I shrugged and stared at my beer can. Shit like this always made me uncomfortable. I didn’t do stuff for my family to score points.
“I didn’t notice Dylan’s weird behavior lately.” Ryan continued. “I got so caught up with Hope and Fliss and then helping Austin plan his proposal to Rachel. Too much fell through the cracks. Thank you for picking up the pieces.”
I had to clear my throat as it was suddenly hard to talk. “Yeah, man. That’s what family does, right?”
“Right.” Ryan shook his head then took a pull from his beer. “So you wanna talk about Dylan?”
“Not much else to say. I told you all my concerns after the reveal today. Something’s going on with him, but he won’t talk to me about it.”
“That’s because it’s you.”
I blinked. “Seriously? Where’d all the love go? A minute ago, I was the family savior and now I don’t count?”
“No, kinda the opposite. I’m saying that whatever Dylan’s got going on, he doesn’t want you to know because he looks up to you. Which means it must be bad. Like really freaking bad.”
A pit formed in my stomach. “That was what I was afraid of.”
We sat in contemplative silence for a moment then Ryan asked, “Have you asked Maddie about it?”
“What?” I jolted. “Why?”
Ryan raised his eyebrows. “Because you said you would in the parking lot after the reveal? Before all those mind-numbing interviews?”
“Right, right.” I rubbed the back of my neck and tried not to look like I was clearly hiding a secret. “According to her, Dylan’s been MIA most days. Sounds like they’re not hanging out as much as they used to, despite the fact that she’s living with him.”
“Huh, that’s weird.”
“Yup.”
Ryan sighed. “I guess I’ll have to hunt him down and make him spill his guts. I might need you to hold him down like the good ol’ days. You in?”
“Just name the time and place.” I laughed, remembering all the times we ganged up on the youngest brother. Dylan had been such an easy target. Which was why Austin usually weighed in and took his side. Out of anyone, Austin should’ve been the one Dylan looked up to. How and why Ryan thought it was me was a mystery.
“Is there a game on?” Ryan tilted his head toward my tv.
“Probably.”
We spent the next hour watching a basketball game and entertaining Fliss. But after a while, she got fussy, so Ryan had to head home.
As the door closed behind them, I enjoyed the peace that his visit had brought. For so long, it’d felt like my brothers had moved on without me. It was nice to know that Ryan at least appreciated what I brought to the table in terms of the family and maybe our business too.
And of course, his absence meant I could check in with Maddie. Him going home might mean that girls’ night would break up early.
I got out my phone and fired off a text.
Me: You still being all girly?
Maddie: What is that supposed to mean?
Shit, my attempt to be all cute and flirty had clearly fallen flat.
Me: You still over at Hope’s doing girls’ night?
Maddie: Oh. Sorry. No.
Me: Want to come over?
She didn’t immediately reply. I knew she’d read the message. What was going on? Maddie hadn’t struck me as the type of woman who played games. What you saw was exactly what you got with her. I was on the verge of calling her when her reply came through.
Maddie: I don’t think I’d be the best company right now.
What the hell? She’d been so adamant about going to girls’ night. What could’ve happened between then and now? This was too complicated to text. I broke the social law of texting and called her.
It rang four times before she answered.
“Hello.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, concerned. “I thought you liked girls’ night. Did something happen?”
She gave a sad laugh that about broke my heart. “You could say that.”
But then she didn’t elaborate, and I had no idea what that meant. I felt like a lumbering tool who didn’t know how to talk to women. I had plenty of experience picking up chicks in bars, but the whole emotional aspect or whatever of a relationship was confusing as hell. And I didn’t want to fuck it up. This thing with Maddie mattered.
Maddie mattered.
So I sucked it up and tried. “Ryan mentioned something about Sabrina giving you a hard time about the guy you’re dating. Did she say something that hurt your feelings?”
She made a gasping sound like she sucked in a painful breath. But she didn’t say any words.
“Maddie, you gotta help me out.” I felt so fucking helpless. I hated that she was hurting and I couldn’t do anything. “If you don’t help me out here, I’m coming over there.”
“Because I’m so weak I can’t take care of myself?”
“What? No, because I’m worried about you, and I want you to be the happy wonderful woman I woke up with this morning.”
She sighed. “That’s so sweet. I’m sorry, Nathan. Like I said I don’t think I’d be the best of company tonight. I just want to curl up with a book and forget this night even happened.”
“Okay, how about you do that over here? I’ll order some pizza and watch the game while you read your book.”
“You’re kinda hard to resist. You know that?”
“I hope so. It’s part of my charm and helps to deflect attention from all my shortcomings.”
She laughed huskily, and I loved that I helped her even that little bit.
“Fine, I’ll come over, but I’m not changing into sexy clothes. You’re getting yoga
