“Oh, well, yeah. She wanted you to know and I guess she thought… I don’t know what she thought. She just does things…well, you know.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Another minute or so passed in heavy silence before Grant blurted out, “I love her. I love Kendall.”
That was probably the last thing that Ace had expected to hear on this phone call.
“I just didn’t want you to think that I would do that. That I would go behind your back if I didn’t love her. It doesn’t make it right, I know that. I’m still an asshole and a shitty brother, but, I needed you to know how I felt. I love her, man.”
He could hear the raw pain in his brother’s voice. Grant had never been serious about anything in his life, but it was clear to Ace in that moment that he was about Kendall. In a strange way, Ace was happy for his brother. He just hoped that Kendall felt the same way about him.
“I’m not sorry for falling in love with her, but I am sorry that we ever started anything while you two were together. That was wrong. I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t seem like enough. But I really am. I am man. I’m so sorr—”
“Okay.” Ace decided to let his brother off the hook.
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“We’re okay?”
“Yes. We’re okay.”
Grant didn’t stop there. “And please don’t be mad at mom and dad. That article, it wasn’t like that. The piece was supposed to be about their charity work, not personal stuff. I was there and the interviewer baited them. He asked if they thought Kendall was with the right brother now, if they would’ve said no, it would’ve been…I don’t know but it wasn’t like they knew before you found out. They didn’t. And when I told them, they kicked me out of the house.”
“You’re living at mom and dad’s?” Ace hadn’t been home in years, but he figured his brother would have his own place.
“No. I mean they just kicked me out of their house. We were having dinner.”
“Oh.” It shouldn’t, but that did actually make Ace feel better.
“So will you talk to them? Call them?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. And I know you said we’re good but if there’s anything I can do, anything at all to make it up to you—”
“Actually, there is one thing.” Grant had inherited his Grandma Lulu’s wedding ring. When Ace had gotten engaged to Kendall, it hadn’t bothered him that Grant had inherited the ring, but now that he’d met Stephanie, that had changed. “Do you have Grandma Lulu’s ring?”