it would eventually lead that way. I dropped my head in my hands, running my fingers through my hair over and over again.
Mason gawked at me. “You can’t. You know nothing about her.”
“Dumbass,” Brad scoffed. “You don’t have to be dating someone forever to know that you’re in love with them. Just because you and Janice are like that doesn’t mean that’s how every relationship works.”
“It’s not love,” I said, shooting my head up.
How could it be? We hadn’t known each other all that long. With Nat, I’d known her for years before I knew I was in love with her.
My brothers completely ignored me.
“Says the guy who can’t hold a relationship,” Mason shot back.
“This is all premature. This might not even go anywhere,” I said, mostly talking to myself.
“Or this might go on everywhere. My room is off-limits though, ’kay?” Brad smirked.
“For once, can you be serious? We don’t even know her,” Mason repeated.
“There’s no we in their equation. And that’s an easy fix, Charles.” Brad leveled me with a stare. “Get to know her.” He stood. “I have to get lunch. My stomach is eating its lining, and I don’t do well without food.” He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “This is good for you, Charles. More than that, Becky is good for you. Trust me.” And then the devilish bastard winked once more before he walked out with Mason who hadn’t said a word.
Chapter 21
Becky
I woke up on my birthday like I did any other day—because no one was supposed to know. I thought no one did, but when I opened my bedroom door, a dozen pink balloons hit me in the face. On the floor lay multiple paintings and cards. There were three animal paintings—one of a llama, the other two of unicorns—all displaying two words: Happy birthday.
My heart expanded as I picked them all up and brought them to my chest. After pulling the balloons into my room and placing the paintings and cards on my desk, I skipped downstairs to get the girls’ breakfast ready.
As always, Charles was there, with my coffee ready, another balloon floating above his head. After handing me my coffee, he pulled the balloon over by its string and gave it to me. “Happy birthday.”
I was cheesing so hard that my cheeks hurt. “Who told you?”
“Patty told us. And you …” He playfully narrowed his eyes. “Don’t even try it. We make the birthdays big and grand for the girls. And they like to make it big and grand for each of us. So, we’re celebrating today. Two years ago, the girls wanted to take Patty to Disney World, so we did.”
When my eyes widened, he said, “Don’t worry. Patty said you wouldn’t enjoy that too much. You’re more low-key.”
I nodded. “I am.” Though I’d love to go to Disney World one day. The day I wasn’t afraid to go out of my house in general.
“But we’ll be doing dinner tonight. All of us. Mary has picked where we’re going.”
My excitement could not be dimmed, and there was a little hop in my step.
We fell into our normal morning routine, me getting breakfast ready and him getting the girls’ lunch ready at the kitchen island.
“What was your most memorable birthday?” Charles slapped some mayo on a piece of bread.
I inhaled and exhaled as memories came back. There were some memorable ones but only ones that I wanted to forget.
I thought he sensed my reluctance to answer because Charles rephrased his question. “Your happiest birthday.”
“Hmm.” I laughed without humor. “My mother did actually remember my birthday one year.” I swallowed down through the pain of the memory. “I forget how old I was, probably a little older than Mary. But I remember it was also the same day that social services had a scheduled visit.” I flipped the pancake on the pan. “I don’t know how I remember that, but I do.” A heaviness spread throughout my body, and I forced myself to focus on the task at hand before the hurt and pain from my past came rushing back and crippled me into a state of sadness.
Silence followed my response, so I peered over my shoulder and forced a smile on my face. “It’s okay though.” I pushed out the words, trying to focus on the positive before the negative took me under. “There are so many other memories, happier ones that replace that.” None of them when I was younger, but more with the families