Page 131 of Billionaire Bad Boy Auction

“Half an acre,” I confirmed, ignoring his colorful description of the backyard. “Plenty of room to cook out or whatever you’re into.”

He didn’t respond immediately, just stared out the window with that unreadable expression. It was so like Dean’s sometimes—the way they could both retreat into their heads without warning.

“Bedrooms?” he asked finally.

“Three,” I said, leading him down the hallway. “Master’s got an en suite bathroom upstairs. Small but serviceable.”

He poked his head into each room, silent except for the occasional hum of approval or disapproval. When we reached the master bedroom, he paused in the doorway, taking in the space.

“Closet’s over here,” I said, walking over to open the door. It was small by modern standards but decent enough for a single guy.

Seth didn’t follow me. Instead, he turned to Dean, who had been quietly observing from the doorway. “What do you think?”

Dean shrugged. “Your call.”

Seth nodded slowly before turning back to me. “I’ll take it.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“The house,” he said simply. “I want to make an offer.”

I glanced at Dean, expecting skepticism or at least surprise, but he just nodded as if this was exactly what he’d expected all along. I realized I’d been set up. Dean was making all the repairs with one buyer in mind.

“You sure? Just like that?” I asked Seth. “I mean, it needs work.”

“I know,” he said. “That’s what I want—something to fix up.” He paused and looked at his brother. “I need to stay busy. Idle hands and all that. I like working in the shop, but I think I might like doing this fix-up work more. I want to practice on my own place.”

I couldn’t help but smile. It was refreshing to see Seth so focused, so determined. He’d come a long way from the reckless, aimless guy I remembered from high school.

“Since I’m the listing agent, do you want to hire your own realtor?” I asked him.

“Can you do it?”

I nodded. “I can, if you trust me to look out for your best interests.”

“I do. How soon can we close?”

“Depends on the owner,” I said with a smile. “But I’ll push for fast approval since she’s anxious to offload it.”

“I can do a cash offer,” Dean said.

“No.” Seth shook his head. “No way. I appreciate the offer but this is going to be mine. I’m going to bust my ass to pay the mortgage. I need to.”

“I understand,” Dean said. I didn’t miss the pride in his eyes.

As we walked back downstairs, Seth lingered in the living room, his eyes scanning the space as if already envisioning the changes he’d make. Dean and I stepped out onto the porch, leaving him to his thoughts.

“You planned this,” I said quietly, glancing up at Dean.

He shrugged, his gaze fixed on the lake in the distance. “Maybe.”

I shook my head but couldn’t suppress a grin. “You’re sneaky.”

“I just had a feeling,” he replied, finally looking at me. There was that glint in his eye—the one that hinted at more than he was willing to say.

It wasn’t just about selling a house or helping Seth find a new purpose. It was about this—this fragile but growing bond between brothers, this quiet understanding that maybe things could be different this time.

“You did good,” I said to Dean.

He glanced at me but didn’t say anything for a long moment. “We’ll see.”

“You think he’s really okay?” I asked softly.

Dean exhaled, his arm slipping around my waist. “I do. First time in a long time I’m not worried about him.”

I rested my head on his shoulder. “He’s lucky to have you.”

Dean pressed a kiss to my hair. “We’re lucky to have each other.”