Griffin pressed his lips to my forehead and then let me go. “He loves you.”

“I know.” I couldn’t disguise the tremble in my voice, and I silently prayed that I could hold it together through this conversation.

Griffin led the way back into the construction zone and flagged Will down so that he stopped his demolition. Griffin inclined his head to me. “Your sister’s home.”

Will stiffened, and the action might as well have been a knife to the heart. When had Will ever been nervous to talk to me? Acid churned in my stomach. Always, I realized. We’d talked about so many things, but he’d never once shared what was deepest in his heart. I tried to smile. “Hey. This looks pretty impressive.”

Will looked from me to Griffin and back again. “Griffin told you what we talked about, huh?”

Griffin gave Will a comforting slap on the back. “Just a little. But I think it’s time that you and your sister really talk. Yeah?”

Will nodded. “Will you stay?”

Griffin looked to me as if for permission. I swallowed. “Of course, he can stay.” I took a few more steps into the room, hesitant as first, but I couldn’t stop once I started moving. I pulled Will into my arms, wrapping him in a hard hug. “I love you. None of this was your fault. Not a single thing. You got that?”

He nodded against my shoulder. “That’s what Griffin said.”

“Well, Griffin might be grumpy at times, but he’s also really freaking smart, so I’d listen to him if I were you.”

Will let out a little laugh and pulled back. “True.”

Griffin scowled at both of us. “Who are you calling grumpy?”

Will and I grinned at each other. But after a moment, Will’s smile slipped from his face. “I want to quit football.”

My mouth opened and closed a few times. “But you love football.”

He grimaced. “I hate it, actually. I’d rather take some music lessons instead. I can pay for them with what I make working for Griffin.”

I gripped Will’s arm, squeezing. “You don’t have to pay for them yourself. I’d love to get you lessons.” And thanks to Griffin’s generosity, I didn’t even have to check my bank account before I offered it. I surveyed my brother. “If you hated it so much, why did you keep playing?”

Will shrugged. “I was good at it. And Coach said I could probably get a scholarship for it.”