The Home-wrecker (The Goode Brothers)
The Home-wrecker: Chapter 54

“I’m nervous,” Briar mumbles to herself from the driver’s seat.

I reach over with my good arm and touch her leg. “Why are you nervous? They’re going to love you.”

She shrugs while chewing on her bottom lip. “I still blame myself for what happened. And I think they should blame me, too.”

I squeeze her leg. “Stop it. It’s not your fault. Besides, you were at the hospital longer than anyone. I’m sure my mother already loves you.”

With a sigh, she forces a smile. Then she leans over the center console and presses her lips to mine.

It’s been two weeks since the incident and Briar has hardly left my side. I never pressed charges against Sean or his friends. They don’t matter to me. Seeing them punished for what happened won’t erase anything we did or justify our sins.

“You know,” I mumble against her lips. Pulling away, I stare into her eyes. “We haven’t really made things official between us.”

Her brows pinch inward. “What are you talking about?”

“I haven’t even asked you to be my girlfriend yet.”

Her pearly white teeth shine as she grins with a blush to her cheeks. “I’m not your girlfriend,” she replies. “Remember?”

It’s my turn to look confused. She runs her fingers along my jaw and holds my face as she brings my lips back to hers.

“I thought we already settled this in the hospital. I’m your wife.”

My lips stretch into a smile. I know she’s just playing, and I love that that story is part of our history now. And at this moment, we both know without a doubt in our hearts that Briar will be my wife someday. There is this certainty between us. This is it. We are forever.

“That’s right,” I reply, kissing her back. “You’re already my wife.”

Present Day

Briar stares up at me lovingly from the bath as I sit on the edge of the tub.

“You’re so amazing,” I whisper, stroking her hair.

She smiles to herself. “Why? Because I can take two men?”

“No,” I reply with a shake of my head. “Because you let us love you and because you’ve stuck by me through so much, even when I wasn’t a very good husband.”

“You were a good⁠—”

“No, I wasn’t,” I say. I won’t let her spare me from what I need to own up to. “I didn’t know how to let you in. I was so afraid of losing you that I thought I had to bear everything on my own. I wanted to protect you, and all I really did was shut you out. I’m sorry.”

Her expression softens as she stares up at me. “I love that you always try to protect me. It makes me feel like I’m never alone, and with everything we’re going to have to face in the future, I love that I feel safe with you.”

Leaning down, I press my lips to hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replies with a smile.

Letting Briar enjoy the rest of her bath, I go in search of Dean. After getting himself cleaned up and dressed, he disappeared and I don’t like the idea of him feeling left out or being alone.

When I finally find him, he’s sitting on the edge of the pool in his underwear, staring at the water. I walk up quietly and sit beside him without a word.

“Hey,” he mutters.

Glancing his way, I ask, “You okay?”

It takes a moment before he shrugs. “Yeah.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

He turns toward me with a quizzical brow. “You want to talk about it?”

I can’t help but laugh. “That’s just the effect you’ve had on me. I want to talk about things now.”

“I’ve ruined you,” he replies. “I liked you better when you just scowled and grunted at everyone.”

I laugh some more. “I’ll still growl and grunt at you if you’d like.”

“Okay, good.”

When our clipped laughter comes to an end, he lets out a loud sigh. Then, without warning, he rests his head on my shoulder. It’s intimate and wonderful. The way he’s so unafraid to be vulnerable and the trust that must take guts me.

I will always protect him so he can continue being so vulnerable.

Turning my head toward him, I press my lips to the top of his head. Then I wrap my arm behind his back.

“You know…” I say softly. “I don’t know if this is any consolation, but you were lucky to have such a good dad. I hate that you lost yours while mine is still living, but I also wish I had a dad like yours.”

His body shivers as he cries. “That does make me feel better.”

I squeeze him tighter. “Sometimes I worry that I’ll never be a good dad because I didn’t have one as a role model. So I’m glad Abby has you.”

He cries some more. “You’re crazy,” he replies. “You are a great dad.”

“Thank you,” I whisper with my lips against his head.

After a moment, he seems to have dried his tears, but his head is still resting on my shoulder. It’s then that I realize that with everything that’s happened this week since my father’s arrest and Dean’s father’s death, I never got to tell him about the conversation I had with Isaac.

And while I told Isaac I wouldn’t tell everyone about his whereabouts, Dean is as close to me as Briar now. It would be wrong to lie to him.

“I didn’t tell you…” I start. Dean lifts his head and stares at me as he waits. “I saw Isaac.”

His face tenses in confusion. “What? When?”

“Last night. He…was in town for the night, and we had a beer.”

Dean smiles. “Holy shit. What did he say?”

“It was so weird. He was like a stranger to me. But he gave me some really good advice. And I realized that I should have never tried to hide him or push you away to protect him. I should have stood with him. I always wanted Isaac to pretend he was straight so my father wouldn’t be angry with him. And maybe that’s why I always pretended to be straight.”

“And how do you feel now?”

Looking out over the water, I let out a sigh. “I feel ready to finally come out. I think I knew my entire life that I was attracted to men and women, but I tried to brush that part of myself off. I figured that if I was married, I didn’t need to worry about it.”

He nods, resting his hand on my leg. “I think a lot of people make that mistake. You’re not alone.”

“And maybe if I come out first, Isaac will be ready to come home. I’m ready to do what I should have done nine years ago.”

Dean reaches over and grabs my face, kissing me hard on the cheek. “For what it’s worth, I’m proud that you’ve finally made it here. I love you so much.”

Turning toward him, I smile as my lips press against his. “I love you too.”