Braydon (Alluring Indulgence #6)(36)
Author: Nicole Edwards

“How about this? I’ll call V and Zoey. We’ll all go to lunch and then spend a couple of hours at the mall. A little shopping therapy.”

Jessie smiled. It was forced, but it helped all the same. “I’d like that.”

“Get yourself cleaned up. I’ll call them right now.”

Pushing up from the couch, Jessie tried to smile for real. At first it didn’t work, but then she felt a little lighter. She couldn’t let this weigh her down. She’d gotten what she’d been praying for. Braydon was home where he belonged. The sad part was that he had clearly moved on . . .

Which meant it was time for her to do the same thing.

chapter SEVEN

When it came to family dinners, Braydon was familiar with the logistics. They would all get together at his parents’ house; his mother cooked, the women helped, and the men were responsible for cleaning up afterward. No one complained about it. Dinner was a chance for them to catch up on everything that was going on in each other’s lives. They were an extremely close family, and Braydon attributed that to his parents and their efforts to keep them all linked together all the time.

What he wasn’t familiar with was being the main focal point of the event. Tonight’s conversation had been all about him. Where he’d been, what he’d been doing, how Tessa and Cooper were, and everything in between. He rarely managed to change the subject to put one of his brothers in the spotlight, and even when he succeeded in shifting the topic ever so slightly, they would quickly turn it back around on him.

So, for the last two and a half hours, he had explained that for the last three months he had lived and worked at the equestrian center, shoveling horse shit while taking care of the animals, ignoring as much modern technology as he could, and having meals with Tessa and Cooper because they felt sorry for him. All while everyone paid close attention to everything he said. It was as though they thought he might just fall apart and admit that he’d had an untimely breakdown.

They’d be waiting a long damn time if that was what they expected.

Even if it was true.

Braydon wasn’t about to admit defeat. At least not to anyone other than himself.

But even he was beginning to question whether he was down for the count.

The knowledge that Brendon and Jessie weren’t actually together had brought about a renewed sense of hope. However, that hope had nearly fizzled out completely when Braydon arrived at his parents’ to find that Jessie wasn’t there. Everyone seemed shocked by that, which meant she had spent many Sundays right there with his family, even while he’d been gone. So her absence tonight had been felt by them all, but, probably for his benefit, no one made a big deal out of it.

For the better part of the evening, he had wanted to ask Kylie where Jessie was, but he hadn’t found the opportunity. Yet. That was going to change in the near future, he hoped.

“Glad you’re back,” Ethan said, slapping him on the back when Braydon joined the others in the living room. Ethan and Beau were standing behind one of the couches, talking to Gage and Kylie, who were relaxing against one another while halfway twisted around to face them.

“Thanks. Good to be back,” he said. He was cognizant of the fact that it sounded as though the choice to leave hadn’t been his own. Since he was well aware of his own shortcomings, he was tempted to say as much, but Beau interrupted before he could continue.

“We’re havin’ a get-together at the house next weekend. Think you can make it?”

Braydon didn’t miss the sidelong glance that both Beau and Ethan shot at Kylie. He got the sense that something was up because Kylie’s gaze darted away and Gage wrapped one arm around her, holding her tightly.

He would’ve been more inquisitive if it weren’t for his shock. So Ethan and Beau were having house parties now? That was new. And interesting.

“I’m sure I can make time to stop by,” Braydon said, grinning at Ethan. Yep, definitely a new development for a man who’d spent years hiding out from the rest of the world as often as possible.

“Good,” Beau tacked on, turning his attention to Ethan. “I’ll be back. I need to talk to Zane.”

“Sure.”

Braydon noted the way Ethan reached for Beau’s hand. Neither of them were into a lot of public displays of affection, but it was nice to see that they were opening up a little more around family. Beau gently squeezed Ethan’s hand and offered him a quick smile before he disappeared. Braydon had to look away because he felt as though he had violated a private moment between the pair.

He glanced down to see Kylie studying him.

“Hey,” he greeted her directly. Now was the chance to ask her about Jessie, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wanted to, but he feared it would make him look desperate. Considering all the emotional turmoil he’d buried himself under these last few months . . . that was the last thing he wanted.