The Other Brother (The Collision Series) Read online

  “Oh, no.”

  “That’s okay. Try it again.”

  She exhaled and tried again. This time, the car accelerated.

  “Awesome! Now, you’ll need to shift into second when you see the needle on the tachometer point to the three.”

  “I’m going to stall again, aren’t I?”

  “Probably.” I didn’t mind. She could burn my transmission up for all I cared. I just needed her to stay with me.

  Carefully, she executed each step in the order I told her. She braced herself for the ear-piercing noise, but it never came. The car did not stall and we accelerated down the road.

  “I did it!”

  I applauded. “That was great. Let’s practice slowing down.”

  She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. “Can we go up one more gear?”

  My eyebrows lifted. “You want to go faster?”

  “Maybe one day, you’ll teach me how to do a doughnut or pop a wheelie or something.”

  I threw my head back with laughter. “If you pop a wheelie in anything but a motorcycle, that’s not a good thing.” I am going to marry this girl.

  She shrugged. “Okay. I step on the clutch, and then I move this into the number three,” she said as she performed each action. “Then, I come off the clutch and step on the gas.”

  The car lurched forward even faster.

  “You’re a natural.”

  “Okay, okay. Help me slow this thing down. I’m getting nervous.”

  I showed Charlotte how to downshift and she pulled the car off to the side of the road until we came to a stop. I made sure to put the car into Neutral and reached over to turn off the engine.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think it’s going to take me a while to learn how to drive a stick without you in the passenger seat helping me.”

  “Guess you’ll have to take me with you wherever you go.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  I wasn’t joking. “You can buy the GTO, and I’ll help you learn how to drive it.”

  I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she considered me, holding me captive with her penetrating gaze. I’d remain until she looked away. She always looks away, as if trying to conceal something she didn’t want me to see.

  “I’d like to buy the car. I just need to go home and get the cash.”

  “You’re going to pay me in cash?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No, cash is fine. Just wondering why you have $8,000 in cash lying around your house.”

  “My dad is old school. He hides his money under his mattress.”

  She was lying to me. But why? “You should get him a safe. God forbid there is ever a fire, his money is gone.”

  “Good idea.” She pulled the keys out of the ignition and handed them to me.

  “Why are you giving me the keys?”

  “I have to go home to get the money.”

  “You don’t seriously think I am going to let you walk all the way home, and all the way back here, do you?”

  She shrugged.

  “You’re going to practice driving home.”

  “Oh, no. I can’t do that. I can’t drive with real cars on the main road.”

  “Yes, you can. I am going to help you.”

  She groaned as I stuck the keys back into the ignition. She was able to shift successfully into first gear as she pulled onto the main road. Her hands were at ten and two, and she sat stiffly in her seat.

  I rolled my lips together and suppressed a smile. “You do know the speed limit is forty here, right?”

  She shot me a look that made me want to strip her down until she was naked. She had a fire inside her, beneath her good-girl exterior. Why was she trying to hide it?

  “Yes, I am aware.”

  “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  “Nope. Just moved here a few months ago.”

  “Let me guess. You’re from somewhere down south.”

  “Why? Because I’m not screaming obscenities out my window and honking my horn like a maniac? Just because I moved to New York doesn’t mean I have to act like the heathens who live here. I have no problem doing the speed limit and obeying traffic laws.”

  “You know, you’re sexy when you give me attitude.”

  Her cheeks flushed, and I grinned. I liked watching her reactions from the passenger seat.

  “You’re right, though. You shouldn’t have to change who you are just because you moved to a new town.”

  “I really just want to blend in.”

  “Why? Everyone here sucks.”

  “How do you know I don’t suck, too?”

  “You’re a good person. I can tell.”

  Her face fell, and she paused before answering. “You don’t know me.”

  “You made sure to follow the wash instructions on my shirt. How terrible could you be?”

  She bit back a smile. “That doesn’t prove anything.”

  “Sure, it does. It shows you care.”

  She pulled up to a red light and turned to face me. “Maybe I’m just very particular about laundry.”

  “You could be. Still, something tells me you’re a good egg. I can feel it.” Her eyes lingered on mine, and this time, she didn’t look away.

  “You should smile more often.” Her voice was so soft, I almost didn’t catch it.

  “Then you should hang around me more often.” I’d smile every damn day if she was by my side. She was fucking perfect, and she had no idea. I wanted to show her.

  The light turned green, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. The longer she remained focused on me, the more I was convinced that she wanted me as much as I wanted her.

  The car behind us beeped. Fucker ruined my moment. I could get out and beat him with his own arms.

  Charlotte snapped back to reality. Flustered, she didn’t remember to press the clutch. The car stalled, but not before making that horrendous grinding metal sound.

  “Oh, God! I’m sorry!” Her hands flapped as she tried to figure out where to put them.

  “Relax. It’s okay. Go through the steps again.”

  “People are beeping at me! I’m blocking traffic!”

