Page 83 of See My Words

“I can do that.”

“Of course you can. They’re good kids, and I know they missed you. It’ll be fine.” Rylan picked up Scott’s phone from the nightstand and tapped busily for a moment. “I entered Garrett’s number in your contacts. Start with a text when you’re ready, okay?”

Rylan’s cell phone buzzed. He groped for it and read the text quickly. “Shit, I have to go,” he muttered, struggling up from the bed. Scott wanted to protest, to pull him back down and make him rest, but Rylan was already heading for the shower.

“Where are you going? There’s an emergency?”

Rylan snorted. “No. One of the Suns players’ wives is on the way to the hospital in labor. They want me to try to get a shot of the expectant father looking all excited and shit.” His voice was muffled as he washed and rinsed quickly. Scott handed him a towel, watching as he yanked his clothes on. “Hey, it pays the bills.”

Rylan stuffed his feet into his leather slides and made his way to the living room to gather his backpack. Scott padded after him, snagging him around the waist right before he dashed out the door.

“Before you take off,” he murmured, running the backs of his fingers down Rylan’s cheek, “I just want to say thanks for putting up with me, for overlooking how ridiculous I am.”

He broke off when Rylan stretched onto his tiptoes and kissed him. “Scott, I love you. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Text me when you’re done,” Scott called after him, and Rylan gave a thumbs-up just as the elevator doors slid closed and whisked him away.

At loose ends, Scott made some coffee before climbing back into bed with his phone. The pillow next to him still held the imprint from Rylan’s head, and Scott grinned to himself. Perfect. He arranged the top sheet so it was pooled in his lap, his ridged abs and some pubic hair showing. Reclining against the pillows, one arm thrown up over his head, Scott held the phone high to snap a selfie and uploaded it to Instagram with the caption: Whew! He wore me out!

Instantly the comments started popping up.

Sexy tease! Show us the D!

Fuck me next!

Who’s the lucky guy?

At the sight of that one, Scott couldn’t help himself and hit reply, thumbing in, Oh, I’m the lucky one with a heart emoji.

That made his phone explode with speculative comments in return, and Scott indulged in a few minutes of lurking, closing the app when some people claiming to be past bed partners of his started chiming in and “rating” him. He blew out a breath and picked up his coffee. All the fucking predictable, same-old shit.

A text from Rylan popped up. Keep my spot warm. I can’t wait to get home to you. A pause, then a second text. That pic got me hard. Dammit.

Scott laughed, the sound echoing in the empty apartment. Go do your job, baby. Then we have all night.

Rylan responded with a few kissy-face emojis, the sweet silliness of it all warming Scott’s heart. He’d just started to toss the phone down to the bed when he remembered something, and he opened his contacts, his fingers shaking a little as he swiped down to where Rylan had entered Garrett’s name.

He opened the text message field, sitting there in agonized indecision. What do you say to the half-brother you’d abandoned, that you’d turned your back on? How could you possibly explain your actions, actions you yourself only partly understood the reasons for?

Rylan’s voice popped into his head. Just say hi. Ask about their lives. Go from there.

Scott took a deep breath. The boys needed—deserved—for Scott to put himself out there first. He’d do this, and let them set the tone, whatever it happened to be.

Hey Garrett, it’s Scott.

Berating himself for starting off so lame, he hit Send before he could change his mind, elated when the phone vibrated in his hand almost immediately with a reply.

Scott!!!! Omg how are u??

I’m good. I’m doing really good. How are you, buddy?

After a few more rapid-fire exchanges, the phone rang. Scott gulped, praying for the right words…and answered it.

“My thumbs were getting tired,” Garrett said by way of a greeting, and Scott laughed.

“Mine too. And wow, your voice has gotten so deep!”

“I’m almost fifteen, you know,” Garrett said proudly. “I’m already six feet tall.”