Your Forever: The Eight of Wands Read Online Free

plate again. “I like it a lot. I like singing.”
    “Could have done it for a living if you’d just focused,” Jeff said, and Theo looked at him through his shaggy bangs.
    “I don’t want to do it for a living.”
    “No,” Jeff said, “you want to teach kids all your life.”
    “And you want to run a restaurant and write cookbooks all your life,” Theo said evenly. “What’s your point?”
    “My point,” said Jeff in the same even tone as Theo, “is that you could do better.”
    “And my point is that I’m doing fine. I’m happy and I’m good at what I do.”
    “I bet you’re great at it,” Del said, and Theo gave him a small smile of thanks.
    Jeff sighed and finished off his omelet with a few big bites and stood. “I’ll clean up.” Theo handed Jeff his plate, and Del finished his omelet quickly to hand over his. Jeff took them to the sink to rinse them off and put them into the dishwasher.
    “I should practice,” Theo said and went into the living room to get the guitar. “Is it okay if I play outside? Will it bother your neighbors?”
    “No,” Del said and got up to help with the washing up. “Mrs. Stevens is the closest one and she’s hard of hearing.”
    “I’ll keep it down anyway. It’s only polite.” Theo picked up the guitar and went out the back door to the porch.
    “That,” said Jeff as he stacked the pans in the washer, “is what our fights are like now. I guess it's better than yelling and punching each other.”
    “It’s obvious he loves teaching and he’s good with kids,” Del said and hauled himself up onto the counter. “You didn’t need to say anything about the music. I wanted to hear more about his school.”
    “He could have gone to Berklee Conservatory,” Jeff said. “He’s got the talent.”
    “But he went to another school and got a teaching degree and is happy.”
    “Hey,” Jeff said, frowning, “I thought you were on my side.”
    “I am on your side, which is why I’m pointing out what an idiot you’re being. If you’re trying to be his dad, don’t. You’re not his dad. And if you’re trying to be a good, older brother, don’t go about it like this. The guy’s twenty-six, not eight.»
    Jeff rolled his eyes. “I’m going to bed. What time are we getting up tomorrow?”
    “Early. Set your alarm for four.” Jeff waved good night and went into the guest room, and Del went out onto the porch to keep Theo company.
    The younger man had perched himself on the porch swing, his long legs crossed, the guitar resting on his thigh. Del recognized the tune Theo was softly playing, and he joined him at the other end of the swing to listen.
    Theo didn’t stop playing when he said, “I don’t think he wanted me to come.”
    “He did,” Del said. “He does. He wants you here. You’re the only family he’s got, aside from his mom and some frail great-uncles.”
    “He’ll have a lot more after Sunday, with all those sisters of Marianne’s.”
    “In-laws,” Del said. “It’s not the same, really. It’s not like blood.”
    “Do you have brothers?” Theo looked up at him.
    “Two. And a sister. I know how brothers can be, especially older ones.”
    Theo shook his head. “I bet neither of them were teenagers when you were born.”
    “Well, no,” Del said. “We’re all about three years apart.”
    “See, I didn’t even know Jeff was my brother until I was about five,” Theo said, and stopped playing to hang his arms over the side of the guitar. “Before that I thought he was just someone who knew my dad. And then I figured it out when I realized Dad’s name wasn’t Dad, and Jeff called him that because Dad was actually his dad.” He shook his head. “But see, he still thinks I’m that six-year-old kid who doesn’t understand the world.”
    “I think he knows you’re an adult, Theo,” Del said gently.
    “Then how come he was talking to me like I haven’t already decided on a career? For God’s sake, if I wanted to be a