The Good Brother

by Nia Arthurs

  “That’s not a sound argument.” I walk closer to her. She stands her ground, but her nose flares slightly and her fingers dig into the rim of the desk. I surround her cheeks with my palms and lean closer. “You like that guy?”

  Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, drawing my gaze there. Tempting me. “Does it matter? I don’t have a line of guys knocking down my door.”

  I have the sudden urge to kiss her. Prove her wrong. But it’s not like I have a good reason to keep her from dating. We’re not together. We live in the same house. We take care of the same kid. But that means nothing.

  It’s Harry’s house.

  Harry’s kid.

  Harry’s woman.

  I drop my hands and turn away. “I guess Reece and I can survive one night without you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Logan

  Ben’s been acting weird. Weirder than usual. I think he’s been avoiding me. Which is an incredible feat given we sleep less than ten meters away from each other.

  At first, I thought he was just stressed about work. It’s his first time holding down a ‘real’ job after all. It’s also his first time parenting a child. Anyone would start to break down under such nerve-racking circumstances.

  But there’s something… more. I don’t know how to explain it. Ben’s cold shoulder seems to be reserved just for me.

  He doesn’t act strange with Reece. They’re as close as ever.

  When Lydia stops by to visit, he basically smothers her with his charming smiles.

  Don’t get me started on Sara and Hilton. They’re more like friends than bosses. Even Tango’s managed to worm his way into Ben’s good graces.

  Me? Not so much. Lately, whenever I enter a room, Ben frowns. Or goes quiet. Or leaves entirely.

  We used to meet around the table for breakfast or when I was pounding on the bathroom door because Ben decided to take a shower at seven in the morning.

  Now, he gets up early to shower and takes Reece to school without saying a word to me.

  Something’s wrong, but it’s only been a couple days. I’m hoping he’ll work through whatever’s got him in a funk. If not, I’ll have to confront him and hash things out to return harmony to our little tribe.

  My phone buzzes, plucking me from my thoughts. I put the mascara wand down and scoop the device up, smiling when I notice I’ve got a message from Tanya.

  TANYA: Good luck tonight.

  TANYA: Knock his socks off. And his shirt and pants too.

  I laugh and send her a quick response before putting the phone back down. Tanya is Team Anthony all the way. Especially after Anthony’s mother voiced her approval at the salon a few nights ago.

  I’m not sure about this date, but I’m hoping it goes well. Anthony seems like a nice guy, and I didn’t get any creepy vibes from the texts we’ve exchanged over the past month.

  I’m… carefully optimistic.

  My fingers tremble as I run them along the material clinging to my hips. Tanya insisted we go shopping for the occasion. During our lunch break yesterday, we headed to the nearest boutique. She thrust a simple white dress at me and commanded I try it on.

  Though the style was sleek and plain—exactly down my avenue—it was tight. To the point I wouldn’t be able to breathe if my stomach expanded too much.

  Tanya gushed for fifteen minutes straight, but I only decided to get it when she pulled out her card and claimed she was buying it for me.

  I’m cheap like that.

  I bend over carefully to pull on my strappy heels. The move requires I suck my stomach in so I tie up the laces quickly and then stand. My earrings dangle against my cheek. I adjust my long hair so the waves bounce just so and then nod.

  I’m ready.

  When I totter outside, I expect to find the living room empty. Reece was in her room when I came home from the salon earlier and so was Ben.

  Instead, I find them both sitting in the living room. Their expressions are hard as granite. Their eyes are pinned to a man standing nervously in front of the door with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

  Anthony’s here? I bring my phone up and check my messages. Why didn’t he text me? He should have told me to come out instead of being a gentleman and knocking on the door.

  What if Ben and Reece said something embarrassing?

  “So, where are you taking Logan tonight?” Ben asks.

  Anthony answers calmly. “We’re going to a little seaside café. It’s not far from here, actually.”

  “Where do you see yourself in a couple of years?” Reece asks.

