Page 14 of My Ex’s Brothers (Hockey Harems #2)

14

DANE

Morning practices are my favorite. There’s something about the early rise, the routine of getting my coffee and making breakfast before everyone else is up, that just sets me right for the day. And over the last couple years, since Richie and Tripp moved in, we’ve established a sort of routine ourselves. I might be the middle child technically, but sometimes it feels like I’m the oldest, especially when they sleep in and come crawling out of bed just as the bacon hits the plate.

Just as I’m turning the coffee pot on, Richie comes out from the hallway, fully dressed and ready to go. I have to blink to make sure I’m not seeing things, because I swear he’s never up this early.

“Rough night?” I ask as the coffee percolates. I reach into the cabinet for two mugs.

He shrugs. “I mean, I slept. Got my eight hours in and all.”

“But…” I head for the skillet to toss around my scrambled eggs.

“I suppose you haven’t been to the garage since you got home last night?”

I shake my head. “No…why?” I stop mid-egg toss. “What did you do, Rich?”

He scoffs at me as the coffee pot dings. He grabs his mug, heading for it, shoving me aside but not aggressively.

That’s just how Richie is. He’s like a grumpy old grizzly bear, I swear, but I guess that comes with the territory being a forty-five-year-old divorcé living in your brother’s house alongside your twenty-four-old stepbrother.

The Brady Bunch has nothing on us.

Most people think he’s an asshole, and I guess I can see why, but I just figure the people who know him best know his bark is worse than his bite. I know when to pick my battles with Rich, and coffee isn’t worth it.

“Did Tripp tell you he ran into Amelia yesterday? At school?” He pours his cup, going about adding his one sugar cube and a splash of half and half nonchalantly.

“No, he didn’t mention it last night…”

Richard raises an eyebrow before taking a sip of his coffee. “Interesting. Well, turns out Amelia applied for a job at the campus.”

Oh. That’s…good. Still, I had hoped she’d land the job at the Bugle. But I know she can’t wait around forever for her dream job or anything. Not with a five-month-old…

“And he walked her to her car, like the good kid he is,” Richie says, shaking his head with a sigh. I can see the hint of jealousy behind his eyes, hear the faintest tinge of disapproval in his voice.

Which makes me stand straighter.

While I don’t like Tripp’s obvious intentions because they misalign with my own, I’m confident enough that my history with her speaks for itself, not to mention the other day at her apartment, when I stopped by. If my phone hadn’t interrupted me, I’m almost fairly certain I would have given in to the desire, that overwhelming curiosity that arises every time I’m with her. And with the way she was looking at me, at my mouth , something tells me she feels more for me than she lets on. Tripp or no Tripp.

But Richie is a whole other type of competition.

He’s older, wiser. Divorced. Not that I would consider any of those things appealing in the slightest, but then again, I know how pissy and asshole-ish he can actually be.

I was there for the fifteen years he was married. Yes, he took care of Ellyn the way he should have, but he wasn’t the nicest husband in the world either. Richard doesn’t know how to let anyone, man or woman, call the shots. It’s his way or the fucking highway.

The only people he actually listens to are Mom and me.

So the idea, the very notion that he could be fostering some sort of attraction for the same woman, makes me feel even more on edge.

“Problem is, her car is a piece of shit and kicked the fucking bucket.”

I turn the burner off, not wanting my eggs to burn as I turn to face him. “You’re kidding.”

Rich takes a long sip of his coffee. “Wish I was.”

“Shit, that’s going to cause another problem, if Amelia can’t get around…”

He holds my gaze. “I know, believe me. I took a look at it, and it needs a new catalytic converter, so…”

“So she’s better off getting a new car, but that’s not an option unless?—”

He holds his hand up. “I told her I’d look at it for her. We both know she’s not in the market for a new car, and?—”

“Since when do you know what Amelia needs?” I ask, not missing the bitterness lacing my own voice.

Richie raises his eyebrow. “Easy, Dane. Don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same thing.”

I look away from him, tossing my eggs onto a plate with a grunt. I toss some bacon in the pan and it sizzles rather loudly.

How fitting…

“I mean, if she needs a car, I can get her a fucking car…” I mumble. “Mom’s got the Prius still sitting in the driveway…”

“That thing is worse off than Amelia’s Jeep.”

“Yeah? And who’s supposed to be fixing it ?” I say with animosity, glaring at him.

“I am fixing it, Dane. Not my fault the part is on fucking back order. Calm your bloody tits.”

I angrily flip the bacon, and like clockwork, Tripp comes out from his room.

“What’s all the yelling about?” he asks, rubbing his eyes.

“Dane’s pissed we talked to Amelia,” Richard says with a shrug.

“I’m not pissed about that, I’m pissed about?—”

“Anyway,” Richard says, clearing his throat, completely steamrolling over me. “Tripp here called me, I came, I saw, I assessed the damage, and I had the piece of shit towed back here, and then I took her to lunch and asked her to move in with us.”

