definitely the penthouse,” Phoenix wheezes between guffaws.

Our brother looks marginally relieved. He’s going to be in for a shock when he gets there because the Hampton has four floors at the most, and I’m relatively sure there are no suites.

“I don’t know why you didn’t just book me next door at The Guild,” he complains.

Dutton shakes his head, mirth dancing in his sky-blue eyes. “Because you’re supposed to be acting like a regular guy, and rooms at The Guild start at fifteen hundred per night. The average Joe Blow would not be able to afford that.”

“Huh, guess that makes sense.” Remi adjusts the cuffs on his sleeves.

He’s an inch taller than me and Phoenix, but I’m the broadest of our group of brothers.

My shirt fits him pretty well, though I had to leave his unbuttoned because it’s perfectly tailored to fit his slimmer frame.

Luckily, I have on an undershirt beneath so I don’t look like a porn star.

“You look good, man,” Dutton praises. Remington looks unsure but nods. “And try not to look so uptight. Maybe smile a little.”

Remington bares his straight, white teeth in something resembling an angry panther, and we all chuckle.

“Yeah, that oughta do it,” Phoenix snarks, mussing Rem’s perfect black hair a bit with his fingers. “Oh, and don’t tell her your real name.”

“What the hell am I supposed to call myself?” he huffs in indignation.

Dutton’s lips curl up at the corners. “How about Joe Blow?”

Remi’s lips flatten. “Anything else?”

I scratch my chin, feeling the hint of stubble appearing there. “Joe Blow wouldn’t have a private driver, so you can’t use Antonio. You either need to walk to the hotel or take a rideshare.”

“Fine,” he sighs, glancing out the window again, his eyes softening just a bit when he catches sight of the redhead. “You guys can get Antonio to take you home.”

“We’ll see you in about five minutes when you strike out,” Phoenix taunts.

“I’ll see you tomorrow ,” Remington shoots back. Then he flashes the hint of a real smile and pulls Phoenix into a brotherly hug. “Love you, man. I’ll come early to make sure you’re dressed appropriately.”

Phoenix laughs and returns the embrace. “Thanks, and good luck, Rem.”

Our older brother walks backward, shooting finger guns and a playful wink at us. “That’s Joe to you.”

As Remington trots down the stairs, we congregate at the window. “Uh-oh. Another man is trying to step in,” I note, seeing a blond guy standing beside the redhead’s table. My eyes track Remi skirting the dance floor wearing my shirt and shoes.

“He’s toast,” Dutton predicts. “She’s totally going to dance with the blond dude.”

I tap the divot above my top lip. “I don’t think so. Look at her body language. She’s leaning away from him.”

My cousin cackles with glee. “Awww, shit. Remi is approaching. A thousand bucks says they’re going to rumble.”

Phoenix and I cut our eyes at one another. This is going to be the easiest fucking bet ever. Remington Hale does not rumble .

“You’re on,” I say before Phoenix does.

Two seconds later, Remi taps the guy on the shoulder, and when he turns around, my brother jerks his head to the side and says something. Even from here, we can see a frown crinkle the blond man’s forehead.

Dutton tenses beside me, muttering, “Come on, Rem-bo. Let him have it.”

But he doesn’t. Instead, he dips his head and kisses the woman full on the mouth.

“Ha! The old hi honey, I’m back routine,” Phoenix crows. “It’s a classic.”

“Well, shit,” my cousin curses, pulling out his western-style wallet and counting out a stack of hundreds as the interloping blond guy storms away. He hands it over, and I absently stick the bills into the back pocket of my trousers.

“Oooh, she’s asking him to sit down,” I say, fully invested in this ludicrous scheme now.

“And he’s actually smiling,” Phoenix says like a proud father.

The music changes from the club mix to a George Strait classic, and Dutton tips his hat at us, grinning in that cheeky way he has. “Gentlemen, I have a lady to hold in my big, strong arms.”

And then there were two…

Remi and the redhead left together about thirty minutes ago, and then the rest of the bachelor party said their goodbyes, most of them also leaving with women on their arms. Phoenix and I are in a quiet corner with our drinks and our bond.

“Are you ready for next month?” my brother asks as we sit on gray leather padded seats around a small table.

I nod, feeling slightly guilty about drinking while I’m in training, but it’s not something I do often. After this weekend, I’ll be back to my regular strict diet and schedule.

“I’m ready.”

“How’s the back?”

I twist from side to side to demonstrate that all’s good. I’d been training for the Olympics for years, and four years ago I pulled a muscle during a minor car accident, forcing me to miss the swimming trials. But it's my time now.

“Never felt better,” I tell him honestly. “I think I’ll definitely qualify for the breaststroke, and I’m hopeful for the two-hundred-meter freestyle as well.”

