Zach supposed that kept life simple.
“Not much, not much. Hey, Zach, you got any stuff?”
Zach glanced at his companion. “Stuff?”
“Yeah, you know. Some weed. You always have weed, man, and I could use some.”
Zach shook his head. “I don’t do that anymore, Snake-Eyes.” He expected Snake-Eyes to leave it be, because it was pretty easy to lay hands on weed in a university town, but he’d called it wrong.
“I don’t care whether you do it anymore, man.” Snake-Eyes’ voice rose slightly, one of the first times Zach had ever heard him irritated. “I asked whether you had any.”
Zach shook his head again. “No. I don’t do it and I don’t sell it either. That’s over.”
“Liar.”
“No, really. I’ve quit.” Once again, Zach made to walk away.
Snake-Eyes grabbed him by the shoulder, his fingers digging in like claws.
“Hey, cut that out.” Zach did his best Bugs Buggy imitation, brushing off his shirt with exaggerated gestures. “You’ll wrinkle the material.”
Snake-Eyes didn’t back off. “You mean you’re not selling any to me, that’s what you mean. What’s the matter? My money’s not green enough for you?”
Zach spoke firmly, intending to be understood. “No, that’s not what I mean, Snake-Eyes. I don’t sell anymore. It’s been almost a year. I don’t have any weed. I’m done with it. Ask anybody.”
“I’m not asking anybody. I’m asking you.” Snake-Eyes punctuated the last word by jabbing his finger into Zach’s chest.
“Hey! I’m being straight with you.”
Snake-Eyes laughed. “You’ve never been straight with nobody.” He leaned closer, his eyes gleaming. “I want some stuff and I want some of yours. You can sell it to me or I can take it.”
Zach took a step backward, not liking the tone of this conversation. The alley was empty, just his luck. “Snake-Eyes, you know that if I had any, I’d sell it to you.”
Hell, if he’d had any weed right now, he would have given it to Snake-Eyes.
“I don’t know that,” Snake-Eyes argued. “In fact, I’m thinking that you’re holding out on me. I’m thinking that you’re saving your stash for a better customer…”
“You were always a good customer, Snake-Eyes, one of my best, but…”
“So, how come you’re holding out on me?”
“I’m not!”
“Bullshit!”
Zach had no chance to argue because Snake-Eyes decked him. His punch caught Zach right in the eye and was harder than Zach could have expected.
The world spun and Zach lost his footing.
“Hey!” He staggered backward. When he raised his hand to his eye, it came away with blood. “What the hell did you do that for?”
Snake-Eyes put out his hand. “Gimme some stuff, man.”
“I don’t have any. I swear it to you.”
Zach’s pledge didn’t persuade Snake-Eyes.
Instead of answering, the other guy punched Zach in the gut and while Zach was doubled over—giving serious consideration to the possibility of ralphing that burger on the pavement—Snake-Eyes went through his pockets.
Then Snake-Eyes stepped away with disgust. “You don’t have any stuff! What’s up with that?”
Zach coughed and spit on the pavement. He straightened with an effort and regarded the other man warily. “Just like I told you. I don’t do that anymore. You’ve got to work on your trust, Snake-Eyes.”
The other man just swore and shook his head. He glared at Zach. “You’ve changed, man. I thought I could count on you.”
“Yeah, well, ditto.” Zach raised a hand to his eye and winced that it was swelling fast. He never would have imagined that Snake-Eyes could have even thrown a punch. The guy’s usual tactic was begging. Maybe he’d gotten lucky. Or Zach had gotten unlucky. “I guess times have changed, Snake-Eyes.”
Snake-Eyes smiled, suddenly contrite and about as trustworthy as a rattler. “I guess so, man. Hey, sorry about the eye.” He offered his hand as if shaking would make Zach’s injuries evaporate.
