Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,273

play.”

“You’d like Brisbane, Mum. Why don’t you treat yourself and come visit before the footy season begins? I’ll show you around. We could do the touristy thing together.”

“It sounds lovely but—”

“You’ve barely been on a holiday since Dad died. If Rhett and Tori are there, they can take care of things. I mean, how long was I there while Rhett focused on his football career?”

“I know. You were my little man taking care of me.”

Until I couldn’t take care of myself.

“I’m buying a new car this week and debating whether to buy a house or rent. If I buy, I’ll sell my property in Adelaide. Either way, you’ll have somewhere to stay. I’m only staying with the lads temporarily.”

“You don’t want an old woman cramping your style.”

A single cough burst from my throat. “I would love for you to cramp my so-called style. If I were honest, you would enhance it.”

Mum giggles, and I can’t recall hearing the sweet sound of happiness in a playful way come from her in years. “You’re being silly now.”

“I’m serious. I want you here. I want to share my new life with you.”

“Let me talk to Rhett.”

“I’ll talk to Rhett. If I’m calling Jase, I may as well call him while I’m on a roll.”

“Thank you,” she says in a quiet voice.

“Don’t thank me yet.”

“To be honest, before I called you it worried me how you would be. I thought you might be in a bad place.”

If she’d seen me last night…

“I’m good, Mum. No need to worry about me,” I lie. “Focus on yourself and the farm and getting up here to see your favourite son.”

She chuckles again. “Dusty, I don’t have a favourite. I love you all equally.”

“We have a special connection.”

“Yes, my boy, we do.”

“Hey, man.” I look to the door at Braxton, his blond hair wet as though he’s had another shower. “Rohan has cooked us all lunch,” he says in a low voice, so he doesn’t disturb my conversation.

I give him a nod. “Be there shortly.”

“Mum, I’ll call you soon and hook you up with flights after I speak with my brothers.”

“Okay, love. It was good to hear your voice. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

I place my phone beside my bed and remain laying a little longer to absorb the conversation. She deserves a bloody holiday, and I’ll make sure Rhett gets her on a flight to visit me as soon as I can make it happen.

5

“I haven’t visited the farm or anywhere near the Riverina in the last four years,” I tell Brax. We’re sitting on the balcony with views of the city. It’s been two days since I promised him I would explain myself, so when the younger lads went out for dinner, we stayed in. “Every time I went home, I was mentally in a worse place than before the visit.” The memories cut into me like the knife I wanted to take to my wrists in my teens. I withhold telling him the raw truth and how the guilt had me searching for something to ease the pain. “I promised to only allow my demeanour to crack on the anniversary, so for every other day of the damn year, I did what it took to preserve my mental health.”

“All this happened when you were eight. What about Rhett? How did he handle your father’s death?” Brax says it quietly, yet I understand it’s news to him since not even Rhett let on about our family’s grief. He takes a swig of his beer, lowers his gaze until I speak again.

I shrug nonchalantly. “He was older and living in Adelaide. It was his first year playing with the Blackbirds. He came home for a few weeks, then Mum sent him back and told him to chase his dream. She said his being home wouldn’t bring our father back. So, he left me, an eight-year-old lad, to take care of Mum. Jase was five years old and didn’t comprehend it all. The year Rhett left, Dad and I became closer. He was teaching me how to take care of the farm and let me ride the tractor—” I glug down the rest of my beer at the memory and stand to get another because dammit, I need to numb what I’m feeling.

“Gorgeous night,” Brax’s neighbour says from her balcony. She leans on the railing and holds up her wineglass.

“It is,” Brax says, as though they talk often.

“The Story Bridge is so pretty tonight.” She looks admiringly toward