“I can’t wait to watch you win gold,” he says proudly before narrowing his eyes at me over the table and changing the subject. “So what’s going on with you and Kayla?”

“It’s time to end it,” I say, taking an easy sip of my drink. The lime tingles against my tongue, and my bones seem to relax one by one. It’s been a while since I’ve been drunk or even tipsy, but I’m well on my way tonight.

“It’s been time,” my brother replies. “She seems to have gotten clingier.”

I shove a hand through my dark-brown hair. “Yeah, I don’t do well with that, but I couldn’t just leave her right after her grandmother passed.”

“You’ll find someone,” he remarks. “But she’s not it. I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but Kayla’s not smart enough for you. You need someone who can challenge your intellect.”

He’s right, but I don’t really like talking about myself, so I shift the subject. “Are you sure Bea is the right one for you?” Beatrice hates being called Bea, so I do it as often as possible.

Phoenix’s eyes widen. “Of course she is. Why would you ask that?”

“She just seems more like Remi’s type. Driven and ambitious, where you’re more easygoing.”

My brother shrugs. “We balance each other.”

We’re silent for a while, and I finally break it. “You think Rem will ever get with Serena?”

Phoenix makes a gagging sound. “Fuck, I hope not. But it’s not for lack of effort on her part. She’s been trying to get her claws into him for years.”

“You think they’ve ever hooked up?”

He shakes his head vehemently. “Nope. I asked him once, and he assured me they’re only friends.”

“Fingers crossed it stays that way.” I don’t say it aloud, but the thought of having Serena and Beatrice both as sisters-in-law makes me want to drink lighter fluid and then swallow a lit match.

I twist my glass on the table and watch the condensation make wet rings against the smooth surface, only looking up when Phoenix leans forward. “Hey, you know what we should do?”

“I’m afraid to ask,” I reply wryly.

“We should do some hoodrat shit tonight. Just you and me, like the old days.”

I’m just drunk enough to think that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. “What did you have in mind?”

His blue eyes leave my matching ones and search the metal embossed ceiling. “Uhhhh, let’s see. Oh! I’ve got it.” His gaze is pure mischief when it returns to mine. “We could go toilet paper Dad’s house.”

I laugh and pat my back pocket. “I’ve got a thousand dollars that would buy a lot of fucking TP. Let’s get Antonio to drive us to Walmart. We can buy you a different shirt too since that one glows in the damn dark.”

Phoenix grasps my hand and squeezes, our eyes locked. “Thanks, twinny.”

It usually annoys me when he calls me that, but tonight? Fuck, it makes me feel a little emotional. My brother is getting married tomorrow.

I tighten my hand around his and pat his bicep. “You got it, Phe. Let me pay the bar bill and we can go do all the hoodrat shit you want.”

While I’m paying, I shoot off a text to our father.

Helix: Hey, if you hear someone in your yard, don’t call the police. It’s me and Phoenix.

Y-Chromosome: Do I even want to know what’s going on?

Helix: The groom wants to do some crazy shit tonight, so we’re about to come TP your house.

Y-Chromosome: Good lord, LOL. You’re not driving are you?

Helix: No sir, Antonio is driving us.

Y-Chromosome: Where’s Remi?

Helix: Occupied.

Y-Chromosome: Ah, I understand. I’ll let security know to look the other way for a few minutes. And I’ll warn Rebecca and Perri too so they don’t get scared if they hear two idiots outside.

I smile at the mention of our seventeen-year-old sister. Well, technically, she’s our half sister, but that’s just semantics. Perri has been in our life since she was four. It’s a long story.

Helix: Thanks, Dad. I’ll come clean up in the morning.

Y-Chromosome: Call me if you need bail money.

Three hours later, Phoenix and I fall onto the beds in one of the suite’s bedrooms, still giggling like little kids.

“I can’t believe the security guards didn’t even hear us,” my brother says, and I grin at the ceiling.

Is it supposed to be spinning like that?

We’d gone through an entire bottle of Remington’s expensive-as-fuck scotch in the back of his fancy car while Antonio drove us to two different Walmarts to buy all the toilet paper we could find.

Dad’s yard looked like a winter wonderland by the time we were done.

“We were super stealthy,” I lie. We weren’t.

“Must have been the ski macks… mackiss… masks,” Phoenix slurs drunkenly. “That was a good idea to get them at the Walmark.”

His face turns toward me from his bed, and I do the same. Even though I can barely see him in the dark, I feel the bright blue of his spirit.

“Tomorrow everything is going to change,” I say quietly.

“But we’ll always be twinnies,” Phoenix replies, his voice uncharacteristically solemn.

“Yeah, we’ll always be twinnies.”

When I told him everything was going to change tomorrow, I had no idea how true that statement was. Because Phoenix’s life didn’t just change.

It imploded.