Page 112 of Structure of Love

“Fuckers.”

I nodded in agreement, because yeah. That was exactly what they were. “Gets worse.”

“Sweetheart, I’m scared to ask how this can get worse.”

“He left me the bar.”

Gage stared, a man waiting for the other shoe to drop. “The bar…Wait, the bar you wanted to inherit and he told you no chance?Thatbar?”

“Yuppers.”

“What the actual fuck is wrong with your family?” Gage ran a hand through his hair, face screwed up in a grimace.

His reaction made me feel better. Like I wasn’t overreacting and my feelings were justified. Thank god this bullshit happened after Gage and I had started dating. I shuddered to think of how I’d have handled this without him.

“So the law office actually called to tell you you’ve inherited the bar.” Gage put the rest of the pieces together just fine without me. “And you learned in the process your grandfather had died. Wow. Has the funeral happened yet?”

“No, it’s on Friday.”

“Do you want to go?”

That right there was a loaded question. Did I? I didn’t even know at this point. “I don’t know. My instinctive answer is no, there’s no point. I’d just be fighting with the family who attend. I do want to go to his graveside service, though. If for no other reason than to yell at his headstone.”

“I think yelling at his headstone is justified at this point.” Gage was thinking at high speeds, judging from his furrowed brow. “Do any of your siblings know? I can’t imagine they would’ve kept it from you if they had known.”

Shit, he brought up a good point. My brothers and I weren’t tight, but we loved each other, and we tried to be good to one another. We were just very different people, and I was stillmaking up for some of the shittier things I’d done as a teenager. Still, if they’d known, they’d have told me.

“I’ll bet they don’t know. My asshole sperm donor likely didn’t tell anyone because we all coordinated to take Erin from him.”

“I realize he’s justified in being angry at you guys, in a way, but there’s limits to his anger.”

“Tell him that.” Blowing out a breath, I pulled my phone closer. “I’m going to call my siblings. I’ll tell Erin after she’s back from hanging out with friends. At least she can be told face-to-face.”

“Let’s move to your house first,” Gage suggested gently. “So you’re able to sit on a couch and eat comfort food.”

Seriously, so glad I had him with me. “Yeah. Let’s do that.”

“I’ll drive you, too. You shouldn’t be driving in this state.”

Probably the safer call.

35

Gage

I kept an eye on Logan as I drove. My heart broke seeing his open grief. He was suffering, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do or say to make the situation better. I wanted to support him, like he’d supported me, until he could get his feet back under him. I’d rally his friends, too. Logan’s support network was vast, and it was time to call in the cavalry.

Logan pulled himself together enough, at least, to notify his siblings. He called one on the drive to his house. I wasn’t sure who, but I knew the conversation was emotionally charged but short.

Once Logan was home, he squirreled himself into a corner of the couch, clutched one of the pillows, sucked in a breath, then called another brother.

I didn’t want to hover, he needed some privacy, so I stepped into the kitchen to make my own phone call. I could see Logan from this angle and respond if he needed me.

First person I called was Riggs, who needed to know I’d definitely be out of the office for the rest of the day.

Riggs answered with his usual efficiency. “I cannot handle any more emergencies this morning, so unless something is actively on fire, it will have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Riggs, I need to be out of office today, maybe tomorrow as well.”