Page 63 of This Broken Heart

I trail behind the guys, smiling at Maven as she peeks over Dusty’s shoulder. The entire family is gathered in the living room. It’s empty now, and their voices knock around like pins at a bowling alley.

Keith claps his hands together as I step inside. “Now that we’re all here, your mother just wanted to have a little toast.”

Lisa passes around plastic cups, and Keith cracks open a bottle of champagne. The girls protest loudly when it spills over on the floor. Trace and Maven are given apple juice, but everyone else, including Charlie, is given champagne.

Keith holds up his glass. “Thirty years ago, I stopped to help a little bookworm from my senior class with a flat tire.”

Lisa grins fondly, nudging him.

“I didn’t know everything that would happen after that. If I had, maybe I would have been too tongue-tied to talk to her. But I’m damn glad I did. This house served us well. We raised up some decent kids. Made lots of memories. I wouldn’t trade those years for the world, but I’m so excited to see what this next chapter holds for us. To the future!”

Everyone lifts their glasses. I sip the champagne, letting the bubbles fizz across my tongue.

Parker has to speak twice to be heard over the group. “What’s going to happen to the house?”

An awkward silence descends on the room.

Keith tips his chin towards his son. “It’s Josh’s.”

All three girls whip around to look at their brother. He shifts uncomfortably, setting Trace on his feet.

Charlie stares at her dad. “He justgetsthe house? What about the rest of us?”

Keith frowns, clearly not thrilled to be discussing this in front of a handful of non-family members. “Josh is taking over the farm. It just makes sense that he takes the house.”

I glance at Bo, who nods his head, gesturing for us to slip out.

Before we can, Josh clears his throat. “I don’t want it.”

“What?” Keith stares at his son.

Josh straightens his back. “I said, I don’t fucking want it. Y’all can fight over it.”

And with that, he strides out of the room, leaving eight people shellshocked and speechless.

Lisa pulls the girls into the kitchen and Keith stomps after them. Dusty and Skyler sweep up the kids, distracting them.

Bo comes to stand next to me. “Go talk to him.”

“Me?”

He gives me an exasperated look. “Yes, you.” His expression softens, and he lowers his voice. “Look, you’ve already given him a hard time today.”

“How?”

“You and Dusty.” He searches my eyes. “We saw you two under the tree.”

My cheeks color. That was an innocent hug.

He nudges my shoulder. “I know Josh. And I’m certain you’re the only person he’ll tolerate right now.”

42.

Josh

I sit on my old bed holding a bottle of champagne, staring up at the ceiling. There’s a Ninja Turtle sticker stuck up there and I’m trying to remember how I managed to put it up there.

The floorboards in the hall creak and I look over, the tips of my ears heating up when I see Erin lingering in the doorway. “Room for one more?”