Can't Let Go by Jessica Lemmon

to the door, lifting her purse as she went.
    She turned before she left and said. “I’m really sorry, Aiden.” After the brief flash of sympathy, she turned and dug her cell phone out of her purse. Aiden wanted to slam the door on her, relieve some of the pressure from the anger brewing in his blood. But his nephew and his entire family were here. And she didn’t deserve his efforts. He shut the door softly and flicked the lock.
    In the den, Landon was pouring a glass of scotch. When he saw Aiden’s expression, he cocked an eyebrow and poured a second. “Looks like you need a double.”
    Evan was leaning on the fireplace, flicking a lighter repeatedly. He put it on the mantle and narrowed his eyes at Aiden. “Dude.”
    “Not now, Ev.” Aiden accepted the glass from Landon, who gave him a knowing smirk.
    “I’m glad she’s gone,” Landon said.
    “Good riddance,” Evan muttered in agreement.
    Aiden drank from his glass, refusing to confirm his brothers’ suspicions.
    Landon poured a third glass and handed it to Evan before topping Aiden’s off. “You know you have to talk Mom into getting treatment, right?”
    He liked to do that. Give a command disguised as a question.
    “Yeah,” Evan piped up. “She’ll listen to you after we go back home.”
    Aiden studied them both. “When are you guys leaving?”
    Landon’s mouth flattened. “I’m going to fly out at five in the morning. I have a day full of meetings.”
    “I’m staying the weekend. Norm’s running the shop,” Evan said of his tattoo parlor.
    Aiden chuffed, draining his scotch in one big, burning mouthful. He addressed Landon. “You’re just going to return to work?” he rasped, the liquor shredding his already dry throat.
    “Aren’t you?” Landon studied Aiden. A little too closely. “You know you haven’t mentioned the hotel you used to talk about nonstop.”
    “Yeah,” Evan said, dragging out the word. “The casino-hotel thingy on the river you and Danny are doing. Isn’t that supposed to be opening this summer?”
    Aiden refilled his glass despite everything in the room having blurry edges. “Fell through,” he grumbled. Along with his marriage, his friendship, his—
    “What’s going on, Aiden?” Landon’s voice dropped to a soft, less-demanding tone.
    That was probably why Aiden didn’t bark at his older brother’s intrusion. “You can’t tell Mom. Or Dad.”
    Evan came closer. “What’s going on?”
    “Or Angel.”
    “Spit it out.” This from Landon, who was now frowning at him.
    “Harmony and I are divorced.”
    Evan looked disgusted. “And you didn’t tell us?”
    “Mom was in remission,” Aiden forced himself to whisper. He felt like screaming.
    Landon stared at Aiden, soaking in the new information. Processing. With that big ol’ businessy brain of his.
    “She slept with Danny.” Aiden expected that admission to hurt. But he didn’t feel any less of a man admitting Harmony had strayed. That was on her.
    “Christ,” Landon said. His hand landed on Aiden’s shoulder, a firm show of support. “I hope you killed him and dumped the body in the cement foundation for the hotel.”
    Landon’s unexpected words hit Aiden in the center of swirling grief, set-in-stone confusion, and utter relief at unshouldering the secret that had been eating him alive. He actually laughed .
    Evan allowed himself a smile. “And you invited her here ?”
    Aiden shook his head. “Stupid.”
    Landon’s hand moved away from Aiden’s shoulder. “No. You did the right thing. Mom would have been crushed.” They stood in silence, the topic once again on their mother.
    Evan polished off his drink. “Aiden, you have to get her back into treatment.”
    The brief respite from sharing the truth about Harmony vanished, replaced with pressure. Mounted on top of more pressure. All he wanted to do was leave this house, drive to Sadie’s, and spill his guts. Tell her about his mom, ask for her advice, then bury his head in her