Tae returned to the sink. Looked at her. “Noemi, are you okay with how you left things with your father?”

Noemi’s eyes filled. “It doesn’t matter. I was always an afterthought to him. And now, he’s already dead to me.”

Tae stared at her as Noemi hung up the towel and walked away.

Wow. But she could spot hurt talking. Didn’t sound all that different from her own words about her mother.

Her gaze fell on Colt standing outside, talking with his brothers. He stood with his arms folded across his chest, legs planted, nodding to something Dodge was saying as he gestured with his hands. The memory of him lying on the glacier yesterday, struggling for air, seemed so distant from the solid, brave, capable man who’d sat with her on the deck today, trying to help her sort out her life.

“Ranger says he and his brothers haven’t been together for ten years.” Noemi had walked back up to her. “Apparently, they had an epic fight that tore them apart.”

“According to Colt, it was an actual fight. He ended up in the hospital.”

“Yeah. I guess it was over Echo, but she says it was really about them losing their mother,” Noemi said.

“They look pretty young in that family picture on the mantel without their mother.”

“I think they were six. Larke was eight. So yes, pretty young. According to Ranger, Colt was with her when she died.”

Oh, Colt. “Sad to grow up without a parent.”

“Yes,” Noemi said, also staring out the window. “You like him, don’t you.”

More of a statement than a question. “He’s interesting. Carries a lot of secrets behind those brown eyes.”

Noemi was quiet. Tae glanced at her, and she was smiling.

“What? Okay, fine, yes, I like him. But you heard my story. The last thing I want is to get into another relationship, especially one that is doomed.”

“Doomed?”

She gestured to Colt. “He’s not sticking around. As soon as he’s healed up, he’s heading back to Jones, Inc. And I’m on my way to Atlanta, apparently.”

“Oh,” Noemi said. “I guess that makes sense.” She glanced out the window again. “It might be the last time they’re all together for a while.”

Colt’s words rose inside her. “Whatever it is, you’re not doing it alone.”

She knew what he said. But he’d also said he was glad to be back with his brothers. To have a fresh start. And she saw it playing out as Colt now laughed, his face lighting up at something Ranger said. He too was laughing.

Only men who understood war could laugh in the face of their horrific day.

Colt needed his brothers, and apparently, they needed him.

She wasn’t going to take him away from that.