  I placed my hand over hers on the shifter. “Take a deep breath and relax. Ignore everyone else. Just go over the steps again. Clutch, gear, clutch, gas.”

  I helped her guide the shifter into first gear; she released the clutch and stepped on the gas. Within seconds, she was able to accelerate and continue driving. My hand remained on hers to help her until we arrived at her apartment.

  “You need to stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  “You not ready for your parents to meet me yet?”

  She muttered something as she got out of the car, and a smile tugged at my lips as I watched her disappear into her apartment building. Maybe I’d ask her to dinner when she got back. Is it too soon? I’d never asked a girl out on a proper date before.

  My phone beeped with a text. My stomach twisted as I read it:

  Mom: The doctor advised us to stop the treatments. It isn’t working, and it’s exhausting Dad. The cancer is too aggressive. He said we just have to make Dad comfortable now.

  Make him comfortable. How do you make someone comfortable for death? All that time I’d spent trying to be hopeful … a fucking waste. Dad was the strongest one out of all of us. How could he not beat cancer? So many other people did. It wasn’t fair. Why did it have to pick him? Why couldn’t it be me? I’d make the switch in a heartbeat if I could. What were we going to do without him?

  Charlotte

  I ran up the apartment stairs by twos and closed the front door behind me. “Dad?”

  “In the bedroom, sweetie.”

  I stood in the doorway of his room. He shoved his feet into his slippers, signaling that he was in for the night.

  “Remember when you said I could buy a car with some of the leftover money?”

  “Yes, of course. Did you find one?”

&
nbsp; “I stopped by the auto body shop on my way home. There was a car for sale, so I asked about it. I test drove it and everything. I just need the cash.”

  “It’s in the safe. How much is it?”

  “Eight.”

  “It runs well?”

  “Yep.” I punched the numbers on the keypad of the safe in his closet.

  “Do you want me to take a look at it before you buy it?”

  “No, thanks,” I murmured as I counted the money and stuffed it into an envelope.

  “I’m ordering Chinese for dinner. Do you want your usual?”

  “No. I won’t be home for dinner tonight.”

  “Okay.” He sounded disappointed, but I pretended not to notice.

  I sealed the envelope and walked to the door.

  “Char?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  I paused to look at him long enough to feel the guilt gnaw at me. “Love you, too, Dad.” I closed the door and trotted back downstairs.

  Tanner didn’t look up from his phone as I swung myself into his car. Though I was only gone for a few minutes, his whole demeanor had changed. I could actually feel it inside the car. Something was off.

  I held out the envelope of cash. “You can count it, make sure it’s all there.”

  He nodded as he took it, though his focus remained glued to his phone. Who was he talking to?

  It was silent and awkward on the ride back to his shop. I didn’t stall the car once, but Tanner didn’t cheer for me. His hand didn’t guide mine on the shifter. He sat beside me, stiff and cold. What was worse, I felt disappointed.

  Back inside the shop, I signed paperwork for the car in continued silence. What happened during the time I’d gone in to my apartment? Maybe Mallory was right—maybe he wasn’t stable if this is how quickly his mood could change.

  When I finished signing each page, I slid the papers across the counter to Tanner. I remained where I stood, waiting for some sort of response from him.

  “We’re done here. You can go. I have a lot of shit to do.”

  My jaw nearly hit the floor.

  He turned around to face the filing cabinet behind him, shoving my paperwork inside a folder.

  I walked toward the door, wanting to run in embarrassment, but I turned back around and took a breath. “What happened to the nice guy who taught me how to drive a stick ten minutes ago?”

  He pinned me with a look over his shoulder, his irises now twice as dark. “I never said I was a nice guy.”

  “Well, you sure as hell fooled me!” I pushed the door open and let it slam behind me as I stomped to my car in the parking lot. I fumbled with the key, my breaths short and quick.

  Tanner had struck a nerve.

  I started the car but hesitated before putting it into reverse. I glanced at the shop, tempted to go back inside.

  Why do I care if Tanner’s nothing more than a dick?

  Because he isn’t, that’s why.

  I should march inside and demand to know what his problem is.

  No.

  Tanner was no good for me, and I knew it. Instead of wasting any more time on him, I drove out of the parking lot.

  Four

  Charlotte

  Walking with Mallory to class the next day, my phone rang in my purse. I turned it over and saw a number I didn’t recognize.

  “It is Gabe?” she asked in a singsong voice.

  “No. I don’t know this number.” I rejected the call and shoved my phone back into my bag. A minute later, the number called again.

  “It’s probably a telemarketer. Answer it and curse them out.”

  “I’m not cursing anybody out.”

  “Why not? I do it all the time. Tell them you’ll hunt them down and kill them in their sleep. They’ll never call back again.”

  “You are seriously disturbed.” I clicked the green button on my screen. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Charlotte. It’s Tanner.”

  My stomach flopped.

  “See? You should’ve cursed him out,” Mallory whispered.

  I waved her away from the phone. “How did you get my number?”

