Page 120 of Small Town, Big Storm

“I don’t need the money,” he grits out.

“Fine,” I say.“Then you’re doing all the work, soyoukeep it.I’ll transfer the deed and you’ll have a place to live.”

“I don’t need this house either,” he says, still gritting.

“But I do?”

“Yes,” he snaps.

“You’re not even making any sense.You won’t let me pay you for the work you’re doing, won’t let me buy you out, won’t let me sell.What the fuck do you want from this?”

“Nothing,” he mutters, shoving me back and turning for the hall.“I don’t want anything from you, asshole.”

Rage coats me from head to toe as he walks away.

I follow him, pushing his shoulder and sending him skittering sideways.

“Don’t,” he growls.

“Youdon’t,” I growl back.“Tell me what the fuck you want.”

“Nothing.”He glares when I get in his face.“Back off.”

“Not until you explain why the hell you’re so focused on this shit.We haven’t seen each other in fuckingyearsand now you want to custom build a house for me?That’s insane, especially when I can afford?—”

“I know,” he mutters.“Your bank account—and dick—are huge.Congrats.”

“You—”

“Asshole.Yeah, yeah.I’ve heard it all before.”He pushes me back, starts for the stairs.

I grab his shoulder, yank him toward me.“Fucking tell me.”

A heartbeat later, I’m shoved against the drywall.Hard.The surface gives way with a puff of dust but Rain doesn’t let up, pushing me again, his face dropping close.“Fine,” he snaps.“You want to know why I’m pushing this?”Another shove.“I wantyou,” he hisses.“I want you home.I want you to have a place to land.I want you with me and Holly and Poppy and the rest of the lunatics in Cedar Hollow.Because I’ve missed you, asshole.Because I want my brother back.Because—” His voice cracks but he just clears his throat and keeps going, laying it out with brutal rawness.“Because I hate that I left you, and I regret it everysinglesecond of my day.”

He releases me, but I can’t move.

His words have me pinned more effectively in place than his hand ever did.

And then before I can truly snap out of it…

He’s gone.

Thirty-Two

Poppy

The sound of the brothers’angry words ringing in my ears, I slip back outside.

Then somehow immediately smile at the joy in Holly’s voice.

“I think that’s theperfectplace for a pool,” Clover says.

Despite the worry twisting my insides, I grin at the sight of Clover’s purple buns peeking over the fence.

“But you can’t really see it, Auntie Clover,” Holly says, her expression exasperated.“You’re not tall enough.”

“I can remedy that.”