“Boys—”
“Wait, there’s more,” Destiny stated.
This time, Tyler stepped forward, handing me a large folder.
I looked around the semi-circle. Everyone stared at me with anticipation in their eyes. I turned back at Robert, who clearly was trying to figure out what was going on, as was I.
As I opened the blue folder, I first came across reservations at one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Located on a private island, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
“There are over eight rooms booked,” I said in confusion, looking at all of our children.
“Because it’s a family trip. For your fortieth anniversary,” Patience and Kayla gushed at the same time.
“Why do you think we’ve spent the last few weeks prying you two about your courtship?” Carter quipped, causing everyone to laugh.
I felt Robert move in closer behind me, reading over my shoulder.
“I knew you all were up to something,” he stated. His voice was low but I heard the excitement wrapped up in it. What could be better than going on a family vacation to celebrate the forty years I’d spent with this man?
I turned to him. “Do you see this?”
He nodded, smiling.
“You were right.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Say that again.”
I sighed. “Hell no!”
The ladies all laughed.
“I hope we’re not interrupting.”
My eyes widened, and I was pulled behind Robert as his face turned serious. I watched as all four of my boys did the same, protectively moving in front of their wives as our attention was pulled toward the male voice that had interrupted us.
My eyes squinted as I recalled the familiar man, although it’d been years since I’d last seen him. How could I not remember him when he looked so much like my husband?
“You’re fucking late,” Robert growled.
“Who the hell is this?” Aaron demanded.
“And how the hell did they get in here, Brutus?” Joshua demanded, turning to Townsend’s current head of security.
Brutus parted his lips to respond, but was cut off by another male voice. “Robert, tell your son to leave my boy alone. He’s damn good at his job. I taught him everything he knows,” Rick Kennedy, our former head of security, and father of Brutus, implored.
Yes, that’s right. Rick, Robert’s former head of security, the man who said he’d never have kids, was actually Brutus, our current head of security’s father. There’s a story behind all of that, but it’s not mine to tell.
“They’re all on the list at the request of your father,” Brutus casually replied to Joshua.
All of our sons’ heads swung in our direction, silently demanding answers.
For my part, I glanced across the room at the new entrants. There were four men in total.
“This,” Robert started, “is Lewis Greene.”
The man frowned as he stared at Robert. “Are we still using that fucking name?”
“Lewis Greene? Isn’t that …” Michelle trailed off, her gaze bouncing between myself, Robert, and the man who moved closer.
