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Looking toward him, I no longer see our differences. Sure, he’s my brother’s best friend. Sure, he’s a lot older than me. Sure, we have some things to make sense of… but underneath all of that is love.Real love.
It’s a love I’ve spent my entire life trying to replicate. The trouble is, a love like Carson’s isn’t something that can be reproduced. He sees me like no one else can, he hears me like I’ve never been heard, and he cares for me like I was always meant to be his.
I, for one, think that deserves a happy ending.
Epilogue
Carson
Four Weeks Later
Gentry steps into my office with a straight face. He carries a small white box with a pink ribbon tied around the outside and he wears a rare smile. It’s so rare that it creeps me out a little.
He nods toward Sky. “Brought this for the baby. I saw it in one of those online ad things and thought it looked cool. I can return it if you hate it.”
Is he trying to be nice? I’m not sure how to take it.
Thankfully, Sky knows how. She stands from the chair and rounds her arms around his shoulders, tipping up onto her toes to reach him. “Thank you! You didn’t have to get us anything.”
“But I wanted to. You know, I thought this was crazy at first, you two getting married and shit, but you’re happy and I’m happy for you.”
Who is this man and what has he done with my brother?
Sky grins and sits back in the chair, rubbing her hand over her expanded stomach. She’s getting fuller and fuller by the day, and I gotta say, I love seeing her like this. She’s stunning.
“Well, thank you, Gentry. We want you to be happy, too. Carson was telling me that you had a long-lost love of your own you were searching for. Want help tracking her down?”
This is the question that turns him back to stone. “No.” He glances toward me. “I told Carson we don’t talk about that shit.”
“Right.” Sky clears her throat. “Well, can I open the gift? You had it wrapped so nicely.”
He nods and I watch as Sky pulls the string on the ribbon and opens the box gently. Everything she does is so delicate and soft. I can’t wait to see her with our baby girl.
As though Gentry can’t stand the anticipation, he announces the gift before she’s pulled it from the box. “It’s a rattle, but it’s clear and it reminded me of a snow globe because of the mountains floating around and all. Figure she can pass it down or whatever people do with keepsakes. Her name is engraved on the handle. Anyway, I should go. I need to get some work done, but yeah… hope you like it.”
Sky sets the box onto the table and stands again, wrapping Gentry in her arms.
He stares toward me as she hugs him, as though the embrace is difficult for him to accept. The man has always been like this. Harder than the rest of us, colder, less likely to indulge in anything emotional, and he definitely steers clear of physical contact at all cost… unless it’s a fist fight. He leans into those.
Hell, Sky and I married a couple weeks ago out on my property overlooking the mountains, and the man couldn’t conjure up a hug for me. Instead, he nodded his head in acknowledgement and cracked half a smile. If I didn’t know who he was deep down, I’d think he were an asshole.
Even Sky’s brother was in good spirits that day, and he has every reason in the world to hate me.
Speaking of the devil.
“Hey guys, you got a second?” Tyler peeks his head in the door and nods toward Gentry.
“Yeah, they do. I was just heading out.” Gentry taps the door frame twice and nods toward us before taking off. I really need to make time to talk with him tonight. Sure, this mood is normal for him, but I can’t help but feel he’s deep in his thoughtsabout that girl he used to know. He was really in love with her and seeing all us brothers get married can’t be easy.
Sky glances toward her brother. He’s dressed in a suit and tie as though he’s just coming from work. “What’s up?”
“On my way up to South Dakota again. Just checking if you wanted me to stop by and try to get your stuff back for you. I’m not sure you ever got to that considering the whole thing where you two fell in love and got distracted from the original mission.” He glances toward me and smirks.
“Nah,” Sky says with a grin. “Somewhere along the line I decided that whatever I left in the past belongs there. The wedding was a fresh start. A new beginning. Thanks for asking, though.” Tyler has been way more understanding than either of us ever thought possible.
“You sure? I’m driving right past Cheyenne.”
Sky nods. “Yeah, I’m sure, big brother, but thank you. When will you be home? You’re not going to miss Halloween, are you? Carson was going to paint my belly up like a pumpkin, and he’s dressing like Charlie Brown. It’s a thing.”
