Once Burned by Suzie O'Connell Read Free Book Online Page B

soon as you rolled into the valley last night.”
    He ignored the flash of guilt. Learning that the brother of the man who’d accidentally killed Erica would soon be released from prison had undoubtedly brought the agony of her death back to the surface of Aaron’s thoughts, but Henry was in no mood to offer sympathy. He spared only a moment to pray the dumb kid had learned his lesson and wouldn’t foolishly try to come after Aaron again because the last time hadn’t turned out so well for him; he’d ended up with a black eye and a return trip to prison to serve the remaining two years of his original sentence. Curtly, he responded, “We’ve all got problems, Nick.”
    “You were at the Bedspread last night?” Aaron asked.
    Henry eyed him warily. “Yeah, I was. Pat had to drive me home.” He looked up at Pat with a humorless smile. “Thanks, by the way, in case I didn’t say it last night.”
    “You did,” was Pat’s reply. He offered to help Ben unload to give the brothers a chance to talk.
    “It’s been a long time since someone’s had to drive you home,” Aaron remarked, suddenly concerned. “What’s going on, Hen?”
    “Don’t ask like you give a rat’s ass any more than anyone else in this family.”
    “You’re my brother, Henry. Of course I care.”
    “Bullshit. Since Erica died, you’ve been too lost in your own sorrow to care.” He glanced at Ben Conner, then added, “For a little while, when you dated June, I thought you might be starting to come back, but then you gave up and slunk away with your tail between your legs.”
    “Oh, come on, Henry, I haven’t been that bad.”
    “Maybe I’m exaggerating, but you sure haven’t been the same Aaron who used to party with me back in high school and college, the Aaron who was up for anything, any time.”
    “I have a daughter.”
    “Yeah, you do.”
    Aaron studied him for a moment with narrowed eyes, and Henry looked away as his anger fizzled and left a hole that filled too quickly with despair.
    “You and Melanie on the outs again?” Aaron asked.
    Henry hesitated before he answered. This was not how he’d planned to break the news to his family, but it was too late to stop the conversation from happening now, so he said, “That’s one way to put it. You remember me telling you that everyone always says Dylan looks nothing like me?”
    “I do. I’ve thought the same myself.”
    “Well, that’s because he’s not my son.”
    “Ah, hell. You’re sure?”
    “Yep. She isn’t sure who his father is, but the paternity test confirmed that it’s not me.” Henry’s voice faltered, and he swore under his breath. He’d had three weeks to come to terms with that piece of information, so he should be able to keep a tight grip on his emotions, but his eyes stung with the threat of tears. The memory of the moment he drove away, when he’d foolishly looked back to see Dylan reaching and screaming for him, crashed into his mind and made it difficult to speak. “He’s a year old, and she’s had me thinking all this time that he’s my kid.”
    “I am so sorry, Hen.”
    “I am, too. I love the little stinker.”
    “That means you’re over for good, right?” Nick asked.
    “Yeah.” He forced the memory away and sought anything that might help him swallow the pain. Suddenly, an entirely different image popped into his head… and a plan. Recalling that interesting look between Aaron and Lindsay’s friend Skye, he wondered if he could turn Luke’s football game into a double date. That might keep him from acting on the raging desire to take the pretty redhead to bed and might also be good for Aaron. He hadn’t seen that particular look on his twin’s face in a long time, so he plunged ahead with his scheme. “Have either of you met the new tenant in Mom and Dad’s rental yet?”
    “We met her briefly last night,” Nick replied. “And you met her just a few minutes ago—she’s the brunette. I get the feeling she’s going