turned
red when he noticed that Summer stood behind him listening.
“Here, Matt.” She handed him his coffee. “I get a
bit cranky before I’ve had my coffee too.” She handed Holden his mug and returned
to the kitchen. “I’ll have breakfast ready in a flash.”
Matt took a sip of his coffee and almost gagged. His
eyes flashed at Holden. “How do you drink it like this?”
“When I started drinking coffee, we rarely had sugar
in the house and never any milk.”
“When we lived with Mom?”
Holden nodded. “A long time ago.”
“Holden, why do you think she did it? Was she mad at
us? Did we make her life miserable?”
Holden’s heart twisted. He never asked about their
mother before. “No Matt. It wasn’t any of us. She loved us. When Dad left she
sank into a depression that she never got out of. She tried to raise us
herself. I don’t know who gave her the drugs she ODed on. I tried to find out but they were some really nasty people. Eventually I
had to quit looking.”
Matt nodded. “I wish we knew where Dad went.”
Holden shook his head. “We’re better off without
him. He used to hit Mom.”
Matt’s brows furrowed. “I never knew.”
“Don’t tell the others. I don’t want them to
remember how it was. I’m just glad I was old enough to be your guardian. They
would have split you up for sure.”
Matt didn’t scowl at him now. In fact he appeared
almost grateful.
The rest of the boys came clambering down the stairs
for breakfast making conversation impossible. Holden watched Summer as she
greeted each one and asked questions pertinent to each boy. Holden’s heart
grew, taking in each smile, each touch on the shoulder, and each laugh. It had
been a long time coming but maybe they found happiness.
Uprooting them from school and their friends had
been gut wrenchingly hard. It had been a long road after his mother died, but
watching the boys smiling made every sacrifice worth it.
“Holden, do you want to eat over there with Matt?” Summer
asked, her eyes sparkling.
“If it’s no trouble.”
“Not at all. Give me a minute to sort these young
men out and I’ll make us something.”
Holden saw Matt peering at him then at Summer. This
time there wasn’t a scowl. His brothers made quick work of breakfast, then Mark
led the charge outside with Luke and John right behind him.
“Stay away from Yukon!” Holden heard something about
stupid before they closed the door.
Summer carried over three plates piled high with
eggs, bacon and toast. She set them down before she went back to grab her
coffee, bringing the pot with her. “Refills?”
Matt’s eyes grew wide. “I usually only have one
cup.”
Holden suppressed the chuckled that was trying to
escape. “I’ll have more, thanks, Summer.”
“Is it a big secret or can you tell me what went on
yesterday?” Matt asked.
Summer turned an enticing shade of red and she gave
Holden a quick glance. Panic was written all over her face.
“Sure, you need to know.” Holden started.
“Holden—”
“It’s fine, Summer, Matt needs to know the situation
in case Brent comes around.”
Summer appeared doubtful but she nodded.
“Here it is in a nutshell. Summer dated some yahoo,
who after they broke up, robbed and killed the owner of the place Summer worked
at. She was beaten pretty badly and there are some people in town that think
that she had a part in it.”
Matt sat up, wincing. “There’s no way you’d be a
part of anything like that.”
Summer gave him a half smile. “Thanks for the vote
of confidence, Matt. Brent got away. I don’t expect him back. But you do need
to know that some people will not be friendly to you because of me.”
“We need to know what this ass looks like so we can
all be on the lookout. What happened in town yesterday?” Matt appeared more
than ready to take on the world.
“I went grocery shopping and when I checked out, the
cashier took the money your brother gave me and handed it to the
red when he noticed that Summer stood behind him listening.
“Here, Matt.” She handed him his coffee. “I get a
bit cranky before I’ve had my coffee too.” She handed Holden his mug and returned
to the kitchen. “I’ll have breakfast ready in a flash.”
Matt took a sip of his coffee and almost gagged. His
eyes flashed at Holden. “How do you drink it like this?”
“When I started drinking coffee, we rarely had sugar
in the house and never any milk.”
“When we lived with Mom?”
Holden nodded. “A long time ago.”
“Holden, why do you think she did it? Was she mad at
us? Did we make her life miserable?”
Holden’s heart twisted. He never asked about their
mother before. “No Matt. It wasn’t any of us. She loved us. When Dad left she
sank into a depression that she never got out of. She tried to raise us
herself. I don’t know who gave her the drugs she ODed on. I tried to find out but they were some really nasty people. Eventually I
had to quit looking.”
Matt nodded. “I wish we knew where Dad went.”
Holden shook his head. “We’re better off without
him. He used to hit Mom.”
Matt’s brows furrowed. “I never knew.”
“Don’t tell the others. I don’t want them to
remember how it was. I’m just glad I was old enough to be your guardian. They
would have split you up for sure.”
Matt didn’t scowl at him now. In fact he appeared
almost grateful.
The rest of the boys came clambering down the stairs
for breakfast making conversation impossible. Holden watched Summer as she
greeted each one and asked questions pertinent to each boy. Holden’s heart
grew, taking in each smile, each touch on the shoulder, and each laugh. It had
been a long time coming but maybe they found happiness.
Uprooting them from school and their friends had
been gut wrenchingly hard. It had been a long road after his mother died, but
watching the boys smiling made every sacrifice worth it.
“Holden, do you want to eat over there with Matt?” Summer
asked, her eyes sparkling.
“If it’s no trouble.”
“Not at all. Give me a minute to sort these young
men out and I’ll make us something.”
Holden saw Matt peering at him then at Summer. This
time there wasn’t a scowl. His brothers made quick work of breakfast, then Mark
led the charge outside with Luke and John right behind him.
“Stay away from Yukon!” Holden heard something about
stupid before they closed the door.
Summer carried over three plates piled high with
eggs, bacon and toast. She set them down before she went back to grab her
coffee, bringing the pot with her. “Refills?”
Matt’s eyes grew wide. “I usually only have one
cup.”
Holden suppressed the chuckled that was trying to
escape. “I’ll have more, thanks, Summer.”
“Is it a big secret or can you tell me what went on
yesterday?” Matt asked.
Summer turned an enticing shade of red and she gave
Holden a quick glance. Panic was written all over her face.
“Sure, you need to know.” Holden started.
“Holden—”
“It’s fine, Summer, Matt needs to know the situation
in case Brent comes around.”
Summer appeared doubtful but she nodded.
“Here it is in a nutshell. Summer dated some yahoo,
who after they broke up, robbed and killed the owner of the place Summer worked
at. She was beaten pretty badly and there are some people in town that think
that she had a part in it.”
Matt sat up, wincing. “There’s no way you’d be a
part of anything like that.”
Summer gave him a half smile. “Thanks for the vote
of confidence, Matt. Brent got away. I don’t expect him back. But you do need
to know that some people will not be friendly to you because of me.”
“We need to know what this ass looks like so we can
all be on the lookout. What happened in town yesterday?” Matt appeared more
than ready to take on the world.
“I went grocery shopping and when I checked out, the
cashier took the money your brother gave me and handed it to the
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