Page 87 of Breathe Me In

“I’m not cheating—I love your crazy brother.”

“I know that,” I assured her with a squeeze to her arm. “That’s why I laughed, but you do seem off lately, and I just need to know you’re okay.”

She took another bite of her wrap and closed her eyes like food was all she could think about. “I’m really not sure I can tell you.”

That was interesting. “Why?”

“Because Lainey made me promise not to say a word.”

Of course, I should’ve known. “Okay, what did she tell you?”

“That things are tight at the ranch and a huge party that she was banking on to cover some of the bills canceled without notice. It set them back, then a pipe broke in cabin one, and the chimney in the main house is causing some concern. Charley can fix some of it, but he’s not a plumber. I just took on some extra shifts to try to help out.”

“Max, that’s not your problem.”

“Yes, it is, Bree. We all live there, and we all want to see the ranch succeed. It’s on all of our shoulders, not just Lainey and Charley’s.”

I respected that, and since I’d been gone and not helping, I felt horrible. I knew things were tight but not to this degree. “I’m sorry, Max. I had no idea. But why can’t you just talk to Patrick about this?”

She brushed a tear away. “Because he puts everything on his own shoulders and tells me not to worry about things. He works so hard at the ranch and was even talking about getting a second job. Bree, he works from sunup to sundown. It’s the last thing he needs to do.” How I wished that I’d come home sooner. “Your sister has great ideas, but they’re costly. In time it will even itself out, but not when things keep breaking.”

“Listen, I’ve got some money saved and will offer it to Lainey to help.” I inched closer. “Thank you for being honest, Max, but I do think you need to do the same with my brother. Lainey and I haven’t had much time to talk lately, and Mom would never breathe a word.” She sniffed, but I had one more question. I hated to ask it. “Don’t kill me for even asking this, Max, but Patrick mentioned some doctor, he calls him McSteamy.” I chuckled, and she did too. “He’s worried about him.”

“He really needs to get into ESPN.” She crumpled up the paper from her wrap. “Dr. Matt is just a young doctor that was open to me working under his rotation. He’s new and loves being in the OR, and like I said, I’m taking as many hours as they’ll give me. But the idea seems to be taking a toll apparently, and not just on me.” She leaned forward and rubbed her head. “I’m so tired.” She sniffed. “I just want a night with Patrick with good food, TV, and an early bedtime.”

“Okay,” I said, and she looked at me confused, “but you’re not going to get that at the ranch. There’re too many distractions. I still have my place in New York. Let me call my neighbor and get her to fill the fridge for you two, and you can enjoy a long weekend reconnecting.”

“What about the chores? We can’t leave everything on the others.”

“I’ll cover you. Just get the days off and spend some time with my brother so you guys are right again. I hate seeing you two like this.”

“You’d do that for him?”

“No, but I’d do it for the both of you.” I leaned in for a hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t know about the ranch troubles. But I’m here now. Think of me as extra hands and extra income.”

“Please, don’t tell Lainey I told you.” She leaned back, and I could see how hard these past few weeks had been on her, and my heart broke. She’d inherited the ranch struggles, and that just wasn’t right.

“You have my word.”

“’Kay.” She left, and I tried to recover from that kick to the gut. My family needed me, and I hadn’t been around enough to see it.

I had texted Brad a few times looking for an update on our possible new suspect, but he told me nothing had come back. I really hoped we were looking at the wrong man.

As I drove through the streets of Sheffield, I let my mind wander. I’d spent years studying the Barbed Wire Killer, and I’d always come up empty. He was meticulous and smart. There wasn’t one shred of evidence of who he could be. He was a ghost to everyone, an afterthought by now, but to me he was still very real, and the thought that my life was like a game of chess for him burned hot inside me.

I parked and blinked at where I had ended up without even realizing it. The café had the best cup of coffee in town. I thanked my subconscious and went inside.

I ordered, paid, and carried my cup over to where the cream was. A man moved in beside me and smiled at me as he ripped open two sugar packets and poured them into his cup. He skipped the cream and stirred. I couldn’t help but recognize that it was just like Brad’s order. I let my mind go there, and I wondered what he had been up to today. My heart wanted him—I knew that—but I kept going back and forth in my head about my life in New York City. I loved my job. I’d worked so hard to get where I felt I was really giving back. It had brought me so much joy and filled something that had been desperately missing in my life. Being back in Sheffield brought back that constant, deep-seated fear in the pit of my stomach. If it weren’t for Brad, I’d never consider moving back here.

“God, it’s good to see you.” Suddenly Charley wrapped me in his arms and squeezed me tight.

“You’re back.” My voice was muffled by his shoulder.

He leaned back and held my chin up to study my face. He squinted as if to read my mind. “Sit with us?”

“Sure.” That was odd. I followed him to a back table where it was quiet, and my sister waved at me as I approached.

“Hey, Lane.”