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her head. Two pieces interlocking automatically, a perfect fit—that’s how they seemed. Something that ideal couldn’t last forever. For both their sakes, Curtis hoped they logged a lot of good years before the glow disappeared.
    “We drove around a bit. Stopped to put gas in her car.” No need to tell them they’d been shooed from the station after almost making out in the front seat. “She told me to head back here so she could make things right. She was laughing and smiling one minute, then went cold and snappy the next. After tricking me out of the car, she practically dove back in, locked me out then bolted.” He met his brother’s gaze and did what needed to be done. “Sorry, man. Hope I didn’t make things worse somehow.”
    “It’s not your fault, Curtis.” Nia worried her bottom lip between her teeth, then nodded, obviously settling some internal debate. “She’ll be fuming mad at me for sharing this with you, but that’s what she gets for storming off. As she always does.”
    “A trait that used to run in the family,” Conn said, grinning when Nia squeezed him in some sort of lame, romantic chastisement.
    “Ignore your brother.” Not a hint of annoyance lived in that statement. Just adoration, about three hundred percent’s worth.
    “Done,” Curtis said. Enough with the sappy displays of their endless love. Whatever the thing was that Sara wouldn’t want him to know, he wanted to hear it. Five minutes ago.
    “It was the chainsaw that set her off. Years ago, my dad had an accident while cutting up a felled tree. A bad accident, almost fatal.” She shivered and Conn rubbed his palm over her arm. “The ER doctor said the saw missed the femoral artery by about half an inch. Sara was playing nearby when it happened, she witnessed the whole thing. Heard the scream, saw all the blood.”
    “Jesus.” That explained why she’d lost her freaking shit when she caught her dad showing them his new saw. That’s what she’d been referring to when she yelled at him about his broken promise.
    “My mom is a nurse, and thank god she was home at the time. If not…”
    “Sara would’ve watched her dad die.”
    Nia looked up at Conn. Unspoken communication passed between them, as clear as the night stars.
    Curtis narrowed his eyes at them, his brother in particular. “You want my help with the maid of honor tomorrow? Time to cough up whatever ‘need to know’ information you didn’t think I needed to know when you asked me to babysit her the first time.”
    “Shit.” This from Conn. A solid response since Nia was giving him the wounded-puppy expression while sliding free of their embrace.
    Guess Conn hadn’t shared that request with his bubbly bride-to-be. Oh well. Secrets—one of the three big relationship killers. Best his baby brother figured that out now.
    “Sara was eleven when the chainsaw accident happened. Her real parents died in a house fire the year before, on Christmas Eve.”
    “Her real parents?” What the fuck?
    “Yes. Ray and Brenda Robinson. My parents’ best friends. After the fire, my parents legally adopted Sara, but back then, they were still Peter and Meredith to her. That was when she spoke to us at all. Seeing Peter go down like that, the sound of sirens when the emergency vehicles got here…” Nia shook her head and resumed her former position as Conn’s conjoined other half. “I’m amazed she didn’t withdraw even further into herself.”
    In his line of work, Curtis had witnessed a lot of horrible shit. He’d had to deliver devastating news to loved ones. He’d grieved the loss of a fallen officer. All of it sucked, but none of it had been personal.
    “She got really quiet and pale when we pulled in the driveway. I said she looked like she’d seen a ghost.” He leaned against the railing and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Safe to say it’s my fault she fled the scene the second time.”
    You’re either a dick, an idiot, or clueless.
    He’d been