He says the words so nonchalantly, I have to wonder if I heard him correctly.

I slam my plate down. “You what?” I ask at the same time Tripp calls out, “You took her to lunch?” like someone told him there are no cookies left.

The vein above my left eye is now throbbing.

“Oh, don’t get all pissy, Dane. You wanted this to happen, does it matter how?”

“Yes, yes, Richard, it fucking matters,” I say, my cheeks heating with anger.

“What did she say?” Tripp asks, his voice quiet amidst our escalating ones.

“She said she’d consider it,” Rich says, glaring at me. “As long as you idiots are on board.”

I let out a frustrated growl. “Of course we’re on board, we?—”

“She wants to hear it from you. Both of you,” he says as he looks between us.

“Fuck,” Tripp curses, running a hand through his hair.

“Do you have a problem with this, Tripp?” I ask, noting the look of panic on his face.

He shifts uncomfortably, and I think perhaps he does. Have a problem. And if he’s the one thing that keeps Amelia from getting what she needs, I swear to God…

“No,” he says, crossing his arms. “No, I don’t have a problem with Amelia moving in here.” He looks at me, chewing his lip. “I have a problem with you acting like a damn possessive asshole who thinks she belongs to you.” He purses his lips. “Because she doesn’t.”

His words strike me harder than Rich’s admission that he asked her to move in here.

Because Tripp’s words are fully loaded with jealousy. Just like Richie’s.

“I never said?—”

“You don’t have to, Dane,” Rich says. “It’s written all over you. Look at you, you can barely have this conversation right now without busting a damn blood vessel. If you really want Amelia to be here, to be with us …” He sighs. “You have to get out of your own way and accept that the choice is not yours. It’s hers.” He sets his coffee down. “Besides, I’m picking her up at one today to bring her over here to talk to both of you. So whatever issues you have, work it out now before she gets here, otherwise our shot is blown.”

And with that, Richard leaves us, heading for his car.

“See you at practice, Dane.” He stops at the door, turning to Tripp. “Have a good day at school, kid. We’ll see you when you get back.”

“Fuck,” Tripp says after the door shuts. I grab my plate of eggs and bacon angrily, practically stomping over to the dining room table to scarf down my food as fast as I can, even though I’ve lost my fucking appetite.

I finish my plate, trying to calm down from my brothers’ behaviors this morning.

When Tripp speaks, it startles me. I almost forgot he was here, spiraling into my thoughts.

“I’ll clean up,” he says, standing just inches away from me. I look up at him, narrowing my eyes. He looks tired. Annoyed. He grabs my plate. “Seriously, just…go.”

I don’t have to be told twice, especially by Tripp. I get up, sighing as I relent.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean to snap at you, I just?—”

“I get it, Dane. Really. Just…relax, okay? If you want her to stay here, you’re going to have to chill the fuck out.”

He’s right. But I won’t tell him that. I won’t give him the satisfaction. The last thing I need is for Tripp to let my praise go to his brain.

I nod, grunting in agreement as I head for my car and off to practice.

The whole practice, I feel like my skin’s practically buzzing. My stomach is tied into knots.

Rich gives me a wide berth on the ice. Not enough that our teammates notice or say anything, but enough that I can feel his seething bitterness. But knowing Rich, he’ll get over it once he hits the gym. Nothing works out his aggression quite like training.

The entire practice I try my hardest to focus on the game, and for a little while I actually do. Until the buzzer sounds, and it’s time to hit the showers, which is around ten a.m.

I settle next to him in the locker room, undressing until I’m down to my briefs. I grab my shower supplies, fully fine with him not speaking to me at the moment.

“I’ll get her,” I say, my voice solid.

“What?”

I turn to him as I shut my locker. “I said I’ll get her. After I finish up here.”

Rich’s jaw tenses, his gaze holding mine steady. “I said?—”

“I know what you said. But you already fucked this up by asking her before we could discuss how to proceed with this, so I’m going to make sure you and Tripp don’t fuck this up anymore.”

“You act like we’re the enemy, Dane,” Rich says briskly. “We’re not the enemy here.”

“No, you’re not. But don’t for one second act like you did this out of the goodness of your heart. You did it because you wanted to be the one in charge. You wanted to be the fucking hero.”

“I can only be a hero, Dane, if she’s a damsel in distress, and as you clearly reminded us all, she’s not.” He grins. “So untwist those panties, Dane. You had plenty of chances to make your move and ask her. But you didn’t. I just did what you were too afraid to do.”

I flip him off. “And that’s why I’m picking her up.”

“Fine. But that’s not going to change anything,” he says with a shrug.

Maybe not, but I need to be near her right now. I need to know how she feels about this. How she feels about him. About this whole situation…

And maybe I need to know how she feels about me, but I can’t think about such things right now.

Not when she and Lyla are the most important thing. No, I need to make sure this…this is what she wants, and my brother wasn’t being an overbearing asshole commanding her to listen to him.

