The microwave dinged and he disappeared. A sex scene unfolded on the show. They were doing it in the back of a van.

I hadn’t had sex with Kate in the back of a vehicle. I’d wanted to. Several times on the way to King’s Creek, I’d been tempted to pull onto one of the side roads, find an approach, and make use of the tinted rear windows of my pickup. She wouldn’t have had to undress. I’d crowd in the back seat behind her, tug her pants down, and take her from behind until we fogged up—

Beck found the remote and clicked the show off. A ham and cheese sandwich appeared on a plate in front of me. He’d warmed it enough to melt the cheese and soften the sourdough bread Kate liked.

“Did Dad send you?” I took a bite. It could’ve been dust between two slices of mud and I wouldn’t have known it.

“You weren’t answering your phone. I told him I’d check on you.”

Because Dad was doing all the work I should be doing. And after all these years, he knew I wouldn’t talk to him about my personal life anyway.

Beck sat on the ottoman in front of a high-back chair to my left. “After you’re done eating, you’re going to shower and change clothes.”

I didn’t want a shower. But I needed one. I ate the sandwich, one bite at a time. Beck watched me. My stomach was both grateful and upset at the onslaught of food.

“Dad told me what happened,” he said quietly.

I set the plate aside. “Yep.”

“You’re really upset.”

I cut him a glare. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He peered at me, and I pressed. “Wouldn’t you be fucked up if Eva left you?”

“She did leave me, before we got married. I was fucked up, and you didn’t bat an eye.”

“What do you mean?”

“You sent me a message that said ‘Sorry it didn’t work out with Eva’ and that was all.”

I rubbed my aching temples. The pills couldn’t kick in soon enough. “I did more.” Hadn’t I? I had made sure my brothers were taken care of, that they’d done their homework and eaten supper. I’d even set up a chore chart. Then I’d graduated and left home. On to my next role in life. Scion of the family company.

But I still cared if they were hurting. It’d been clear how much Beck had fallen for Eva. I had to have sent more than a bland message.

“Nope.” He tented his fingers. “But I didn’t expect anything from you. You’ve been a robot for so long I almost forgot that you must still have real feelings.”

I scowled and winced. Feelings hadn’t done me a damn bit of good in life.