  My eyes nearly pop out of my head.

  Anthony’s expression softens when he looks at her. “Hopefully, with my own law firm and a wife.”

  “A wife? You mean my aunt?”

  My eyebrows arch at the sound of Reece calling me her aunt, but I don’t have time to soak that in.

  Ben crosses his arms over his chest. “We’re allowing you to take Logan out tonight, but there are a few rules. Reece?”

  “Yes, Uncle Ben.”

  “Read them out for the man.”

  Reece unfolds a piece of paper and clears her throat. “Rule one: you must have her back by ten o’clock. Rule two: you can look, but you can’t touch. Also, we’ll need your contact information as well as your car’s license plate number—”

  “Alright, that’s enough.” I step out of the shadows to rescue Anthony before Reece and Ben start asking for his spleen.

  Every head swivels toward me.

  Reece gasps.

  Anthony’s jaw drops.

  Ben just looks… angry. His blue eyes skim my body from the tip of my head to my toes. His jaw clenches.

  I study his face and tug my dress down. “What? Too weird?”

  “Logan.” Reece hops off the arm of the sofa, her grey eyes fixed on me. “You look so beautiful.”

  “I second that,” Anthony says. He hands me the flowers.

  I accept them and bring the petals to my nose. Their fragrance calms me immediately. “Thank you. These are gorgeous.”

  “I’ll put them in a vase for you,” Reece says. She accepts the bouquet from me and brings them to her nose. Her eyelids flutter closed and she takes a deep breath. “These smell great.”

  “Thank you.”

  Reece shoots Anthony a look. “God made the flowers, not you.”

  “Reece,” I scold gently, “be respectful.”

  She lowers her eyes and scampers to the kitchen to find a vase.

  “Ready to go?” Anthony asks.

  I nod and glance over my shoulder at Ben. “I’ll see you later.”

  He steps forward. “Call me. If you need anything. Or even if you don’t.”

  O…kay. I wiggle my fingers in goodbye and follow Anthony through the door.

  The drive to the café is quiet. I’m slightly embarrassed by the way Ben and Reece behaved, so I’m glad when he doesn’t bring it up or tease me about my ‘bodyguards’.

  Anthony drives to a café that’s balanced on the very edge of the beach. The Caribbean Sea stretches out for miles, the water reflecting the sparkling depth of the sky.

  I pass this diner everyday but I heard the prices are exorbitant so I’ve never been.

  Anthony observes my expression and grins. “I’m relieved.”

  “Why?”

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”

  “I’m enjoying myself already,” I say honestly. “Thank you for being such a good sport back there.”

  “No problem.” He slips his hands into the pockets of his pressed black slacks. He’s wearing his usual outfit of a white shirt and black trousers, except the shirt is unbuttoned to give him a more casual look. His dark hair has been brushed to fine waves and a golden watch glitters on his wrist.

  Heads turn when we walk to our table, but I’m ninety percent sure those looks are aimed at Anthony. He’s just that handsome.

  After we sit and order from the menus, Anthony folds his hands together an
d stares at me. His black eyes glitter in the light flickering from the lone candle. “You are… stunning, Logan.”

  I duck my head, uncomfortable with his obvious admiration. “Thanks.”

  “Tell me more about yourself.”

  “Not much to tell. You know just about everything.” I cough into my hand, searching for a tidbit that I can share. When I find none, I turn the spotlight on him. “What about you? How was your week?”

  Anthony dives into an intriguing story about his latest court case. He’s an eloquent speaker, and I feel smarter just by sitting across from him.

  I get the sense that he never makes a decision without careful thought. He’s a man with a plan, a vision for his future, and every intention in the world to pursue what he wants.

  The food is delicious, the atmosphere is romantic and the conversation is free. I am genuinely swayed by Anthony’s attentiveness. He’s the definition of a perfect date.

