sizing up Cole, deciding if he believed him or not, deciding if he could trust him or not. Jake finally nodded, a curt motion of his head, then looked at Ian. "How about some water then."
Ian let his gaze move between the two brothers, not sure if he should trust either of them. He wanted nothing more than to go after Kayli, to see if she was okay and to offer whatever comfort or reassurance he could. But his own instincts happened to agree with Jake, and he knew Kayli needed at least some time alone. So he nodded then turned away and headed for the house, wasting no time in grabbing the water pitcher from the refrigerator and finding three plastic cups. He held the cups under one arm and practically raced back outside, half expecting to find Cole and Jake trying to murder each other again.
But they weren't. In the short time Ian had been gone, both men had obviously used the hose to rinse themselves off. Jake was standing off to the side, wringing water out of his ruined t-shirt before shaking it out and placing it over the porch railing. Cole had done the same and was now sitting on the bottom step of the porch, one hand gingerly holding his side.
Jake stepped around him and took the pitcher from Ian, then poured out one cup at a time. He handed the first one to Cole, who took it with a curt nod. "Those ribs will feel better if you wrap them."
Cole nodded again then raised his cup in a mock salute. "To dysfunctional families."
Jake said nothing, just watched his brother for another minute before lifting his own cup and draining it in one long swallow. Ian reached over and refilled it, then sat the pitcher to the side and leaned against the porch railing, not knowing what he should say or do, if anything.
"Remember how the three of us would sit out here after doing our homework? Just before dinner. Dad would have our hides if we didn't finish, or if we goofed off too much before we did. I was supposed to be in charge because I was the oldest, but it was always Kayli who made sure we got done when we were supposed to."
"Yeah." Cole wrapped both of his hands around his now-empty cup and stared down into it, and Ian knew from the expression on his face that he was seeing the past come to life. "Because there was nothing we wouldn't do for her."
Ian looked over at the porch swing, seeing the ghosts of three young children, hearing their laughter and bickering. He shook his head clear, unsettled at the image, unsettled at everything that had happened in the last half hour.
"You have a sister. Younger, right?" Ian looked up to see Jake studying him. He nodded, vaguely surprised at the question. "Then you probably know what I'm talking about. Baby sisters. A real pain in the ass."
"But there's nothing you wouldn't do for them. Nothing you wouldn't do to keep them safe and happy." Cole responded to Jake's statement, drawing a curious look from his brother. The two of them locked gazes, and Ian felt something shift between them. He wasn't sure what, couldn't even begin to guess at the history between them. But he knew something had just changed, especially when Jake let out a short, almost-forced bark of laughter.
"Kayli is still a pain in the ass."
"That she is," Cole agreed.
"Always thinks she knows best."
"Always bossing everyone around."
Ian shifted, uncomfortable once more as the brothers began listing Kayli's traits as a sister. He finally cleared his throat and interrupted them. "Um, guys, I really don't think--"
"Who in the hell are you, anyway?" Cole looked up at Ian, his gaze clear, so much like his sister's, focusing on him with suspicion. Ian shifted his weight to his back foot and looked between Cole and Jake. He opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again, not really sure how to answer.
"This is Ian. He's dating Kayli." Jake answered Cole's question for him, which earned him an even more suspicious glare from the younger brother.
"Is that so? Well then, why the hell are you standing here? Shouldn't
Ian let his gaze move between the two brothers, not sure if he should trust either of them. He wanted nothing more than to go after Kayli, to see if she was okay and to offer whatever comfort or reassurance he could. But his own instincts happened to agree with Jake, and he knew Kayli needed at least some time alone. So he nodded then turned away and headed for the house, wasting no time in grabbing the water pitcher from the refrigerator and finding three plastic cups. He held the cups under one arm and practically raced back outside, half expecting to find Cole and Jake trying to murder each other again.
But they weren't. In the short time Ian had been gone, both men had obviously used the hose to rinse themselves off. Jake was standing off to the side, wringing water out of his ruined t-shirt before shaking it out and placing it over the porch railing. Cole had done the same and was now sitting on the bottom step of the porch, one hand gingerly holding his side.
Jake stepped around him and took the pitcher from Ian, then poured out one cup at a time. He handed the first one to Cole, who took it with a curt nod. "Those ribs will feel better if you wrap them."
Cole nodded again then raised his cup in a mock salute. "To dysfunctional families."
Jake said nothing, just watched his brother for another minute before lifting his own cup and draining it in one long swallow. Ian reached over and refilled it, then sat the pitcher to the side and leaned against the porch railing, not knowing what he should say or do, if anything.
"Remember how the three of us would sit out here after doing our homework? Just before dinner. Dad would have our hides if we didn't finish, or if we goofed off too much before we did. I was supposed to be in charge because I was the oldest, but it was always Kayli who made sure we got done when we were supposed to."
"Yeah." Cole wrapped both of his hands around his now-empty cup and stared down into it, and Ian knew from the expression on his face that he was seeing the past come to life. "Because there was nothing we wouldn't do for her."
Ian looked over at the porch swing, seeing the ghosts of three young children, hearing their laughter and bickering. He shook his head clear, unsettled at the image, unsettled at everything that had happened in the last half hour.
"You have a sister. Younger, right?" Ian looked up to see Jake studying him. He nodded, vaguely surprised at the question. "Then you probably know what I'm talking about. Baby sisters. A real pain in the ass."
"But there's nothing you wouldn't do for them. Nothing you wouldn't do to keep them safe and happy." Cole responded to Jake's statement, drawing a curious look from his brother. The two of them locked gazes, and Ian felt something shift between them. He wasn't sure what, couldn't even begin to guess at the history between them. But he knew something had just changed, especially when Jake let out a short, almost-forced bark of laughter.
"Kayli is still a pain in the ass."
"That she is," Cole agreed.
"Always thinks she knows best."
"Always bossing everyone around."
Ian shifted, uncomfortable once more as the brothers began listing Kayli's traits as a sister. He finally cleared his throat and interrupted them. "Um, guys, I really don't think--"
"Who in the hell are you, anyway?" Cole looked up at Ian, his gaze clear, so much like his sister's, focusing on him with suspicion. Ian shifted his weight to his back foot and looked between Cole and Jake. He opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again, not really sure how to answer.
"This is Ian. He's dating Kayli." Jake answered Cole's question for him, which earned him an even more suspicious glare from the younger brother.
"Is that so? Well then, why the hell are you standing here? Shouldn't
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