“Needed income? I’ve barely spent half of my army pay for the last ten years. I left my job to come here, and I’ve already had about a dozen offers with different firms making a hell of a lot more than anything the mine could haul in during the season. If I just wanted a job, I’d take one of those offers and cut the amount of shit I’m being given. Do you really think I’m here as a last resort?”

He glanced down at his shiny dress shoes. I bet his toes had to be freezing, and a part of me hoped so. “The thought had occurred to me, yes. Not that I’m not happy you’re here.”

“You show it so well.”

He sighed, looking up like he was praying for patience. Maybe God still listened to him. Good for Xander.

“You went behind my back,” he said softly, and a twinge of hurt echoed through his eyes.

“Coming home?” I clarified. “Because you’ve been asking me to come back to Alba for the last five years. Hell, you asked me to get out after Sullivan.”

“No, with the mine. You could have come to me. We could have pitched it like a team. Instead you left me out and made me look like a fool in front of the council for not knowing what you had planned.”

I swallowed the instinctive retort that he was only pissed because the optics hadn’t gone his way. But it had to be deeper, didn’t it? Sure, he cared about his image way more than I did mine, but it couldn’t all be about his reputation.

“I’m sorry,” I said, bleeding as much sincerity into my voice as I could so he’d know I was telling the truth. “I was afraid you’d react…well, exactly how you did. After dinner the other night, I didn’t trust you to have an open mind. I should have, and I’m sorry.”

He stood motionless for an awkward moment, then finally shook his head. “I’d like to think I would have listened and supported you. But maybe you’re right. The stuff with Dad the other night put me on the defensive. I don’t want to see you as the enemy, Cam. You’re the only brother I have.”

Left. I’m the only brother you have left.

“I don’t want to be your enemy. Ever. I’m just trying to do the best I can for Dad, and if that means pissing you off at times, then I have to be okay with that. But I am sorry that I didn’t bring the mine idea to you. It was a dick move.”

He shook his head. “You just apologized twice in the last two minutes. I should have recorded it, because I don’t think I’ll ever hear those words again.”