Brandt had to take several shallow breaths so that he didn’t snap back. Even after trying to calm himself, his tone still came out rather sharp. “I’ve learned a fair amount on the job, yes.”
“I’m the mom,” she whispered. Her hands were busy shredding the poor bagel. Like her hair, her nails were scruffy and uneven. Lots of little signs that she was struggling, and while Brandt’s head pounded with worry for the baby, he wasn’t unsympathetic to whatever she was dealing with.
“Yeah, you are.” Brandt gentled his voice. “Nothing’s going to change that. Just like I’m the dad. The DNA test proved it, but I don’t want it to be only a line on a form.”
“Guess that means we have to work together.” She said it offhand, like she wasn’t sure whether she liked that idea, but Brandt still nodded.
“We do. Which is why I’d like to get something in writing.” He wasn’t dropping that point. Not when fear of Shelby running off with Jewel made his stomach cramp and especially not when she didn’t seem in any shape to parent on her own.
“Paperwork.” She wrinkled her nose. “At least you’ve had help.”
Help. It was true, but was that all Shane had been? He’d told Shelby that this wasn’t babysitting for him, but he didn’t think it was for Shane either. He was every bit as much a part of this parenting thing as Brandt.
And yet you sent him away. Told him you could manage without him.
Lies. Because he wanted Shane to make his dreams come true, but he also couldn’t deny that he’d given Shane a firm push in that direction. And for what reason? Brandt was afraid of the answer there, and his brain was only too happy to gallop back to Shelby, who had apparently given up on waiting for a reply from him and finally taken a bite of the unmangled half of bagel.
“I couldn’t have done this without Shane.” He needed her to know that much, wasn’t going to minimize Shane’s role even if it might hurt his own case for custody to tell her.
“So you guys are like buddies now?”
Oh, how easy it would be to lie simply by agreeing. So easy. But also so far from the future he suddenly wanted with a fierceness that made all his muscles tense. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted something this much. “I like him. A lot. More than like.”
“Oh.” Dropping the bagel back onto the counter, Shelby narrowed her eyes. “Does he know that?”
That was a good question, and not one he’d expected. “I hope so.”
He did hope. Hard. Shane had looked so wounded last night, and Brandt had thought his defeated expression was mainly for Shelby’s reappearance, but now he wasn’t so sure. Maybe he hadn’t done a good enough job of convincing Shane that he’d miss him, that he wanted a way for them to work out.
“I don’t know how I feel about that.” Darting her gaze away, she licked her chapped lips.
“I’m not asking for your approval.” Brandt truly wasn’t. He was telling her because keeping it a secret served none of them, especially Shane, but he also wasn’t up for a debate about the merits of falling for her brother. They had more important things to settle. “I’m asking you to think about what the best thing for Jewel is.”
“That’s just it. I’m not sure what I think right now.”
Join the club. But of course Brandt couldn’t say that. He was confused and missing Shane and worried he might have blown his chance there, but Jewel—and maybe Shelby too—needed him to be decisive and sure. He could deal with his own life soon enough. Shelby wrapped her arms around herself. Her face was creased with way more than just shock over the news that Brandt and Shane were involved.
“What do you need, Shelby?” he asked softly, not even sure if that was the right question.
“Nothing.” Her face shuttered, features tightening up. “I should probably just go.”
“It’s okay to need help, Shelby.” Okay to need help. It was a wonder lightning didn’t sizzle right then at his failure to take his own advice. He needed Shane. Badly. Maybe even in this situation because as angry as Shane was, he still had way more experience with Shelby and what she might need. They’d formed a team these last few weeks, but Brandt hadn’t wanted to admit it aloud how much he’d come to rely on Shane.
Shelby stayed quiet so long that he wasn’t sure whether she’d heard him. “Let us help you.”
That earned a scoff from her. “Us? You think Shane’s coming back if he wins?”
“No. I think I’m going to him.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Are you okay?
Wasn’t that the million-dollar question? Shane stared at the text from Brandt for long minutes, trying to decide if he should reply at all. Probably not, if he was being smart. But if Brandt were genuinely worried, there was no point in keeping him up at night simply because Shane was feeling petty. It was cold in the camper despite the summer weather, and he was still a little hungry after a skipped lunch and hurried fast food dinner.
Yeah, made it here fine and found a decent RV campground, he finally texted, not sure whether to expect a reply. However, the phone dinged almost immediately with the answer.
Good.
Huh. Single word answer. Now Shane was the worried one. He pulled the cover tighter around himself. Was Brandt okay? The baby? And yeah, Shelby too. If he were being honest, he’d been both curious and worried all day himself with a low-grade headache from thinking about all that could go wrong.
How are you doing? Baby okay?
This time Brandt’s reply was a little slower in arriving. Yeah. Jewel’s fine. Probably misses your singing. Shelby left.
Left? Shane texted back, finger shaking. With Jewel?
No, alone. Couldn’t get her to go to the lawyer though. But it’s fine.
Shane had a feeling that that fine was disguising a world of hurt and now his chest ached along with his head.
He typed and erased several texts about that being typical Shelby behavior, but none of that was helpful to Brandt in the present moment. He finally settled on, I’m sorry.
Me too. I think Shelby’s depressed. She slept over sixteen hours by my count and still seemed sluggish.
Maybe, Shane had to admit. Shelby had looked pretty terrible when she’d shown up, and all that sleep wasn’t like her either. But she’d always been rather moody and volatile, so it was hard to say what was illness and what was personality. Still, though, even as angry as he was about her leaving Jewel with him, he didn’t want to miss more serious warning signs.
Do you want me to come back?