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Chapter Thirteen
Noah
I went to the gym early, punching the bag as hard as I could. I hadn’t slept well, which seemed like my normal now that I’d come back to Refuge Falls.
Refuge didn’t seem like much of a refuge.
I snorted a laugh. Stupid joke.
“Dude, don’t kill it.” McCrae moved behind the bag and grabbed it, holding it steady. “Okay, go.”
I went for a victory round and gave it all I had. It was nice to have someone holding it. I hadn’t talked to my brothers that much since the family dinner.
After I finished, McCrae said, “Now you gotta hold it for me.” He started punching, since his hands were already wrapped. “Mom and Dad say you’ve rented the Whipple place. I guess RJ hooked you up?”
I grunted and took a punch through the bag. “He’s actually letting me stay there for free, but he’s given me all these projects.” I grimaced, remembering the list of stuff he’d left me. “So it’s really not free.”
McCrae let out a light laugh. “With the Whipples, nothing is free. The whole town knows that family is a bunch of horsetraders. I bought a used pickup from his brother last June and they told me I was buying as is, but they forgot to mention that the AC didn’t work. When I went back and told them, they wouldn’t compensate for it, even though they were supposed to be open about it.”
I rolled my eyes and decided not to take issue with it. RJ was giving me a good deal, even with the list of projects. “We all know what the Whipples are.” They had five brothers like us, as well as two sisters. The father had owned the hardware store in town before he’d passed, and the mom was just as widely known. RJ worked for her in a real estate company now, a competitor of Kayla’s company.
“I will say I’m glad you’re back. Guess you can hold the bag for me in the mornings.” McCrae winked at me between punches.
I grunted, holding back a smile. I liked the idea that this might become a regular thing.
“We can all hold the bag for you,” Canyon said, sidling up next to me and nudging me out of the way. “I got this. Take a break. You look tired.”
I refused to give up the bag. “I can do this all day.” Maybe he thought he was giving me a break, but he was just insulting me.
Canyon grunted and stepped back. “You’re the one getting in the middle of our routine.”
Deflating, I had to admit he wasn’t wrong. My brothers had established routines without me. “Sorry.” I let Canyon take over, picking up a water bottle and dousing myself with it.
“It’s okay. You can hold the bag for Damon when he gets here. He’s always late because he has to drop the kids off.”
Another dig to my ego. I knew he didn’t mean it that way, but I hated that they all hung out without me. “Okay.” I could hold the bag for Damon. It would give me a chance to catch up on how the kids were doing.
Canyon turned to me. “You’re staying in fair shape, old man. I’m having a recertification for search and rescue on Saturday. Since you are going to be here for the summer, I could use you.”
I balked. “No thanks.” If I recertified and started doing search and rescue, it would seem like I was staying here permanently.
“No thanks to what?” Damon shoved me in the shoulder as he joined our group.
“For search and rescue,” Canyon said, focusing on the bag. “He’s staying through the summer, or longer. I just thought he could help us out.”
Damon nodded at me. “That’s a good idea.”
I lifted my hands. “I’m here for the summer to help Mom and Dad, not to do search and rescue.”
“I don’t see you helping Mom and Dad,” Damon grunted.
That annoyed me. I shouldn’t have to justify myself. “I took Dad to the hospital. I bought them dinner.”
Damon softly clapped, mocking me. “Wow. You are a hero.”
I wanted to jam a fist into my brother’s face. But how could I argue with that? These guys were here all the time.
“Who’s a hero?” Kayla asked. I could see her out of the corner of my eye. She was dressed in her workout clothes, and her hands were wrapped. I was impressed.
