page20 (1/1)

I should have known better Nick was the closest to me ofwas bothering me He was also always the first one to ask ive me space, but not Nick He had absolutely no qualhts, which was exactly what he did then

“Penny for your thoughts, old man?” he asked

It was a joke we’d carried on between us fro out the privileges that caot to drive first, had the first girlfriend of the brothers But it didn’t take long for Nick to take that and turn it into taunting ot worse when I dedicatedto hirumpy old man before my ti through the gruht I didn’t even knohere to start

“If I kneas up, I’d tell you,” I said and took another sip of my beer

Nick tilted his head to the side like he was trying to look directly into my face, but I didn’t turn to look at him

“What do you ’s obviously up”

I shrugged, letting out a breath

“Feeling antsy, I guess It’s probably just the first race co that would be enough to convince Nick to drop the conversation

Even as I was saying it, though, I knew that wasn’t really as going on At least, that wasn’t all of it There was more, I just didn’t know exactly what I couldn’t put it into words I got a brief flash of lush hips and a distracting s it and chasing it with a guzzle of beer I couldn’t let myself think that way It wasn’t about her I couldn’t let it be about Merry

“Yeah, I kno you get, but this is different,” Nick pointed out I still didn’t respond, and he gave a relenting nod

He reached over ht out Still staring at me, he popped a few in his mouth and chewed I slid my eyes over to him

“Enjoying that?” I asked

“Yes,” he said without hesitation I turned back to the fire, and he leaned closer “You’d tell ht? Like if you were in trouble or sick or so, yeah?”

His voice had dropped to a lower, softer tone like he was trying to stop it froenuinely worried aboutto keep it between us I nodded Even without words, that seeh for Nick, and he sat back in his chair We sat there silently for a fewour beer When Darren and Vince finally gave up on their game and dropped down in other chairs on the opposite side of the fire, Nick got up He crossed over to the to Vince about the stock otten into the stock ed for me But the two of them seemed to think of it as another sport

I didn’t really care what they were talking about As much as I didn’t want to admit it even to myself, and never would have said it to Nick, I was relieved when he walked away and leftI loved hanging out withon now to h my head that I should call Cole, but I knewwith his own shit recently I didn’t want to drag him down further At the same time, maybe that’s e both needed Just soes like the old days, s far too loud and inappropriate, sounded like exactly what I needed That would shakeon in my head

I ive him a call after the first race was done and find a tiether

10

Merry

It was finally the day of o through my mind It was finally beach day, sure It was finally the first day of vacation, yes It was finally the day I was going to sit around in my sweatpants and eat obscene a excited for a race of any kind was pretty n