  “It was on your paperwork. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Oh, you hope I don’t mind? You’re back to being nice now?”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry about the way I spoke to you yesterday. I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

  “Why did you?” I didn’t want him to think I cared, but I’d never seen someone’s mood turn so quickly before. I wanted to know why.

  “I can explain later. Are you free tonight? Come by the shop.”

  “I’m not free.”

  “Got a date with pencil dick?”

  “That’s none of your business, and don’t call him that.”

  “Stop being difficult. Just come by the shop later.”

  “I am not being difficult! You’re lucky I’m even entertaining this conversation after the way you acted yesterday!” I paused, awaiting his response. “Hello?”

  Mallory chuckled as we walked through the doors of our building.

  “He hung up on me!”

  “I heard.”

  “What arrogance! He thinks he can just summon me to the shop after being rude to me. Did I tell you how rude he was yesterday?”

  “You did. Several times.”

  “So rude! He’s got another thing coming if he thinks I’m going to see him later.” We took our seats. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “If he’s rude and arrogant, then don’t go by the shop later.”

  “Oh, I won’t.”

  “Good. Forget about him.”

  “Already forgotten.” I opened my spiral notebook and wrote the date on top of the blank paper, preparing for the next hour. My heart beat rapidly, and I tried to slow my breaths. I took a swig of water from my bottle, hoping the cool liquid would soothe the heat inside me. I had to stop letting Tanner get under my skin.

  Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling in my gut as I drove past Tanner’s shop later that evening. At the corner of the street, I stopped at a red light and stared at the shop in my rearview mirror. When this light turns green, you are going to continue driving straight.

  The light turned green. I took a deep breath and quickly jerked the car to the right, turning down a side street. I drove around the block and pulled in when I came back around to the front of the shop. Tanner’s Mustang was the only car left in the lot.

  Tanner was behind the counter when I walked inside. His raised brows and open mouth told me he didn’t expect me to show. Why did that make me feel bad?

  I propped my hand on my hip. “Well, let’s hear it.”

  “Hello to you, too.”

  I glared at him, refusing to let him break me.

  He stood and walked past me to the door I had just entered through. “Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “For a drive.” He held the door open, waiting for me to follow.

  “I don’t want to go for a drive. You told me to come by the shop, and I did.”

  “Why did you?”

  Because I’m an idiot. “I want an explanation for yesterday. Then I’m leaving.”

  His large hand wrapped around mine, and he gently tugged until I was standing outside. “Just get in the car, please.” He gestured to his Mustang. “I’ll drive.”

  I let out a sigh as I opened the passenger door and sat. We were on the road for several minutes before either of us spoke. I watched the turns Tanner made until we arrived at a playground outside an elementary school building. Tanner swung open his car door and motioned for me to follow.

  I followed him onto the empty playground. He sat on a swing and waited for me to take the one beside him.

  “I was being genuine with you when we were driving around yesterday,” he said. “But when you went inside to get your money, my mom texted me. My dad is … he’s sick. They were on their way home from the doctor, and they didn’t exac
tly get good news. It put me in a mood.”

  “What’s wrong with your dad?”

  “He has cancer. The doctor said treatments aren’t working.”

  My heart wrenched. “I am so sorry.”

  “Yeah. Everybody’s sorry.” He rolled his eyes, and I somehow knew it wasn’t directed at me.

  “When did you find out?”

  “About two years ago. Right after my brother left for California.” He laughed once. “Chase thought he would be a rock star or something. The next Bon-fucking-Jovi. My parents kept the cancer a secret from him so he could keep his golden head up his ass. Then, the cancer got more aggressive, whatever the fuck that means. Mom told Chase to come home. We’re not sure how much longer Dad has.”

  The mystery surrounding Tanner became clear. Mallory said Tanner’s anger spiraled out of control a couple of years ago. That was when he’d first found out about the cancer. He wasn’t a bad person, or a crazed lunatic. He was in pain. This was something he could not control. This was something I completely understood.

  “My mom had cancer.” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

  “Had?”

  I nodded. “She died when I was five.”

  “Shit. I’m sorry.”

  One corner of my mouth lifted. “Everyone always is, right?”

  His slight smile mirrored mine, and a butterfly fluttered in my chest. His irises, dark and deep, were framed by his dark brows and chiseled cheekbones. Many times, I’d heard the expression about eyes being windows to our souls, but I never truly understood it—until now. Tanner held all of his pain, his worries, and his emotions inside. I could see it all churning like a brewing storm. There was good inside him, too. I saw it when he smiled. What was more, something in me wanted to make him happy just so I could see that smile more often.

  I tried to ignore the delicate wings flapping around my heart. I attempted to get the angry feeling back, but it had already dissipated. How could I be angry with someone who was going through something as painful as losing a parent? He needed someone. A friend. I did, too.

  “I’m sorry I was a dick yesterday. I get like that sometimes.”

  “You know, just because you’re going through something doesn’t mean you get a free pass to act like that toward people.”

  “I know.”