Page 48

Oh Brother

Holland

“ Y ou alright?” Noah asks as I stare after Mallory.

“I’m not sure.”

He winces. “I know the timing isn’t ideal, but we really shouldn’t keep them waiting.”

“Okay.” I blow out a breath. “Can you give me one second to get my head right?”

“Of course, man. Take your time. I’ll cover for you.” He slaps me on the shoulder and leaves me alone.

I slump into a chair at Daisy’s kitchen table and massage my temples. My brain needs to be in the negotiations with MEM , but my heart is about to board a plane to Fort Walton Beach. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.

My head snaps up when the outside door to the kitchen creaks open. I’m halfway out of my chair—thinking it’s Mal and she forgot something and thank goodness because I get to see her again and pull her in close—when Mack walks inside.

“Oh.” I sit back down with a thud, heart plummeting into my stomach. “Hey, man.”

“Hey.” My brother assesses me with an inscrutable look. He doesn’t say anything.

I massage the back of my neck. “Uh, what are you doing here?”

He pulls up the chair next to me. “Daisy texted Poppy. Told her what’s going on.”

I nod. “It was nice of Poppy to send you.”

He shakes his head. “She didn’t. ”

I furrow my brow. “So…?”

“I just…came over on my own.”

“You…did?”

Mack shrugs. “Figured you might not want to be alone.”

That’s what does it. That’s what causes a lump to well in my throat and the prick of tears to make my vision blurry.

“Thanks,” my voice cracks.

Mack nods. He doesn’t fill the silence with pointless words, and right now I love him for that. It’s enough for me that he’s here.

After a minute, I press my palms into the table. “I’ve got to go talk to the MEM people. They’re ticked about the leaked photos.”

“They should really check their priorities, given the circumstances.” Mack scowls, and I appreciate his show of support for Mal and me.

“Want me to come in there with you?” he adds.

My eyebrows fly up. “You’d do that?”

“Don’t have anywhere else to be.”

“Sure, yeah.” I exhale, feeling more settled. “Okay. Thanks. That’d mean a lot.”

We stand, and Mack clasps his hand on my shoulder in a show of support. “Let’s go show these dumb TV people who’s boss.”

I snort. “Your mean mug always did tell people you meant business.”

He arches his eyebrows at me. “Careful what you say about my face, little brother. I’m thinking about getting a pet bird, and I have a key to your apartment.”

I narrow my gaze at him. “You wouldn’t dare.”

The corners of his lips tip up, and mine do too.

All I can think as I lead Mack to the meeting room is that my whole future just walked in the opposite direction, but at least I have my brother by my side, and somehow that makes me feel like everything’s going to be okay.