67
Two weeks later
Night whisperedbeyond the thick fog pulsing closer to the Friary, snuffing out buildings and trees and patio furniture until nothing but a wall of gray existed.
Many would find the meteorological phenomenon eerie or even claustrophobic. Zeke found comfort in the isolation, like a warm fire on a chilly night.
It was home.
He’d only been gone for two weeks, yet he’d missed this place, missed his family, including his pain-in-the-ass brothers. Even missed the demanding, frenetic pace of BARS.
Standing before the Great Hall’s floor-to-ceiling windows, he peered at a reflection of the room behind him, while pouring a finger of bourbon into four crystal tumblers. Only a few hours ago, everyone who possessed a piece of his heart had filled the space. Everyone but Ash, who had unexpectedly been called back to Charlotte by his SAC.
Although Ash had come through for him with Brodie’s room, the two of them still had unfinished business. But he would deal with his big brother later. Much later.
Zeke’s eyes unfocused as the phantom scene appeared in the window, and he felt his mouth stretch into a smile. His brothers lounged on the overstuffed furniture arranged around the unlit fireplace and Liv occupied a cushion on the raised hearth. Happy tears glistened in her eyes.
Everyone’s attention centered on the nine, er, ten-year-old nestled between Grams and Lynette. Brodie’s hands moved like lightning as he shared the exciting details of his afternoon with his captivated audience.
For the first time since his dad’s freak accident, Brodie had attended a baseball game.
A few days after Callie’s rescue, Zeke had come home to grab some clothes and informed his brothers that he was going MIA for a while. Rather than grumbling about him leaving them hanging, they had all enfolded him in rough hugs and told him it was about damn time.
While Brodie finished the school year and Liv exited the FBI, he’d stayed busy packing the items Liv wanted to take to the Friary and stretching his handyman skills on what seemed like an endless honey-do punch list to make the house ready for Callie and her friend Jessica to rent.
For the first week, he’d watched for signs that Liv regretted her decision to say goodbye to the FBI. But the only time her forehead creased with concern was when she broke the news to Brodie.
If it hadn’t been for the boy’s previous visit and his friendship with Sadie, Brodie’s reaction might have been a lot different. But when Liv had told him they would be moving to the Friary, he jumped off the couch, ran to his bedroom, and started packing.
From that point forward, they had all worked toward a common goal—flipping the proverbial page to the next chapter of their lives.
Today not only marked the pivotal “flip” in their lives but also Brodie’s tenth birthday. When the boy had first unwrapped Zeke’s gift that morning and stared at the tickets in silence, he thought he’d screwed up big time.
But after a few minutes, Brodie’s smile appeared, then widened when he learned Sadie would join them. The boy had even dressed for the occasion, wearing a new pinstripe Charlotte Knights jersey and black cap, bearing the team’s logo.
Zeke blinked away the image and stretched his neck left, then right, before carrying the drinks over to his brothers and wedging himself in the corner of one of the leather couches.
“I never got around to thanking you guys for what you did.” He held up his glass. “I owe y’all one.”
“'Bout damn time,” Phin said, belting back his drink. “I was dying over here.”
“That’s not what he’s talking about,” Cruz said.
Phin looked at Zeke as if he’d botched something. “It’s not?” He looked at the fireplace, then squeezed his eyes shut. “Fuck. Sorry, guys.”
Zeke frowned, glancing from one brother to the next.
“Tell him,” Rohan said.
“How can you be so oblivious?” Phin said to Zeke.
“Oblivious to what?” Zeke’s frustration cut through his the-world-is-a-beautiful-place mood.
Cruz shook his head and buried his nose in his glass of whiskey.
“Tell. Him,” Rohan repeated.
“Why me?” Phin gave Zeke another you’re-unbelievable look.