I shower at the speed of lightning, too keyed up and panicked that if I give Richie any more time he’ll just jump in his car and beat me there.

Thankfully, when I get to the parking lot, I notice the Corvette is still here, and breathe a sigh of relief.

The whole way to Amelia’s, I’m on edge. Richie is right. I am pissed. I’m not pissed he asked her, I’m pissed he took that opportunity from me, knowing I wanted to take things slow and approach Amelia with caution, so she’d feel safe and okay and not bombarded and ordered around.

Forcing her into a situation isn’t actually helping, and I will be damned if we are the cause of her grief and stress. She already has enough of that to go around with what Dex did.

I don’t need a reason for her to shut us out. Shut me out.

When I get to her apartment, it’s nearing twelve. I know Rich said he’d pick her up at one, but surely an extra hour alone with her, to talk to her…

I let out a heavy sigh as I get out of my car and walk up to her door. Two knocks and she opens the door, her bright blue eyes going wide as she sees me.

“Dane…what?”

There’s a hundred things I want to say to her right now, words stuck in my throat and my brain turning to absolute mush. Because when I look at her, all the anger and annoyance subsides. My shoulders relax, and all I can say is, “I know Rich was supposed to pick you up today, but I thought…”

She leans into my space, in the doorway, her gaze flashing up at me with curiosity.

“You thought you’d come get us instead?” she says the words carefully.

“I thought maybe we could talk first.” I look into her apartment, the familiar chaos beckoning me.

She nods. “Okay.”

When she steps back, she doesn’t tear her gaze from me, and I’m acutely aware of the tension between us. I’ve crossed her threshold before, without thinking twice about it. But now…now it feels like there’s something else between us. Something unsaid, but understood with this one action.

So I take my time and I enter slowly, and once I’m inside, she shuts the door.

One quick glance and I see Lyla in her little jumper, bouncing around, her little eyes going everywhere. When they land on me, I know this is the right thing. For all of us, yes, but for her…

We’re doing this for her too.

“So what did you want to talk about, exactly?” Amelia asks as she moves about, picking things up. I don’t think twice about jumping in and helping her.

“You. Moving in with us,” I say carefully. “I wanted…Richie….” I sigh as she folds some clothes from a basket into a pile on the dining room table.

“What?” she asks.

“I wanted to do this differently,” I admit.

She turns to smirk at me. “So, this was your idea.”

“Yes,” I say, because it was, but also because I want her to know that this wasn’t some fly-by-night idea.

A soft smile crosses her lips as she looks up at me.

“Why am I not surprised?” she says, shaking her head. My gaze dips to her mouth.

She has the most beautiful smile.

That’s the moment Lyla decides to make her presence known, belting out a scream.

We both turn, nearly colliding with one another as we go toward her.

“Sorry, I?—”

“It’s okay, I got her,” I tell her, making my move.

“Dane…”

My arms are around Lyla within seconds. She cries, her little face getting all pink and twisted.

“Tell me all about it, sweetheart,” I say softly as she balls her fist, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Amelia reaches out for her, but I hold her a little tighter. I run my hand up and down her small back, furrowing my eyebrows.

“You don’t have to…” she starts.

Suddenly, I am acutely aware of how close she is. Instinctively, I push some loose strands of hair behind her ear, capturing her gaze.

“I told you I want to, Amelia. Is that really so hard to believe?”

My voice drops, and I can see her eyes glistening. She settles her hand over mine, where I hold Lyla against my chest. Her tiny head falls onto my shoulder, her tears seeping into my shirt, but she’s quieting down. Fighting, but relenting all the same.

With my free hand I pull Amelia closer and watch as she gazes up at her daughter, then at me. The tears in her eyes are full of pain, full of sorrow.

But there’s also a wistful sort of hope too.

The words I really long to say get stuck in my throat.

Is it so hard to believe that I want you? That I want to give you everything he couldn’t?

Amelia licks her lips, her eyelashes fluttering against her glistening eyes as she sucks in a deep breath, and I lean in closer to her. Lyla fists my shirt in her hand as I sway us all back and forth. Amelia moves with me, in perfect tandem, and I think…

This is how it always should have been.

And for a fraction of a moment, she closes her eyes and leans in.

I only break away because of the obvious, loud sound coming from the tiny human on my chest, followed by the absolute worst smell I have ever smelled in my life.

I wrinkle my nose as Amelia grabs her from me.

“My turn,” she says, her voice tinged with humor but also strained. I don’t fight her, knowing as much as I do want to help, I have to remember that Lyla is not my kid.

I’m just her uncle who happens to be head over heels in love with her mother.

I’m just a guest in her life right now. A guest who wants nothing more than to make sure she has the world she deserves…

“Yeah, of course,” I say, the moment dissolved into thin air. “Take your time, and then we’ll head out.”

The moment she disappears around the corner, I let out a deep sigh.

If I can barely keep my hands to myself with her here, how the hall am I going to do so when she’s right down the fucking hall?