Free Adding Up to Marriage by Karen Templeton

said, and Silas jabbed a finger in his direction.
    â€œ You do not get a say in this, Mr. Everybody-else-is-having-kids-so-I-don’t-gotta.”
    After loudly crumpling the burrito wrapping and lobbing it into the wastebasket, Noah sprawled on the old futon against the far wall. Scowling, he kneed the dog out of his way, only to immediately hand him a piece of steak from his burrito. “And if Mom’s laying a guilt trip on me doesn’t work, for damn sure you don’t have a shot.” He stuffed another chunk of meat into his mouth. “Fatherhood’s not in the cards for me. Deal.”
    â€œI’m not arguing with your choice, bonehead. I’m arguing with your right to horn in on how I’m doing my job.”
    Clearly unperturbed, Noah shrugged, then waved the half eaten burrito in their brother’s direction. “You probably won’t like what I’ve got to say, either.”
    Eli’s brows dipped. “Oh?”
    â€œYeah. That roof is a lot worse than I first thought. All that snow we got last winter leaked right through the barrier paper, did a real number on the wood underneath.”
    â€œHell.” Eli’s brows dipped. “You sure?”
    â€œKinda got my first clue when my foot went through this morning. We could patch it, but if you’re planning on selling?” He took another bite, shaking his head. “It’d never pass inspection like that. Whole thing needs to be replaced, if you want my opinion. And before winter sets in, or it’s only gonna get a lot worse. The good news is, I’ll do it for cost.”
    â€œJerk,” Eli said, tossing his crushed, supposedly empty soda cup at his brother. Laughing, Noah caught it and threw it back, making the dog bark.
    Wiping soda drops off his arms, Silas frowned “What about Jewel? Can she stay there while you’re working?”
    Noah pulled a face. “I sure wouldn’t want to, if I were her.”
    â€œHow long are we talking?”
    â€œDepending on how bad it is, if the weather cooperates…aweek? Maybe two? Maybe she could stay up at the house? I’m sure the folks wouldn’t mind.”
    â€œNo room,” Eli said, crossing his arms. “Aunt Marie’s there helping out, remember? And Dad moved his car collection into our old room. What about your spare room, Si?”
    Silas’s eyes jerked to his brother’s. “You’re not serious?”
    â€œWell, yeah. I mean, if she can’t find someplace else, why not?”
    â€œIt’s only for a week,” Noah put in. “Two at the most. Probably not even. And anyway, only as a last resort, right?”
    Except, when Silas didn’t respond fast enough, he caught the brothers’ shared glance, followed by the sly, no-good grin creeping across Noah’s face.
    â€œBunny rabbit got you scared?” Noah said, and Eli chuckled, and Silas briefly recalled—with a small thrill of satisfaction—the time he’d put garden snakes in their beds and made them both scream like girls.
    Ah, those were the days.
    â€œNo,” Silas said, grabbing Blue’s collar to jerk him out of the trash before he got Noah’s wrapper. “And don’t you two have work to do?”
    â€œSure thing—”
    â€œYeah, guess we’re done here.”
    Then they left, still chuckling, making Silas wonder, once again, why, why his parents hadn’t stopped at one.
    Â 
    â€œYou’re right, sweetie, that sucks,” Jewel said to her cell phone, propped on the counter, as she turned down the heat under the pot of rice on the stove. True, Silas hadn’t asked her to make dinner, but it wasn’t like tossing the pork and fixings into the crock pot earlier had been any big deal.
    â€œSeriously,” her stepbrother rumbled. Holy moly, who turned up the bass? “It’s like every time I turn around Dad’s got somebody new. Why can’t it