Chapter 20 "Noah, that's too many chocolate chips!" Noah grinned, looked Indie dead in the eyes, and added another handful. "I remember one very bossy eight-year-old telling me there was no such thing as too many chocolate chips." "Well, that eight-year-old grew up and realized she couldn't survive off just sugar." "Strange. I skipped that life lesson." He took a chocolate chip out of the bowl and tossed it into his mouth. She chuckled before pulling the bowl across the butcher-block countertop to give it a mix. "This is now chocolate chips with a side of cookie dough." "So I made it better." She shook her head, but a hint of a smile played at her lips, because fighting with her brother could quite easily be the best part of her day. "Thank you again for having me over." She really meant it. The last thing she felt like doing was being in her house alone. Colt had wanted to try the new gym in town. Apparently, a former UFC fighter ran the place. And of course, she'd said yes. He hadn't even needed to ask her. Not after the last week. He hadn't been himself. Hopefully hitting a bag would help. And she wasn't going to say no to eating cookie dough at her brother's new place. "You know you're welcome anytime, Indie. Even if you just need a break from Colt, my home is your home." Her gaze flicked to her phone, the mention of his name making her itch to call him. Check in and make sure he was okay. Noah bumped her shoulder. "Hey. What's going on in your head?" "Just thinking about what a great place you have here." Noah's brows arched. He didn't believe her. But even though it hadn't technically been true in terms of what she'd been thinking, the place was nice. Noah had bought a Craftsman home that was built almost a hundred years ago. Not that you'd know it by looking at the place. It had been updated, and it was beautiful. Open-concept layout. A restored fireplace in the living room, which made it feel warm and cozy. And a ton of wood cabinetry and exposed shelving in the kitchen. Noah put another chocolate chip in his mouth. "I was lucky Old Man Peters put it on the market right as I was looking." "It was meant to be. Now you just need a woman to keep you company." "I don't mind being alone. In fact, I'm kind of enjoying my newfound freedom after being in the military for so long." "How are you doing with that? And be honest. I'll know if you're lying, because your eye does that twitching thing." Something crossed Noah's face. An expression that came and went so quickly, she couldn't place it. "I have good days and bad days." "But you felt ready to come home, right?" "It's one thing to feel ready, another to actually follow through. Keeping busy helps." She watched him closely. The smallest hint of a frown. The way he wasn't making eye contact. There was something bothering him. Was he struggling with his transition into civilian life? Or was it something else? She nibbled her bottom lip. "If you want to talk to someone, I have a great psychologist who helped me a lot. And I still have monthly appointments with them." Noah cocked his head. "Thank you, Indie. But I don't need to talk to anyone. And even if I did, I'm too busy with the park. We should be up and running in the next month or so. Did Colt tell you we're going to have an opening night?" Was he changing the subject on purpose? She wanted to push. She didn't. He'd talk when he was ready. At least, she hoped he would. "He didn't, but there's been a lot going on. Is there anything I can do to help?" "Just show up." He frowned. "As long as it's safe, that is." Argh, she hated that Gordon was still hanging around. He hadn't done anything in the last week, but Ben had reported seeing him. "I just wish he'd leave or do something to get himself arrested." Noah tensed. "If the latter happens, let's make sure no one gets hurt in the process." Goose bumps crawled over her skin. She wasn't so much scared for herself-more scared of Colt and his reaction if she or his mother got hurt. She scooped out a spoonful of batter and rolled it into a ball. "Have you hired anyone for the park?" "Actually, I interviewed the first person today. The position was only supposed to work the front desk, but she's done IT courses and could create our website too." "That would be handy. But if she was your receptionist and IT person, what would her job title be?" "I'm thinking Administrative Assistant with Web and IT Responsibilities." Indie chuckled. "I think only the first part is an actual job title. Did you like her?" "Yeah, she's twenty-two and from Bozeman. She showed me some of the websites she's designed, and they're good." Did her brother's voice get warmer when he spoke about her? She rolled another cookie, not looking at Noah when she asked, "Is she pretty?" "I'm not