Part 27 (1/2)

”Don't tell me you're going to help?” She looked astonished and walked over to give me a kiss. ”Good morning sleepyhead.” She played with my hair and then stepped back and looked at my face.

”What's so funny?” I grumbled, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her towards me.

”I think you need the chia now.” She mussed with my hair again and giggled.

”Are you telling me I look a mess?” I squeezed her a.s.s and was about to lean down and kiss her when I heard someone clearing their throat.

”Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but I was wondering if one of you would let me know where the coffee is?” Noah grinned at us as he stood in the doorway and my heart thudded as I stared at my little brother. Though he wasn't so little now, he was buffer than me.

”Always preventing me from doing something, aren't you Noah?” I walked towards him and slapped him on the shoulder. ”Next time knock, yeah?”

”I didn't think I had anything to worry about.” He stared at Lucky. ”She's been singing for the last 30 minutes at least, and I know you may be good in bed bro, but you're not that good.”

”Noah.” I chastised him and looked at Lucky. ”You're in the presence of a lady.”

”My bad, Lucky.” He grinned at her. ”You look beautiful by the way, I'm glad to see you're feeling better.”

”Thank you, Noah.” She walked over to join us and I stared at her legs. She looked s.e.xy as h.e.l.l, but I hadn't realized before just how short her shorts were. They seemed to be showing an awful lot of leg, more leg than I thought any other guy should be seeing, not even my own brother.

”Do you want to change, Lucky?” I looked at her pointedly and she stared at me with a blank expression.

”I have no idea what you're talking about, Zane. You just watched me get dressed.” She shook her head and linked her arm through Noah's. ”Now let's go and get you some breakfast.” She smiled up at him as they walked to the stairs.

”So what am I then?” I called out to them. ”Chopped liver? Doesn't anyone want to make sure I get some breakfast?”

”Stop being a crybaby.” They both uttered at the same time and then they started laughing. I stood in my doorway, watching them walk down the stairs arm in arm and I wondered at how lucky I was to be witnessing my brother bonding with my fiance. It was a sight I'd never thought I would see happen. I had never planned on getting engaged. I hadn't believed in love and I certainly hadn't planned to give my heart to some lady to trample all over. But then Lucky had wormed her way in and drilled a hole so deep that even I couldn't ignore the way she made me feel. I smiled to myself at the feeling of complete and utter joy that I was experiencing. I don't think I could remember ever feeling this happy before in my life.

”Yo bro, you coming?” I heard Noah call up the stairs and I hurried down to join them before he ate all of Lucky's special home fries.

”You still mad?” Noah's voice was cautious as he helped me put away the dishes from the dishwasher.

”What do you think?” I shook my head and placed the last gla.s.ses in the cupboard before turning around to face him. ”I thought you were dead, Noah, and you weren't. You didn't even call me.” I glared at him and kept my voice low. ”The only reason I'm not shouting right now is because Lucky's upstairs in bed and not feeling well. I don't want her to see how mad I am at you, but trust me bro, I'm still really mad.”

”I know you don't understand why I did what I did. And I'm sure you feel like-” he started and I held a hand up.

”You have no idea how I feel. I feel overwhelmed with happiness and love. I feel like I've been given my whole heart back. You're my best friend, Noah. All our life, it's just been you and me. I thought you respected and loved me enough to let me know what's up.”

”I couldn't tell you.” He looked into my eyes and I was reminded of the little boy who followed me around everywhere. ”You know I would have told you man if I thought it would be okay.” His eyes pleaded for my understanding.

”I don't understand why you told Sidney Johnson.” The words sounded childish coming out of my mouth and I glared at him for making me sound like a jealous pansy.

”Sidney was the only person I told.” Noah sighed. ”I can't tell you why, but I trusted him.”

”More secrets, Noah?” I shook my head. ”Whatever.”

”Trust me, Zane.” He grabbed a hold of my arm. ”Please just trust me.”

”I missed you, man.” I turned my face embarra.s.sed at how my voice had broken. ”You know I trust you, but I missed you.”

”I missed you too, bro. Every day.” He looked at me and made a face. ”But I knew you'd get them, Zane. I knew it wouldn't be forever. You've always been there for me. I didn't doubt you'd come through for me this time as well.”

”I was f.u.c.king going to get Braydon if it cost me my life.” I croaked out a laugh. ”I wasn't going to stop until his sorry a.s.s was in jail.”

”I knew you would do whatever it took. Even when we were children, you thought about me first.” He looked up at me with admiration. ”You were like a mom, and a dad, and a big brother to me, dude. You were always the one I went to, the one I could rely on, the one I pestered when I was bored.”

”You were a pest all right.”

”I knew you'd come through for me, Zane. I knew that it wasn't forever. I knew that I'd see you again.”

”Just don't ever do that s.h.i.+t to me again.” My voice was gruff and I turned away from him quickly. ”This last year has been h.e.l.l for me.”

”But at least you got to meet Lucky.” Noah's voice was soft. ”If you hadn't been working the case you never would have met her.”

”Yeah.” I nodded and thought about everything for a moment. ”I love her you know.”

”She's good for you.” There was a wistful look in his eyes. ”You should be thanking me, man. If I hadn't gone away, you never would have met her. And right now, it would just be you and me here. You wouldn't have a beautiful girl upstairs in your bed, waiting for you.”

”She's not exactly waiting for my loving, Noah, she's taking a nap.” I laughed.

”Hey, she's in your bed right? If I hadn't gone away and if you didn't think I was dead, you would never have met her. In fact, you should be thanking me.” Noah grinned at me.

”That's some twisted thinking, bro, but thank you.” I laughed. ”I'm thankful every day for meeting Lucky.”

”She loves you bad, man.” Noah laughed. ”I've never seen a girl so kooky over you, not even those girls in high school. What did you do to her? Drug her?”

”Very funny.” I punched him in the shoulder, but I was pleased at his words. I knew that Lucky loved me, but it felt great to see that other people could tell as well. ”I asked her to marry me.”

”Well, I should hope so.” Noah laughed.

”Oh?”

”She's the love of your life. She's gorgeous. She's kind. She's nice. She sings like an angel. You don't let a girl like that go.” Noah smiled at me weakly. ”When you meet a girl like that, you don't let her go.”

”I won't ever let her go.” I knew that I had never spoken any truer words. Lucky was my life, and as long as she was in it, I knew that everything was going to be okay. We may have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start, but I knew that I was going to be the best husband and father that I could be.

”I'm glad I'm home, bro.” Noah reached his hand out to me. ”I missed you like h.e.l.l.” I knew that was his way of apologizing to me. I knew that an awful lot must have gone on while he was away and I could tell that there were things he wasn't telling me, but I was patient. When Noah was ready to talk, I'd be here for him. No matter what. Because that was what family was really about: being patient, being loving, and being understanding.

”Me too, bro.” I gave him a hug. ”You, me, and Lucky. We're one big family now. And I'm not going to let either of you go again.”