As I was looking over my map, I glanced at my phone and it was seven p.m. Just as I diverted my eyes back to the map, my phone rang and it was Adam.

“Hey, Adam.”

“Hey, Em. I wanted to let you know that I’m on my way over. I should be there in about ten minutes. I can’t wait to see you, sis.”

“I can’t wait to see you either.”

I took in a deep breath and folded up my map. As I was on my way to the kitchen, the front door opened and Alex walked in.

“Impeccable timing, Parker,” I spoke as I continued walking.

“What do you mean?” He followed me into the kitchen and set his brief case down.

“Adam should be here in about ten minutes. Make sure to have a bottle of wine ready to pour for me. You and he will have to get your own.”

****

Alex

I’d been a real bastard to Emerson all week. The reason? I couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving. If I distanced myself from her and put everything we had done and been through behind us, it would be easier on me when she left. It was wrong, I know. But it was the way I dealt with things. I loved her so damn much and it was killing me to know that she wouldn’t be around much longer. I wanted to talk to her about that night, but I couldn’t. It was a lost cause. I would have confessed my feelings to her and been left there standing like an idiot. If she loved me, she would stay. Now, Adam was on his way over and I wasn’t sure how that was going to go. Since he never talked about his family, I would bet my life that his views were completely different from Emerson’s and there was going be a lot of arguing. I was glad I came home from the office early. This reunion was going to be interesting.

I went down to the wine cellar, grabbed a bottle of Pinot, and brought it upstairs.

“Here’s your bottle.”

“Thanks.” She smiled.

She took out the corkscrew and attempted to open the bottle. I noticed her hands were shaking. Placing my hands around hers, I spoke, “Let me open that for you.”

She let go of the bottle and reached up and grabbed a glass from the cabinet, dropping it to the floor.

“Fuck!” she yelled.

This wasn’t like her. “Emerson, don’t touch the glass. You’ll cut yourself.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll buy you another glass.”

“Fuck the glass. What is wrong with you?” I asked as I walked over to her. “Are you that nervous to talk to your brother?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I am. These conversations never go well with him. It’s the same thing over and over again, like a vicious, never-ending cycle.”

“Maybe this time will be different,” I spoke as I bent down to clean up the glass.

“Doubt it.”

The doorbell rang and she stiffened up. I couldn’t help myself. I kissed her head and gave her a hug before sending her into the war zone.

****

Emerson

I was happy to see my brother, but I was not looking forward to our conversation. The moment I saw him, I stood there for a moment as tears filled my eyes. It had been a long time.

“Hey, sis.” He smiled as he held out his arms.

I ran to him and hugged him tight. “It’s so good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too. Look at you.” He slowly shook his head.

“Adam.” Alex walked over and shook his hand.

“Alex.” He smiled. “Thanks for looking after my sister.”

I studied the look on Alex’s face. He simply smiled and gave Adam a nod. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Bourbon would be great. Thank you.”

I led Adam into the living room and grabbed my glass of wine, taking a large sip.

“So how was Tennessee?” I asked with a smile.

“It was okay. I got the company up and running again with no problems.”

“Good.” I laid my head on his shoulder.

Alex handed Adam his drink and I couldn’t help but notice the way he stared at me and Alex.

“Have you decided where you’re going to settle?” he asked.

Wow. Let’s just cut right to the chase.

“No. I need to talk to you about the money situation first. I really don’t understand how it’s almost gone.”

“That’s because you were off on your own little adventure without a care in the world.”

I took in a deep breath because, suddenly, the air became a whole lot thicker.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Alex spoke as he began to walk away.

“PARKER, SIT!” I commanded in a harsh voice.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Sit down!” I pointed at the chair and glared at him.

He took a seat in the wing-backed chair and looked at Adam.

“You let her talk to you like that, man?”

Alex shrugged and Adam got up from the couch.

“So why don’t the two of you tell me what’s going on here.”

“Nothing,” Alex responded.

“Adam.” I tried my hold my composure. “You brought me back to talk about me and my, as you call them, ‘adventures.’ This is about me and you. Not about me and Alex.”

Adam gave me a stern look as he took a sip of his bourbon. His tone changed as he sat down next to me on the couch and took hold of my hands.

“Listen, Em. You spent the last eight years gallivanting around the world and now it’s time for you to settle down and make a place your home. You can’t keep going on like this. It isn’t healthy and it’s irresponsible.”

“Why is it irresponsible? Because I chose to see the world instead of being held up in a stuffy office working a 9-5 job that I hate?”

“I don’t hate my job. You’re living off our dead parents’ money, sis.”

“I’ve had a few jobs over the years. Hell, I worked at Billy’s ranch, for God sakes.”

“Who’s Billy?” he asked. “Oh wait, the bull rider.”

I tilted my head and narrowed my eye. “No. That was Austin in Montana.”

“You were in Montana?” Alex asked as he cocked his head.

I held my hand up to him.

“You never mentioned Montana,” he spoke.

“It wasn’t worth mentioning. Anyway, Billy was the cowboy from Texas.”

“That’s right. The most recent one. The reason you needed to leave Texas.”

I sighed as I got up from the couch and took my glass of wine with me.

“That money is mine to do whatever I wanted to do with it. You sure didn’t give me this much hell when I left in the first place.”

“You know why I didn’t?” Adam spoke with a raised voice. “Because I thought it was temporary. I didn’t think you’d be gone for eight fucking years!”

“I told you that I wasn’t coming back here!”

“You had everything going for you. You healed an arm that the doctor’s said you’d probably never be able to use again. You broke three records at Nationals. You had the best universities kissing your ass, hoping you’d pick them. You could have made something of yourself, but instead, you chose to run. Ran away from what happened here, from me, your friends, and everything that made you who you are.”

“That’s not true,” I spoke as tears filled my eyes.

“If it’s not true, then explain it to me!” he yelled.

“I don’t have to explain anything to you! I’m an adult!”

“You can’t explain it to me because you’ve been running for so long, you don’t even know why anymore.”

“I’m doing it for Emily. This is what we always dreamed of and talked about since we were kids.”

“You don’t think I know that!” Adam got up from the couch. “The two of you were always talking about going somewhere. It was a pipe dream the two of you had.”

I gulped when he said that. “How dare you.” I pointed my finger at him.

Chapter 28

Emerson

I walked over to the table and poured another glass of wine. The anger inside me was at a level I never knew existed.

“Admit it, Emerson. You’re running and chasing something that can never be found.” His voice softened.

I turned away as I wiped the tears that fell from my eyes. I looked at Alex as he sat there with a saddened look on his face.

“I’m not running. I’m doing what me and Emily always talked about. I was on death’s door!” I whipped myself around and glared at Adam. “I actually died and then came back and spent three months in a coma. I’ll never get those three months of my life back and I don’t know when the next accident will happen, so excuse me, big brother, for wanting to see what I always dreamed of before I die.”