This time, it was Zach who stepped back. He saw his former customer more clearly now, saw how years of substance abuse had eroded Snake-Eyes to sinew, saw the future he’d evaded by leaving that life behind. Weed was the least of Snake-Eyes’ problems.
He glanced at Snake-Eyes’ outstretched hand for only a moment, then decided to take a pass on touching the other man.
“Yeah. So am I.” Zach turned and walked away, grimacing at the ache in his gut. He hoped he hadn’t broken a rib.
“Hey, see you around, man,” Snake-Eyes called after him.
“Not if I see you first,” Zach muttered. The way his eye was puffing up, he wasn’t going to be seeing much from that side for the foreseeable—ha ha—future.
He was going to need some ice.
Actually, he might need more than that. His eye was closing so rapidly that he was frightened. Should he go to the ER? He needed advice from someone who knew about such things.
He and Roxie would have to inflict themselves on someone.
Unfortunately, the one person Zach knew who was most likely to know what to do about his eye was married to the one person who disapproved most heartily of him. There was some kind of cosmic rule wrapped up in that, but Zach wasn’t in any shape to figure it out. His sister-in-law Maralys was street-savvy and would take the injury in stride, as well as know whether he should seek medical assistance. The price of her consultation would be not only her cutting commentary, but possibly a lecture from Zach’s oldest brother James.
Fun wow. It said something that even knowing that, he’d go to their place ASAP.
* * *
Not thirty minutes later, Maralys opened the door and smiled at Zach. He blinked, because she was a redhead today and had been a brunette when last he’d seen her, but it was still his sister-in-law.
The wicked smile gave her away.
“Nice, fresh shiner,” she said.
Roxie, recognizing the house, darted past them both and headed for the kitchen with her tail wagging in anticipation. She’d be busy doing the perimeter sniff for a good twenty minutes.
“Glad you’re amused,” he said.
“Should I ask about the other guy?”
“His knuckles might be bruised.”
“Were you being gallant, or were you completely trounced?”
“Hey, no need to build up my ego here.”
“You’re a Coxwell.” Maralys stood back to let him come in. “There’s no need to build up the egos of any of you.”
“I heard that,” James called from further in the house.
Zach stifled a groan. He’d hoped to talk to Maralys without seeing his oldest brother, but James was sauntering into the foyer. There was, he thought, no point in disguising his feelings. “Great. You would be home when I come begging for mercy.”
“Nobody said you had good luck.” James snagged his suit jacket from the chair in the hall. He was obviously heading back to work. “Just home for lunch. Hey, nice eye. Was she worth it?”
“Very funny. You should be congratulating me.”
“On getting thumped? That’ll be the day.” James paused to give Maralys a kiss so thorough that Zach felt he should leave.
Something had changed in his brother since he’d been with Maralys—although she was prickly and opinionated, she seemed to have softened James’ edges. His brother was more at ease in his own skin. Happier maybe.
Not to mention that the two could generate heat like no couple Zach had ever known. He looked everywhere but at them directly. This was his oldest brother, after all. The man was in his forties and had three kids. The evidence that James knew about sex was there for the looking.
Come to think of it—which Zach would have preferred not to have done—James had probably come home at lunch for a quickie.
Zach was thinking that the plate glass in the windows was going to liquefy, just from b
eing in the vicinity of this kiss, and couldn’t stand it anymore. “Hey, keep it legal, you two.”
To his relief, they parted, but neither looked particularly embarrassed.
James grinned and shrugged into his suit jacket. “Behind closed doors and all that.”
Zach gestured to the front door. “It’s open.”
“That’s your fault,” Maralys said. “Come in already.”
James paused on the threshold to look at Zach’s eye. “That looks new. What happened?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
James arched a brow. “It does if you’re going to be making another one of those calls for help from the big house.”
Zach felt his mood sour even more. “I came for medical advice, not career counseling.”
“Good.” James held his gaze steadily. “Because you know that you can’t call me anymore.”
