Branson wouldn’t want to be the lone survivor.
“Will you tell me about yourself?” Jeuel asked. “What do you like to do? How did you and Tarius meet?”
Those were easy topics. Branson relaxed into telling Jeuel about his career, the accessibility apps he was working on, his lack of actual hobbies. Tarius was slightly more complicated, given their family history. “He’s a paralegal at my father’s law firm, so I’ve known him for years. We’ve interacted, but we had a really good conversation about a year and a half ago, and…things clicked. We clicked. First as best friends, and then I think we were dating before we realized we were dating. We made it official two months ago.”
“That’s so sweet.” Jeuel’s gaze bounced back and forth between Branson and Tarius. “I hope to find a devoted partner one day. Not anytime soon. I’m not mentally prepared to mate anyone yet, but one day.”
A delicate question bounced to the front of Branson’s mind. “I hope this isn’t rude, but have you, ah, experienced heat yet?”
“Not yet, thank goddess, and I hope it stays away for a while. I don’t want or need the stress of that right now.”
“But did you have a plan in place if it happened? A plan with your step-omegin? Do you have beta nursing services out there? Private facilities to get through a heat?”
Jeuel shook his head, his expression a mix of confused and surprised. “We don’t have beta services. I mean, there are hotelswith rooms blocked off for heats, and you can hire a private nurse if you can afford it. We never really talked about it, because the property had a guest house, and I guess that’s where I always assumed I’d spend it, with Dario to help me. We talked about heat a few times, what it was like.” Jeuel’s face went blotchy, and he clutched tighter to Trei’s hand.
Branson blanched. “I’m sorry my questions keep causing you pain. I don’t mean to.”
“I know. It’s not your fault. I, um, read a little about Sansbury. You have those services.”
“We do. I also have a very close family friend, basically an uncle, who’s a retired ICU nurse, and he helped my omega brother Emory through his first heat. He’s helped some of my other friends, too, as they’ve come of age.”
“That’s…kind of amazing, to have a nurse in the family.”
“We have two, actually. His son, my cousin Gaven, he’s a registered nurse, as well. He works at the hospital.”
Jeuel nodded along. “So, what do your brothers do? Goddess, that’s a dumb question. Your omega brother is famous for his triplets. That’s got to be a full-time job.”
“It is, and yes, Emory is an omegin. His mate’s name is Eriq. They live with our parents, so everyone is on-hand to help with the triplets. They’re amazing little boys, and I love spending time with them. My alpha brother Caden works in construction, and his mate’s name is Zaq.”
“Emory and Eriq. Caden and Zaq. Your parents are Ronin and Kell. Your cousin Gaven is a nurse. Is he mated?”
“Yes.” Branson was charmed by Jeuel’s determination to remember names. “His mate’s name is Frey, and they just had a baby alpha named Yvan.”
Trei released a soft, ragged sound and stepped away from Jeuel. Jeuel watched him for a long, painful beat before lookingat Branson. “Trei and Paul had been trying their last few heats, but they never conceived.”
“I’m so sorry.” Branson didn’t understand the desire for children that drove most mated couples, but he sympathized with infertility. Gaven and Frey had struggled for three years before finally getting pregnant, and Branson had never seen his lifelong friend so happy. Gaven had practically floated through Frey’s entire pregnancy, and he absolutely glowed as a sire.
Trei said something he couldn’t hear. “Thank you,” Jeuel said for him. “Gosh, we’ve been talking for ages.”
He glanced at the wall clock, surprised that almost an hour had passed. “Well, I can go on and on about my work and my family. My friends, too. I’ll have to draw you a family tree or something.”
“I’d like that. Maybe you could fax it to me in advance.”
“Maybe.” This entire thing felt like a done deal, even though nothing had been decided. It would be at least three more days before they got the results of the DNA test. And then the court hearing depended on how quickly Paxton could get them on the docket. But he enjoyed talking to Jeuel; it felt like he’d re-met an old friend.
He’s my brother. I know it.
He couldn’t get too attached, though. If a judge didn’t allow Jeuel to come to Sansbury, Branson would lose him as soon as he’d met him. Branson had too much in Sansbury, too many people he loved and who counted on him, to leave it all behind for a half-brother he barely knew. He’d do what he could for Jeuel from a distance, if it came to that, but he hoped it didn’t.
“I believe a lot has been said today,” Papa said as he stepped up behind Branson’s chair. “I’m sure all of you have much to think about and process before anything else is decided.”
Jeuel twisted around in his chair and said something, probably to Paxton, then turned to nod at Branson. “I definitelyneed a break. Maybe a nap, too. I haven’t slept much since the incident.”
“I can’t imagine,” Branson said. “I’m so glad to have spoken with you today, Jeuel, I mean it. Even if…” He cleared his throat. “Even if the DNA test doesn’t go our way, I still want to help you. To make sure you and Trei have a safe place to live.” Branson had no doubt in his heart that this young man was his brother, but he needed to see it on paper.
He needed that final piece of irrefutable evidence that Charles Alder/Chip Uty was his biological sire, and not Krause Iverson.
“I’m happy we spoke, too.” Jeuel reached toward the monitor then pulled back. “May I call you again this weekend? Just to say hello? I won’t bother you a lot. I guess you probably haven’t told many people about me.”