  When our plates are cleared, I lean back with a huff. “Oh, I’m stuffed. Reece and Ben will have to cut me out of this dress when I get home.”

  He chuckles. “So no dessert then?”

  “Just the thought of eating another bite makes me ill.”

  “I see.” Anthony swirls the wine in his glass. “How long do you plan on living at that house?”

  There’s a serious note in his tone that warns this isn’t an innocent or casual question. “I don’t know. As long as I want, I guess.”

  “What if you get married?”

  I laugh away my discomfort and joke, “Is this a marriage proposal, Anthony?”

  “Not yet, but my intentions are to marry you in the future.”

  “That’s a little,” I cough, “wow. I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t like my honesty anymore?”

  “We’re just moving a bit too fast. This is only one date.”

  “One or our first?” He clasps his hands together and leans toward me. “Logan, I’ve been clear about my feelings from the first moment I saw you. Now, I respect your devotion to Reece, but her uncle is a different matter. It feels like there’s three people in this relationship and I don’t like that.”

  My back goes stiff. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Can’t you tell that Ben is interested in you?”

  I bark out a laugh. “You’re wrong. Ben and I are just friends. We take care of Reece together. That’s it.”

  “Maybe you should tell him that.”

  His tone rubs me the wrong way. “Who I hang out with is none of your concern. Just because you’ve declared me your wife doesn’t mean I have to silently go along with it.”

  “That’s not what I’m trying to say—”

  “Where I live is none of your business either.”

  “Logan.” Anthony reaches out and clasps my fingers.

  I study his big, brown hands. “What?”

  “I like you.”

  My breath hitches. My gaze flies up to meet his. The candlelight glistens in his dark eyes. I suck my lips in, unsure of what to say.

  “I’m sorry if my concern came off wrong. I have a habit of getting insecure, especially when I really like someone. If you say there’s nothing going on with you and Ben, then I trust you. But…” He caresses my knuckles with his thumb, “if we continue to get close to each other, I’d like if more of your business was my business too.”

  A smile breaks free despite my best intentions to remain angry. “I’ll think about it.”

  “That’s good enough for me.”

  Anthony and I do end up getting dessert. When it’s time to leave, I briefly wonder if he’ll have to roll me to the exits, but I manage to stand without splitting the seams of my dress.

  Unlike when we drove to the restaurant, the ride back home is filled with quiet chatter. By the time he parks in front of the house, our earlier argument is completely erased from my memory.

  Anthony jogs out of the car and opens my door. “Here you go, ma’am.”

  I accept the hand he offers and slip out, clutching my purse to my side. Anthony walks me to the porch and then stands there expectantly.

  “I had a good time,” I say, key in hand.

  “I’m glad.”

  “Well… goodnight.” I turn to open the door.

  Before I can, Anthony grabs my wrist and pulls me in. His head descends. I freeze, caught by surprise.

  A moment before his lips touch mine, the front door bursts open and light blasts the porch. I shade my eyes and gasp when I see who’s standing in the doorway. “Ben?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ben

  I peek through the living room window when I see Anthony going in for the kiss. My feet are moving toward the door and my hands turning the knob before I can stop myself.

  When I realize what I’ve done, it’s too late. Logan and Anthony are staring at me like I’m some ghost back from the past.

  “Ben?” Logan shrieks.

  The lawyer still has his hand on Logan’s cheek. I stare pointedly until he drops it. Anthony lifts his chin. “Can I help you?”

  I lean against the door and cross my ankles. “Don’t mind me.”

  Logan steps away from her date. My gaze lingers on her. I have a deep appreciation for every curve highlighted by that devilishly sexy dress. Thankfully, Logan is too busy staring at the ground and squirming to notice my perusal.

  Anthony shoots me a dark glare because, unlike Logan, he’s staring at me. I try to hide my grin, but it’s hard. It may not have been a well-thought out plan to crash their goodnight kiss, but I do not regret it. Not one bit.