Zach straightened. “Or Matt. You two have made it pretty clear that I’m on my own. I’m not so stupid that I didn’t get that.” Zach turned to his sister-in-law, who was watching this exchange with interest. “So, Maralys, I was just wondering whether I needed to go to the hospital, or whether you think it’s normal for it to swell this much this fast.”
She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the door frame to the living room. “Because I know so much about black eyes, street-fighting and otherwise trouble-making dudes?”
Great. She was insulted. “No. Well, yes.” Zach fumbled with the words. “Because you know stuff, all kinds of useful stuff.”
Maralys smiled, proof that he’d found the right words.
“Let me see.” Zach jumped when James touched his eye. James put on his glasses and frowned slightly as he checked it out. “Easy. Just let me look at it.” James lifted the lid gently as Zach stood motionless, then touched the swelling with his fingertips.
James’ manner was patient and paternal, which surprised Zach. He hadn’t been used to a lot of consideration from his brothers, especially in recent years. But then, James did have two teenage sons of his own. He’d probably checked out a lot of minor injuries in his time.
This certainly had never been their own father’s attitude—Robert had shouted a lot and been preoccupied more. Zach couldn’t remember his father ever showing interest in an injury. Getting into trouble had gotten him yelled at, but at least it was an acknowledgment of his presence.
James stepped back and peeled off his glasses. “There’s no cut, no glass in it. I’ll guess you just got popped a good one.”
Zach felt an uncharacteristic need to be straight. He figured that’s what kindness did to him—it threw his game. “You don’t need to guess. That’s what happened.”
“Scary when it swells up so fast, isn’t it?” James asked with a sympathetic smile.
Zach felt better. The accord between them wasn’t familiar and probably couldn’t be relied upon to last, but it felt good to not be completely at odds. “I feel like I’m going blind.”
“Just for a day or two. It’ll be better if you get some ice on it.”
“Come on,” Maralys said. “I’ll make you an ice pack.” She gave him a teasing smile. “But you’ve got to promise to show me the fab display when the bruise comes.”
“You’re only helping me for the entertainment value,” Zach complained, although he was relieved.
“Well, you haven’t offered much entertainment lately,” Maralys replied. “We’ve got to make do with what’s available.”
Zach made to follow his sister-in-law but was stopped by his brother’s softly asked question.
“What really happened, Zach?”
Zach paused, then was surprised to find himself answering. “One of my old customers didn’t believe I wasn’t selling anymore. He thought I was holding out on him.”
“And were you?”
“No.”
James and Maralys exchanged a look.
Zach heaved a sigh. “Is it that hard to believe that I’m on the straight-and-narrow?”
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“Especially as this is the first we’ve heard of it,” Maralys said.
So much for honesty. “Well, then I came to the wrong place.” Zach whistled for his dog, who did not come running, but James put a hand on his shoulder.
“Sorry, Zach. You just surprised me. If you’ve really given it up, that’s a good thing.”
“You can’t blame anyone for not expecting you to change,” Maralys said softly. “It’s been a long time, Zach.”
“Well, I have given it up. You can believe it or not, whatever you like.” Zach couldn’t dismiss the sense that James was taking a wait-and-see attitude, but then, his brother had bailed him out of trouble enough to have earned the right to be dubious.
“Don’t tell me the justice system finally reformed you.”
To Zach’s surprise, James’ tone was light. He wasn’t used to seeing his brother anything but serious and judgmental.
Pretty much an echo of their father’s manner.
Maybe he’d come to the wrong house.
Maybe he’d stepped into a parallel universe.
“No, it wasn’t that,” he said cautiously. “I just got done with it.”
“Since when?”
“Since New Orleans.” Zach stifled the urge to squirm because James was watching him very closely, probably seeing a bit too much.
To his surprise, James teased him. “If I’d known it would be that easy for Matt to change your thinking, I would have inflicted you on him years ago.”
Zach couldn’t resist the chance to needle his big brother in return. “So, maybe he’s just more persuasive.”
