Page 78 of Single Malt

“Sorry. What’d you say?”

“I asked if everything was okay.” Cory frowned at me. He’d always been on the quiet, serious side like Eoin, but unlike our younger brother, Cory wasn’t a brooding sort of quiet. He saw a lot more than any of us realized because he rarely turned inward.

“Sure. Why?” I smiled a hard, plastic smile and hoped he couldn’t see through it.

“You’ve just been…subdued.” He shrugged. “I thought maybe you were worried about Da and Eoin flying back.”

Guilt flooded me. I hadn’t been thinking about them at all. My brothers and I had talked a bit about it earlier since Eoin had been discharged yesterday – at least yesterday in our time zone – and Da had gone back to Germany so he could fly home with Eoin.

We’d compared notes on how our brother was doing and what we thought he’d do next, but since none of us really knew what he was thinking, we’d focused on the positive, and the conversation hadn’t been as heavy as it could have been.

“Our parents will be glad to have him close to home,” Cory said. “But I do wonder how pissed he’s going to be when he finds out Da pulled strings to get him stationed nearby.”

I chuckled. “As soon as Mom starts dropping off home-cooked meals, he won’t be complaining.”

Cory smiled. “That’s true.”

“She came with her roommate,” Sean announced as he dropped back into the seat next to me. “Who wants to be my wingman and take home the brunette?”

“No, thanks.” The refusal was out of my mouth before I’d consciously decided to turn him down. At Sean’s surprised expression, I gave a vague excuse and hoped he wouldn’t press the issue. “Not really in the mood for company.”

“Cory?” Sean turned to our brother, but not before I’d seen the curiosity on Sean’s face.

Shit. If he remembered this conversation tomorrow, I’d end up with questions the entire drive back to San Ramon.

“I have an early day tomorrow,” Cory said before he finished off his drink. “In fact, I think I should call it a night.”

“Tomorrow’s Saturday,” Sean pointed out.

“You’re right, Brody,” Cory said with a sigh, “he really doesn’t understand what it’s like to actually work for a living.”

“Funny, asshole.” Sean punched Cory’s shoulder. “I guess that means I get to find out if they’re interested in a threesome.”

The grin on his face said that was hardly something he minded.

“You could ask Fury,” I pointed out.

“Nope. He’s already got one.” Sean pointed over to where Fury was standing with a tall redhead, his mouth by her ear. Whatever he was saying, she appeared to like.

As Sean went back to his brunette with a new goal in mind, Cory slid out of the booth. “Want to share a cab, or was there someone else you had your eye on?”

I shook my head. “No, I think I want to take a walk, clear my head a bit.”

“All right.” Cory seemed concerned, but he didn’t push the issue. “You have the extra key?”

“In my pocket,” I said. “I’ll walk out with you, though. If Sean sees me alone, he might try to talk me into going with the roommate if the threesome idea doesn’t fly.”

Cory and I said goodbye to our brothers and then left. The moment I stepped outside, I could smell the coming rain, the scent that only came with spring. A promise of growth and good things to come. I kept those thoughts to myself as Cory flagged a cab and headed back to his place. Something had me more introspective and tense than usual. Despite what my family thought, I wasn’t always laid-back and at ease. I just hid stress really well.

This area was well-lit, and the night was the warmest so far this spring, which meant I wasn’t the only one out walking tonight, but I was the only one alone. Everyone else was in pairs and groups, laughing and talking. Some of them were heading toward the bar, others were going in the direction of the campus, and that was where I found myself heading too.

I wasn’t looking for anyone or going to a specific place, just walking. Listening without really listening to the conversations around me. Enjoying the weather and the aftereffects of the two Rusty Nails I’d consumed.

Their scotch wasn’t quite as good as what I planned to make, but it was a hell of a lot better than their on-tap beer. I wasn’t drunk, but it had given me a pleasant buzz, taking the edge off just enough for me to be able to relax. I hadn’t realized how much stress I’d been holding in until it’d been muted, and I couldn’t keep going on like that. I needed to figure out how to go back to the way I had been before.

Before I’d started looking for her everywhere. Thinking about her. Fantasizing about her. Wanting her.

I sighed as a glimpse of blonde hair at the end of the sidewalk appeared ahead.