Page 9 of Structure of Love

I was grateful he’d parked relatively close to the door. Cooper was dead weight, and I didn’t enjoy lugging his carcass. Gage usually managed this alone? He was stronger than he looked.

We kept walking, and lugging, and eventually we reached the truck. Gage opened the passenger side, and we poured Cooper in, where he slumped sideways over the middle.

Gage huffed, then glared at his brother. “If you barf in my truck again, I’m throwing you out in the middle of the road.”

Cooper didn’t so much as twitch.

“Sorry, again, and thanks for the help.” Gage pulled out his wallet. “Did he pay his tab?”

“He didn’t. It’ll be about forty.”

He handed me sixty. “For the help. Thank you.”

I took the money, as he was being kind, and I figured it made him feel a little better to tip me. Not that I needed it, but his offer was sincere, and it didn’t feel right to spit in his face. Gage, though, looked so tired. His shoulders slumped, mouth drooping under his forced smile. I found myself opening my fat mouth.

“Does he do this often?”

“Daily, feels like.”

I stared at the kid and felt pity. He had a brother who loved him this much and he was still trying to destroy his liver? Stupid kid. Then again, having been a stupid kid myself… “Look. Tell me to shut up if I’m out of line, but you gotta let him crash and burn.”

Gage’s head lowered and he looked…miserable. “I know. I vowed to myself I’d stop, and I actually did follow through on that earlier, but then there’s moments like now, where I didn’t feel good about forcing you to deal with him. He’s not your problem.”

“He’s not yours, either,” I pointed out. “I realize he’s your brother, but he’s not your child. And honestly? The only person who can help him is him. Until he’s ready to clean up his act, nothing you do actually helps him.”

He stared at the kid for a long moment. “My mother babied him to the point where he’s useless. She still loses her mind when she sees him like this. Demands I help him. I’ve been drawing boundaries. I don’t let him drive my trucks anymore,he’s not allowed in my house. I’m still picking him up from bars and drunk tanks, though. I can’t seem to stop doing that.”

“In other words, your mother is still enabling him, but she’s doing it through you.”

“Ouch. That hit a little too close to home.”

Poor guy, he looked so defeated. “Those are good steps, but unfortunately you have to go complete scorched earth, in a sense. I speak from experience. Let him crash. Let him fail so completely he has to pick himself back up. It’s the only way he’s going to learn.”

“And if he still doesn’t learn?”

“Then he can’t learn, and nothing you do will change that.”

“That’s…harsh. Wait, how do you know?”

“Oh, you know, personal experience.” I used my chin to indicate Cooper. “I was just like him at that age, but I crashed and burned because I wore everyone out. No one would give me the time of day, except one grandmother who loved me through it all. Even she gave me stern boundaries, saying she would only help me in certain ways. Brutal as it was—and I don’t mind admitting I cried myself to sleep more than one night—the tough love was exactly what I needed. Sadly, that’s all you can really do for him now. Let him fail so completely he has to pick himself back up.”

“Still, it gives me hope. If you can do it, maybe he can, too.” He gave me a wan smile. “Thank you. I need to toughen up. Or just block his number so he can’t call me.”

“Whatever you gotta do, man.”

Gage rocked back on his heels, staring up at the night sky, and blew out a long breath. “Friends have been telling me for years I’ve got to cut Cooper loose. Somehow, hearing it from you, I realize the situation really is that bad. When a man who barely knows my name is telling me to let go, it’s past the point of no return.”

I shrugged, having nothing to say. He wasn’t wrong. Honestly, it was rare for me to give advice. I normally just helped people to their cars and that was it. I wasn’t sure what it was about this man that drew words out of me.

Probably ’cause he was handsome as sin and I wanted to help him. I was a sucker for a pretty face.

I’d also noticed the rainbow bracelet on his wrist, tucked up against his watch band. He probably wasn’t straight if he was wearing that. Sadly, this didn’t seem the right moment to hit on him, but maybe we’d cross paths again and I’d get a chance.

For now, I had a bar to run, and he had a drunk to wrangle. “Good luck, Gage.”

“I need it, so thank you.” He gave me one last smile before heading around the truck.

I walked back to the bar, casting a glance over my shoulder as he pulled out of the parking lot. It was a sad day when a good man like Gage had to deal with shit like this. How much had he lost from pouring energy into Cooper? I hadn’t seen a wedding ring. Had he sacrificed his own social life by constantly running to his brother’s rescue? I sensed this was the case, which was a damn shame.