When we climbed out of the car, Larry was quick to add one more comment at me before I disappeared.
“Better take a shower before dinner. Boss man isn’t going to want to smell your stinking ass.”
“The fuck is his problem?” Lucas, the younger of my brothers, asked as I made my way into the garage.
“I don’t know. He thinks I smell like the deli.”
“Still. Getting mouthy isn’t going to make him one of Colin’s favorites.”
“Apparently, he doesn’t understand that. And that is not me discreetly asking you to teach him that,” I told Lucas.
Between my brothers, Nicky had always been the louder, sweeter, more lighthearted one. While Lucas was more intense, introverted, and quick to react to something.
“Someone should teach him.”
“But if it was one of my brothers, I might get treated even worse,” I reasoned.
“It shouldn’t be like that.”
“None of this is how it should be,” I said, shrugging, wishing I could tell him that it won’t be like this for long. “I have to go shower. What did it seem like he was making the cook make us tonight?” I asked.
“Salmon.”
“Ugh,” I grumbled, actually stomping my foot because I was famished, and I absolutely hated seafood.
“Yeah, hence me sneaking you this for later,” Lucas said, looking around, then discreetly passing me two protein bars.
“You’re the best,” I said, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek before rushing upstairs.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like some of the weight I’d been carrying around on my shoulders for years fell away.
It was all going to be over soon.
Or so I thought.