Page 97 of Just Like That

I looked back at JP for help and he only laughed. “I got this.” JP scooped up Teddy and hoisted him onto his shoulders.

Cue ovary explosion.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Have fun. We’ll see you in an hour.”

Teddy giggled as they wound through the crowd, and I was left staring at their backs and wondering how we’d gotten so lucky.

THIRTY-ONE

JP

The sun was fading,but carnival lights bounced off each other and illuminated our path. Teddy was riding a sugar high from his dinner of deep-fried Oreos and a cotton candy the size of his head. He’d gotten shy when a few kids his age came up to him to say hello. The parents made introductions, and I informed them that Teddy would also be starting second grade soon. After a few minutes, the boys asked him to go on a ride together. He looked at me, and his shy smile was a dagger to my heart.

“I’ll be waiting right here,” I assured him. “Go have fun.”

Teddy grinned, and I kept an eye on him as he stood in line with his newfound friends, waiting for the Tilt-A-Whirl.

“You’re not going to go on?” Abel’s voice from behind had me turning with a smile.

I steeled my gaze and buried a laugh. “Fuck off.”

His laughter bellowed out into the night air. “Come on. It was years ago. Surely almost everyone has forgotten how you vomited all over Shelly Winters’s shoes.”

I shook my head. “First of all, it was Marlene Christmas, and I didn’t puke. I just gagged a little.”

Abel’s hand clamped down on my shoulder. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

He laughed again, but I wasn’t mad. Camaraderie with my siblings was still in its infancy, but it was feeling more and more natural every day.

“Sloane off with the kids?” I asked as I kept one eye on Teddy and his friends.

“Yeah,” he answered. “They’re riding the Ferris wheel, and then Sloane wants to get a reading from Hazel. I promised the twins they could get a funnel cake and ice cream.” He rocked back on his heels and I took him in. It wasn’t all that long ago that my oldest brother was an outsider—shunned by what my father had done to him and living on the fringes of our small town. Now he was a family man, and I’d never seen him happier or more at ease.

“I’m happy for you, Abel.”

My oldest brother looked at me. “Thanks. I’m happy too. Broke—because I swear these carnival rides are a total rip-off—but happy.”

I smiled at him. “You should consider what I told you. Abel’s Brewery could expand distribution. Bars are driving up demand for high-quality, small-batch breweries. You’re leaving money on the table by being stubborn.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, then laughed. “Probably.” Abel turned his attention to me. “What about you? King Equities seems to be clawing its way out of the shithole Dad created, thanks to you.”

My jaw clenched and I crossed my arms. The tinny cadence of the carnival music was starting to grate on my nerves. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about our father, but Abel needed to know.

I kicked a patch of dirt. “Not sure how much longer I’ll be the man in charge. Apparently he’s getting out.”

Abel angled toward me, stunned. “What the fuck?”

I shook my head. “I went to see him, and according to him, he’s been offered a plea deal. I believe him.”

“Motherfucker,” Abel muttered under his breath. “When?”

“I’m not sure. I’m looking into it and doing what I can to stop it, but if a plea really has been offered by the prosecutors, it’s done.”

Everyone around us was laughing and having fun at the festival. Even locked away behind bars, my father had a knack for ruining our good time. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

Abel’s jaw clenched, but he surprised me when he pulled me into a hug. “And I’m sorry you’ve had to carry the weight of it.” Abel looked into the laughing crowd. His features darkened in a way that reminded me of the hard time he’d done behind bars. “We’ll figure it out ... no matter what happens.”

I thumped my hand on his back and swallowed down the lump of emotions in my throat. Sharing the burden still felt unnatural. I was so used to bearing the brunt of my father’s decisions and having to be the only one to make the tough calls.