Wyatt-1(Lane Brothers, Book 1)(39)

“That’s why when Bolton finally went off to college in Philadelphia, we thought things would be better.” She sighs tiredly, looking down into her coffee cup.

“I take it they did not get better?”

“Why no, dear, they got worse. See, Jerry, Bolton’s father, married Lynn Lane and decided never to set foot in an office again. The man spent his life living high on the hog and teaching his son to do the same. But it was at a price, because no matter how much they tried, they were no better than us.”

Bolton must not have liked that one bit, I think, watching Jude’s eyes cloud over and tear.

“Jerry wanted more, better…turns out he was just jealous of George and used his resentment of all of his success to turn his son into a little asshole,” she growls, making me giggle behind my hand before I can stop myself.

She smiles kindly at me and waves away the apology I try to offer.

“He was a little asshole, honey, so no apology needed. Now where was I? Oh yeah, he was a tyrant when it came to that boy of his, and every time Bolton lost to any of my boys, he’d have a go at him. Unfortunately, any time the boys got together and played, Wyatt always won. He was older, stronger, and better liked by his little brothers, because—”

“He was kind,” I finish.

Of all the things I’ve seen in him, it’s his kindness and need to help others that gets to me the most. Wyatt is kind to the core and no one could be better in my eyes.

“Yeah, he’s always gone out of his way to protect the littler ones and help where it’s needed. Bolton hated that, hated that he was more popular, stronger, more likely to succeed at everything he did, and that sentiment started a one-sided rivalry between the two.”

I can so see that without any trouble. Bolton was not a nice person, and he hated losing in any way. One of his girlfriends once complained that he sucked in bed because he refused to let her come first.

The thought makes me giggle now and I shake my head thinking of all the progress I’ve made in so short a time. Used to be that I couldn’t even think his name without breaking out in a cold sweat.

“What happened?”

“Well, by the time Bolton went off to college, Lynn and Jerry were in a financial mess. Jerry made a lot of bad investments on top of spending his wife’s money like it was a never-ending well of wealth. George ended up settling some more money on his sister and paying for Bolton’s education. And still, the boy refused to even try. He failed one year so poorly that George had to donate money to the school so he could stay.”

Not a surprise. Bolton was well put together and stylish, that’s a fact, but the man was dumber than a stump on a good day.

“After that we started keeping tabs on him. He was drinking, doing drugs, and not going to class and George was so mad. Anyhow, he sent Wyatt to talk to his cousin and get him back in line, a mistake we both regret more than anything in the world now. We should have known that sending him would make things worse, but George was just so angry, and Wyatt, he never loses his cool, so we thought…”

“You thought he’d shame Bolton into working harder,” I finish for her.

“Yes. He went and spoke to the idiot, but Bolton just got so angry and refused to listen, something Wyatt confessed didn’t surprise him one bit. But I digress, I need to tell you my favorite part, the part where my son was standing in the middle of the common, trying to reason with his no-good cousin. You see, that’s when he first saw you.”

I’m fit to catch flies my mouth falls open so wide, and for a minute, I swear I just heard her wrong. No way, no. How would I have forgotten a man like Wyatt if I laid eyes on him four years ago? No way.

“But, but how? I never saw him.”

I’m so confused and just…adrift with this information. Is this what Wyatt didn’t want me to know? But it’s so…sweet to think that he saw me across the way and fell for me.

Is that even possible?

“Oh dear, you were far away from him and Bolton. Wyatt saw you, though, and made up his mind to find out who you were so that he could get to know you. I’ve never heard or seen him so excited and downhearted at the same time.”

“What? I don’t understand.”

My heart’s beating because I’m terrified that I do understand; I just don’t want the thoughts in my head to be true.

“He saw you and wanted you, Ellie. I swear it was love at first sight for that boy. But you turned and walked away before he could talk to you, and by the time he was done with his cousin, he just…left. He had you investigated later with some thoughts as to planning a ‘coincidental meeting’ or something. Till he found out that you were in mourning. You know Wyatt by now.”