"How are my two favorite costumers?" Rosie asked, coming by a little bit later. I had just finished asking Brock what it was like playing professional baseball.


"Rosie you say that to everyone." I grinned up at her.


"This time I mean it." Shaking my head, I took a bite out a crescent donut. It was without a doubt the best donut I've ever ate. "So when does your brother come back?"


Swallowing I answered, "Should be soon. He has a break coming up I think."

"When he comes home tell him to come see me. I have new recipes I want him to try out." I laughed and nodded. Brock use to be Rosie's taster for new recipes but after he left Lucas stepped in. Lucas could eat anything put in front of him and I swear never got full; something that always wowed me when I went grocery shopping.

"Lucas is gone?" Brock asked as soon as Rosie walked off. He sounded concern which made me inwardly laugh.


"Yeah, he is away at college."

"College? Damn I am old. I remember him being a little scrawny 12 year old when I left."

"Join the club. It is hard believing he is 18 now and at college." I still think of my brother as the little baby I held in my arms when he was born.

"Where's he going?"

"University of Oregon. He's there for soccer believe it or not."

"What happened to Baseball?" I glanced away.


"He found soccer and fell in love." I didn't have the heart to tell him he quit baseball because of him.


My brother looked up to Brock. He saw him as an older brother and wanted to follow in his footsteps. The two of them would spend hours throwing a baseball around. Lucas went to every game with me so he could see his 'idol' play.

When Brock left and we broke up Lucas just stopped playing. One day he came home saying he tried out for the soccer team and made it. From then on he put everything into it and played all the way through middle school, into high school and now college.

To this day I don't know why he quit baseball. I asked him why and he just replied with a 'I like the way I feel playing soccer'. After he dodged the question I stopped asking. It worked out for the best because he found his true calling with soccer. He got a good scholarship to be on the team and I only had to pay a bit to help him out.

"Oh, well that is great. Kid must be good at soccer then to play at a university."

"He's fantastic." I beamed at the thought of my little brother. I was happy he was making something of his life.

We lapsed into silence after that. Neither of us wanting to address the elephant in the room. I wanted an explanation but I wasn't sure if I had it in me to hear it. Although I had to admit it was nice talking to Brock again. It felt natural, almost like all times.

"How are your parents doing by the way?" I asked, breaking the silence.


"They are good. Mom is happy I am home and I just know she has something planned for tomorrow."

"Sounds like your mom to plan something."

"Don't get me started on how she tried to tuck me into bed las night and woke me up to make me breakfast." Throwing my head back I started laughing.


"Did little Brock-y get tucked in by his mommy?" I teased. I was picturing him as an adult having his mom tuck his sheets around his body and kisses his forehead goodnight.

"Don't even start." Brock pointed a finger at me. "It was embarrassing."

"Please tell me she took a picture of you?" My smile was getting wider and wider the longer I stared at Brock.

"No I stopped her before she could."

"Ruin all the fun."


"Ha. Ha. You know how crazy my mom is." We both knew he was teasing about his mom. She was the one person he loved the most in the entire world. Brock was definitely a momma's boy.

"She just loves you." I tried not to notice the sinking in my chest at the mention of his mom. He was lucky she was still here to tuck him into bed and make him breakfast. I would kill for one more day with my mom.

"How is your mom by the way?" The feeling I had just pushed aside came roaring back at the mention of her. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Um..." I gripped my mug tighter and looked down. "She passed away two years ago."


When Brock didn't say anything I glanced up seeing him leaning back in his chair, his jaw slack and his eyes clouded over a bit.

"I'm.." He coughed before continuing. "I'm so sorry Haley." Over the past two years I have heard a lot of 'I'm sorry' to last me a lifetime. Hearing Brock say it made me choke up a bit. He was the one person I had wanted to be there with me when she passed but he wasn't.

"It's okay. It was her time to go."

"Haley I can't." He shook his and cleared his throat. "Why didn't you tell me?" There was no mistaking the hurt in his voice. "I would have come to help. I would have been at the funeral."

I looked at him in surprise. Did he not get my text or call about the funeral? I had gotten his phone number from his parents after my mom passed to invite him to the funeral. Brock was like my mothers second son, and I was sure she would want him there. I sent him a text and tried calling him, he never replied to my text and my calls were either not answered or answered by some woman.

I had thought he didn't want to come. It had broken my heart even more when he didn't show up on that dreadful day. I had spent the entire time keeping my eyes open for him to show up but he never did. It was stupid of me to think he would actually come.

"You didn't-" I started but was cut off my a different voice.

"Hals!" Turning in my seat I saw my little bother standing there with a goofy smile on his face.

"Lucas." Jumping up I weaved around the tables and launched myself at my brother. I wrapped my arms tight around him for a good minute before pulling away. Tilting my head up I grinned at Lucas. I could have sworn he grew since I last saw him. He towered over my 5'5 form.

"You didn't tell me you would be coming down." My eyes looked him over to make sure he was okay and actually here. I haven't seen him since I dropped him off on campus about 3 months ago.

"Wanted to surprise you. I have a few days off and thought why not visit my sister." I hadn't realized how much I actually missed him until now. "And...I wanted you to meet someone." I raised an eyebrow at he stepped away from me.


For the first time since he walked in did I notice he wasn't alone. A really pretty dark haired girl stood off to the side nervously. Lucas has dated a few girls in high school but they were never serious because I never met them. The only one I kind of met was his prom date and that was only because I forced him to.

"Haley this is Megan...my girlfriend." Lucas tugged Megan forward. Inwardly I laughed at how nervous she seemed.

She was shorter than me which meant she was a dwarf compared to Lucas. A pair of glasses framed her face and from here I could see how blue her eyes were, they were almost grey. She was really really pretty.

Wanting to put the poor girl out of her misery I pulled her a hug.

"Nice to meet you Megan." I greeted once I pulled away from her shocked form.

"You..You too."

"You must be pretty special if Lucas is bringing you home to meet me."


"She is, so don't go embarrassing me." Lucas wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. I watched as she smiled lovingly up at him.

"What me?" I teased, giving him a look. "Never."

"You always embarrass me!" Lucas shot back.


"Sometimes." I winked over at Megan to which she laughed.


"Brock?" Lucas said suddenly. I looked over my shoulder having forgot Brock was still here.


"Lucas?" I stepped to the side as the two of them stared at one another. For a second I was worried what Lucas would do but was surprised when he walked over to Brock and hugged him.


"What are you doing here?" I heard him ask.

I stood there watching as they talked, both boys smiling. Lucas looked more happy to see Brock than me.

"Wait is that Brock Spencer? The baseball player?" It really shouldn't have shocked me that she knew who he was.


"Yeah that's him."

"Woah."

"Let me introduce you, unlike your idiot boyfriend." I laughed gesturing for her to come over.


"When did you get so tall? Last I saw you weren't even 5 foot." Brock teased as we got closer.


"When did you get so ugly? Last I saw you were pretty handsome." My brother shot back to which Brock tipped his head back and laughed.


"Sorry to break up the love fest." I butted in. "Brock met Megan, Lucas's girlfriend." While those two met I pulled Lucas off to the side.

"So how long are you back for?"

"Just a few days. I have class on Wednesday so we have to be back by then." I nodded. 

"Did you already go by the house?"

"Yeah we dropped off our bags there and came here thinking you'd be here."

"Well I am glad you are here. You must really like her."

"I do." He smiled over in Megan's direction. It was weird seeing him so happy and in love. He deserved it though.

"Good. Don't be an idiot and screw it up." I smacked his arm.

"I don't plan on it."