Snowed In by Teodora Kostova Read Free Book Online Page A

Brandon had left for him.
     
    *    *    *    *    *
     
    Quinn woke up to strange sounds coming from one of the bedrooms. The apartment was dark but there was light seeping from underneath Brandon’s door, and someone was moving around in there. Reaching blindly for his phone on the coffee table, Quinn activated the screen to check the time – 3 AM. Why was Brandon banging stuff around in the middle of the night?
    Quinn was just about to get up and go check what was going on when Nate’s door opened and he stepped out wearing only black boxer shorts. His hair was sticking out and he stopped in front of his room, looking around as if in a daze. Quinn held his breath and pretended to be asleep. He didn't want to scare Nate back into his room.
    A loud bang followed by a series of curses came from Brandon’s room. Nate scrubbed a hand over his face and walked into his brother’s room without even knocking. When he closed the door, Quinn got up and tiptoed closer to it. It was quiet in the apartment so Quinn could hear them clearly. He felt guilty eavesdropping like that but he needed to find out what was going on without pissing anyone off.
    “Why the hell are you packing a suitcase?” Nate’s voice could be clearly heard behind the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”
    There was a long silence before Brandon spoke. “Mom called. Faith was rushed to the hospital with contractions.”
    Quinn gasped. He knew about Faith’s difficult pregnancy, Brandon had told him. She was put on bed rest for risk of losing the baby a couple of months ago. She needed someone to look after her full time, but Brandon couldn't do that and work twelve hour days at the same time. He had two months left of his internship – giving up now would mean the last two years of their lives were for nothing. Faith refused to let him do that and moved back in with her parents instead.
    “Isn’t it too early for that?” Nate asked.
    “Yeah. She’s barely seven months pregnant.” Brandon’s voice sounded strained as he resumed moving around the room. “I have to go be with her, Nate. It’s bad enough I couldn't take care of her here, and she had to move back to Denver.”
    “Bran, that’s not true...”
    “Forget it. I don't want to talk about that now, I need to be at the airport in less than an hour or miss my flight.”
    “You managed to get a flight?”
    “Yeah. Maxed out my credit card and got the only seat on the next flight to Denver.”
    “I’m coming with you,” Nate said, his voice sounding louder as if he’d moved closer to the door. Quinn took a few steps back, ready to run back to bed or head to the bathroom if the door swung open.
    “No, Nate. You’re not.”
    “I’m not going to leave you to do this alone, Bran!”
    “I’m not going to be alone. Mom and Dad will be there and Faith’s family. I’ll be fine, I just need to be with her right now.”
    “But...” Nate started protesting, but Brandon cut him off.
    “I need someone to take my car back to Denver with all my shit in it, remember? And you also have a super expensive birthday present I dished out for waiting in Vegas.”
    “I can’t go on a road trip and luxury spa hotel weekends when you’ll be in a hospital in Denver!”
    “You can and you will. There’s nothing you can do if you come with me now. Besides, I got the last seat on the plane, remember?” There was a teasing note to Brandon’s voice, but Nate didn't reply. They were quiet for a few moments before Nate spoke again.
    “I can’t do this with him.”
    “You have to.”
    “Why?” Nate’s voice was quiet and resigned, not the angry outburst Quinn was expecting.
    “Because you’ve been angry for too long, Nate. You need to move on and you can’t do that without forgiving him.”
    Quinn heard some sniffling and nobody spoke for a while. He’d decided he’d heard enough and he’d be intruding on their private moment if he continued to eavesdrop anymore.