answering that." Her head shot up. "Why not?" "Because if I hire her, I'd be her boss." "And as her boss, you can't find her pretty?" "No, I can't." He grabbed another chocolate chip. It was probably true that a boss and a subordinate dating was a bad idea. But the sister in her liked the idea of her brother dating. Although, twenty-two was a bit young for her thirty-five-year-old brother. Noah turned and started making coffee. "How are you and Colt doing?" "Good. Really good, actually." She used a fork to press the cookie to the tray. "It feels different from a year ago. Which is good. I need different. Although, his mother hasn't changed one bit. I really thought maybe I'd gotten through to her the other day, but she hasn't tried to talk to me since. She calls Colt every day though." "Does he answer?" "Sometimes. But they almost always end up arguing and he hangs up. I don't understand her." She would've thought that if Colt really was as important to Sylvia as she claimed, the woman would at least try to change. But so far, she seemed fixated on the fact that Colt, as her son, should treat her well without any promises to do better. "You know what's happening between them isn't your fault, right?" Noah said quietly. "I know. I still feel awful for Colt. He and his mom have been through so much together. I wish she and I could've had a better relationship for his sake." "You could. But that's up to her." "I know you're right. It just kind of sucks." He stepped closer. "You realize that it wouldn't have mattered who he brought home. No one would have been welcomed into her life." She frowned. "What are you talking about?" "She's spent the last twenty-six years leaning on Colt, relying on him for the support she didn't get from her husband. Any woman he brought home was going to pose a threat to her relationship with her son. That's why she was only kind to you until she realized you weren't going anywhere. It has nothing to do with you as a person." She looked down at the remaining dough in the bowl. "She told me it was because I wasn't strong enough for Colt. That I'm weak because I couldn't handle being the wife of a Marine while also managing the stress of IVF...and I made him sacrifice his career for me." "That's bullshit, and we both know it. She says that to justify the way she treats you. Deep down, she knows she's wrong-and calling it 'being a protective mother' is just another way of justifying all her wrongdoings." "When did you become so wise?" "Genetics. It skipped you." She chuckled and threw a chocolate chip at his head. He caught it with his lightning reflexes and tossed it into his mouth. When the cookies were in the oven, Indie took her coffee and cell to the couch and Noah sat beside her. Still, she itched to call Colt. "He's okay," Noah said quietly. She looked up at her brother. "How do you know?" "Because I just need to hit the shit out of a heavy bag too sometimes. He'll come back feeling better." She sighed. "I hope you're right. Distract me. Tell me something that will blow my mind." An odd expression crossed his face. She straightened. "What?" "What do you mean, what?" "You had that same look on your face when I was sixteen and you told me you broke the new necklace Colt gave me for my birthday." "Damn, you have a good memory." "Only for things like that." There was a small pause. "I've been trying to get in contact with Bonnie." For a moment, shock made the air feel stuck in her throat. "But she disconnected her old phone." "Jesse has a friend who's good at finding information. They tracked down her new number." Her chest rose in a silent gasp. Noah had their sister's number. He'd called her. Or at least, she assumed he had. "Did you talk to her?" It had been years since either of them had spoken to Bonnie. And even though Indie was still mad as hell at her for leaving, she also missed her. "She answered. Probably because she didn't know it was me." She'd actually answered. Noah had heard their sister's voice! "And when she realized it was you?" The muscles in his jaw clicked. "She made some excuse about why she had to go and hung up. But I'm not giving up. I'll give it a week or so and call again. I'm making sure our sister knows that she's welcome back home anytime." Indie's brows dipped. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about that. She and Bonnie had such a complicated relationship. While Indie had been the responsible one, Bonnie was the wild sister. Never listening to authority figures. Sneaking out in the middle of the night. Underage drinking. But then Bonnie's high school boyfriend died, and a few short months after that, their parents. Then in true Bonnie fashion, she'd left town, not caring about anyone she left behind. What would happen if she came home?