“Right.” James smiled. “He just declined to help you out.”
“The power of the word ‘no’,” Maralys said with satisfaction.
James was watching Zach so carefully that Zach almost fidgeted. “That was a neat scheme for Mom you came up with this year,” James said softly.
Zach shrugged. “Father’s expectation that everything pass immediately to the four of us seemed unfair, especially as a big chunk of the family money came from Mom’s side. She could have challenged the will.”
“But you negotiated a neat compromise instead,” James said. “You should have come by yourself to pick it up: I would have liked to have told you what a nice piece of business that contract was.”
Maralys folded her arms across her chest and leaned in the doorway, watching as well.
“It was a sound plan to have the four of us agree to wait until Mom’s passing to split the estate,” James continued. “And a logical argument that Father must have assumed he would outlive her.”
“If not one that would have been in character,” Maralys muttered but both men ignored her.
Zach shrugged, uncomfortable with his brother’s approval. “I didn’t want Mom to worry about money. She’s never worked, after all. I just did my best.”
“Beverly knows everything about etiquette,” Maralys said. “She could set up one hell of a consulting business.”
“But the choice should be hers,” Zach said, speaking emphatically. “I didn’t think it would matter that much to any of us and I wanted her to be without worries.”
“It didn’t matter to me,” James acknowledged. “Or to Philippa. And Matt is okay with the pay out scheme you devised for him buying our shares of Gray Gables. But are you okay with it, Zach?”
“Who cares?” Zach tried to shrug off the question with a grin. “I land on my feet.”
“I care,” James said with force. “If you need cash, you come to me first.”
It was an unexpected offer and it surprised Zach. “I don’t need much,” he said but got no further.
“I know you’re frugal,” James said, interrupting him. “But I don’t want you to feel that you have to go back to selling to make ends meet.”
“I’m done with that.”
“Good. But if you need a loan, this branch of the Bank of Coxwell is open. I’m
your big brother and I’m running late on taking up that responsibility.”
“Well, I don’t know. You’ve already saved my butt a bunch of times. Thanks for that.”
“New start?” James asked, offering his hand.
Zach smiled, genuinely pleased. “Okay. Thanks. New start.” The two brothers shook hands, sealing this unexpected accord.
For the first time in his life, Zach felt attacked by warm-fuzzies in the presence of his family.
Maybe he should have gotten decked sooner.
Then Maralys shooed James out the door. “You’re late, Mr. Coxwell. I promise to tell you all the juicy details tonight, if there are any. Let’s have a quick review before you go.”
James paused on the walk and started to tick items off with his fingers. “Okay, official synchronization: Zoë and I are on the road tonight. Soccer for Jimmy at six-thirty; swimming for Johnny at seven; pick them up at eight and eight-fifteen respectively; pick up your father from euchre at the community center at eight-thirty; everyone back here for the bath and tooth brushing routine, then I’ll see you at Casa Pickle at nine-thirty.”
“I didn’t know you were domesticated,” Zach teased, getting his own back.
James grinned. “You bet.”
“It can be done,” Maralys intoned. “We have the technology to harness the wild Coxwell male…”
The two exchanged another one of those hot looks and Zach cleared his throat lest they go at it on the porch. “What’s Casa Pickle?”
“Maralys’ studio and office,” James said. “It used to be a pickle factory.”
“No kidding?”
“No kidding. When the humidity is right, you can smell the vinegar.” Maralys grimaced. “But the space is phenomenal.”
“Even with Antonia making art all around you,” James joked.
“I’m getting used to it.” Maralys smiled, then shooed him away. “Synchronization right the first time, counselor. You’re clear for takeoff.” Maralys waved at James, then nudged Zach. “There’s that incisive Coxwell legal mind at work again.”
James turned and shook a finger at her. “You’d better be ready to leave by nine-thirty, Maralys. Tonight I’ll need a glass of wine, with you and no computer code.”
“Ten.”
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