by Alyssa Kress
~~~
In Brennan's home office, Liam was whistling under his breath as he finished typing the second paragraph of his literary analysis essay.
The kid was not usually this cheerful when he was less than halfway through an English paper. Seated on the desk to Liam's side, Brennan wondered what was up. For his part, Brennan had been thrilled when Liam had appeared an hour ago, asking for help with his paper. Apparently, Erica was keeping her word about letting Liam see Brennan.
With an incongruous smile, Liam looked up from his laptop. "What's next?"
"You need to prove your next statement. Find some text to support the idea that Burns is referring to people when he talks about the mouse in the field."
"You mean, like, a quote?"
"Exactly."
Liam released a long breath. Then he turned to the text, a book of Robert Burns's poems, and opened it up. He didn't groan. He didn't complain about the state laws that required him to take English for all four years of high school. Something was definitely afoot.
While Liam paged through the book, Brennan wondered why the kid hadn't mentioned Brennan's date with Erica or ask how it had gone. Of course, he was glad Liam had exhibited some unusual tact. Even though he was only fifteen years old, male, and socially awkward, Liam must have managed to figure out the date hadn't gone well. It wouldn't make for comfortable small talk.
On the other hand, Brennan rather longed for someone to confide in. Was there anyone who could explain to him his lingering sense of shame?
Surely he wasn't still ashamed of his behavior as an alcoholic teen. He'd been caught by a disease. No, his shame seemed to revolve around something much more recent.
"Okay, what about this quote?" Liam pointed with a pencil and held up the book for Brennan to see.
"That'll work."
With Liam putting his nose to the grindstone, he finished the essay in less than half an hour. During that time Brennan had to bite his tongue to keep from asking Liam about the status of his guardianship. Had Erica and Clint worked out what they were going to do about the application?
Was that why Liam was in such a good mood?
Brennan's stomach performed slow somersaults as he pondered various possible decisions they might have made and how any of it might affect himself.
He waited until Liam pressed the submit button that sent his essay to his teacher via a plagiarism-checking website.
"Done!" Liam closed his laptop with a flourish.
"It doesn't take nearly as long when you don't complain," Brennan observed.
Grinning, Liam tapped the eraser of his pencil on the case of his laptop. "It's hard to complain when you're in such a good mood."
Brennan covered the sudden acceleration of his heart by wiping a piece of dust off the desk. "Things going well?"
"Terrific."
Liam waited, so Brennan was forced to ask, "Anything in particular happen?"
Wearing a wide smile, Liam announced, "Erica's going to apply to be my guardian—and she's agreed to try staying here. In Palmwood, that is."
Liam's news delivered a low punch to Brennan's gut. He wasn't sure if the punch were the result of dread or misplaced excitement. What he did know was that he didn't want to live next door to her.
His embarrassment over her knowledge of his weakness would wear off. What bothered him was that he still thought about her. And when he thought about her, it was with thoughts that made him feel hot.
Looking on the bright side, though, Erica's decision meant Liam wouldn't be moving away. Having the kid gone would have been a deep personal loss.
"That's great," Brennan told Liam, his voice gruff.
Liam's wide smile sobered. "The thing is, she needs to find work here. I mean, I don't know how the money thing operates. Would she, like, get a salary from Dad's estate for looking after me?"
Brennan shook his head. "Maybe if there were a lot of money and she weren't a relative. But I don't think there's enough involved for a judge to approve something like that."
"So she'll need to find work to support herself."
"That would be my guess."
Completely serious now, Liam gave Brennan a direct look. "You could help."
Another, sharper punch to the gut. "I...don't think your sister wants to have anything to do with me."
Liam released an exasperated breath. "Because of your drinking problem—the one you haven't had for nine years?"
Brennan didn't want to provide fodder for a future argument between the siblings. "She has her reasons for feeling suspicious."
Liam waved a skinny arm, as if he could wave away these deep-set reasons. "Okay, maybe she doesn't want to date you, which I happen to think is stupid. But she can do business with you, can't she? I doubt she refuses to physical-train former alcoholics—or even current ones. Heck, living in LA, she probably gets all kinds of clients with drug and alcohol issues."
"Well..."
"She needs help." Liam sounded certain. "If she wants to stay here."
"Perhaps, but—"
"And I can only stay here if she does," Liam pointed out.
Brennan exchanged a long look with the kid. "She doesn't want my help." Perfectly true.
"Then you have to figure out a way to give it to her anyway." Liam sounded equally sure of this truth.
They resumed their stare.
Brennan felt his jaw tense. He didn't want to help Erica. He didn't want any further involvement with her. He didn't want to deal with her suspicion and fear—and the underlying issues that produced these emotions.
Most of all, though, he didn't want to be around that key of hers, the one that opened a door he hadn't known existed in his emotional wall.
However, none of these reasons were sufficient to put off Liam and his request. The kid was right: if Erica were to stay in Palmwood, she'd need customers, and she could undoubtedly use help in getting them.
Besides, she disliked him now, wanted no part of him romantically. His emotional wall was secure.
In theory, anyway.
"I'm not saying you're right," Brennan told Liam.
"But you know I am." Slowly, the kid smiled.