  “What are you doing out here?” Logan asks.

  “Yeah.” Anthony looks me up and down. “What are you doing?”

  The gears in my brain screech loudly as I search for an answer that won’t make me look like a jealous boyfriend. “Uh, I was taking out the trash.”

  Their eyes drop to my hands, which are empty except for the sketch I’d been working on in an attempt to distract myself while Logan was out on her date.

  “Where’s the garbage bag?” Anthony asks.

  I clear my throat and raise my sketch. “I took it out already, but I needed to add this to it.”

  Silence descends.

  Man, this is awkward.

  At last, Logan bursts to life. “Thanks again for tonight, Anthony. I’ll see you later.” She catches my eye and then ducks her head as she scurries inside.

  “Yeah, goodnight, Anthony.” I grab the door and start to close it when he slams his fingers around the knob, preventing me from shutting him out.

  Our gazes collide. Anthony frowns. “I thought you were taking out the garbage?”

  “I’ll do it tomorrow. Something more important just came up.”

  He leans close, his eyes narrowing. “You’re not fooling anybody, Duncan.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” I tilt my head innocently. “I’d love to stay out here and trade riddles, but there’s a beautiful woman inside who needs my help getting out of her dress.”

  Anthony’s furious expression is the last thing I see before I slam the door in his face. I cover my mouth to muffle the laughter and spin around.

  My body seizes when my gaze smacks into Logan. Her eyebrow arches and she folds her arms over her chest. “I don’t remember asking you to help me out of my dress.”

  “Logan! What are you doing standing there?”

  “Catching you in the act, obviously.” She strides toward me, hips swaying lightly. “Why did you lie to Anthony just now?”

  I back away from her. “Are you thirsty? I’m thirsty. Reece and I made some strawberry Kool-Aid earlier. Want some?”

  “Don’t try to change the subject, Benjamin.”

  “Benjamin?” I wince. She’s only used my full name twice and the last time was a few weeks ago when I watched Japanese cartoons with Reece way past her bedtime on a school night. “Am I in trouble?”

  “Anthony is a nice guy. Wha
t do you and Reece have against him?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh really.” She frowns. “Is that why you both grilled him tonight? Or why you gave him the impression there was more between us than friendship?”

  “Isn’t there? We’ve got a kid to think of. This isn’t just a run-of-the-mill relationship.”

  “Even if Anthony and I don’t work out, I’m going to date eventually. If things will get this complicated and weird, maybe it’s best I move out.”

  Those words fill me with panic. I laugh nervously and drape my hands over Logan’s shoulder. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How about that drink?”

  She follows me to the kitchen. “Aren’t you going to ask me how it went?”

  No. I had no intentions of hearing a play-by-play of her outing with another man. My chest had been aching all evening because of Logan’s date. My imagination didn’t need any more fodder to torture me.

  When I say nothing, Logan leans in. “It was good.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “We ate steak and pasta. The food was delicious.”

  “Mm-hm.” I open the fridge and bend over, searching for the mug of juice.

  “Ben, are you listening to me.”

  “Of course.” I grab two glasses and fill them to the top. “While you were gone, Reece and I were talking about what she wants to do for her birthday this year.”

  Immediately, Logan perks up and abandons the previous topic. “What does she want?”

  “That’s the thing.” I slide the cup toward her and take a sip of my own. “She doesn’t want anything. She says she just wants to be with her dad.”

  A wrinkle forms between her eyebrows. “I don’t understand. Harry’s gone.”

  “I think she wants to visit Harry’s grave.”

  “Oh.” Reece nods sadly. “That’s understandable.”

  “Yeah, but it’s way too depressing for a ten-year-old girl.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I want to throw her a surprise birthday party.”

  Reece considers my idea. “I like it. Lydia can take her to see Harry. Let her spend as much time with him as she wants in the morning. Then in the afternoon, when she’s calmed a bit and thinks we’re not doing anything for her, we can have the party.”