“I never said?—
“—but at least I’m not an idiot.”
Noah snorted. “Jury’s still out.”
Jasper finished his orange juice, then slammed the glass down on the granite countertop. “That woman upstairs is amazing. She was holding Charlotte behind her, keeping her safe. Ready to die protecting her. And you’re sending her away?”
“You were listening? What are you, ten? We were having a private conversation.”
“And I was having a drink in the living room. Not my fault you didn’t see me.”
The lights were off in the living room. Why had Jasper been sitting in the dark?
“I heard enough to know you’re getting rid of her. What is she? A girlfriend?”
“She lives here.”
Jasper’s eyebrows rose, the expression saying,And?
Noah stepped back, needing distance so he didn’t take a swing at him. “I wouldn’t be shacking up with her under any circumstances, but certainly not with Charlotte in the house.”
“I know.” Jasper cracked a smile. “Just trying to get under your skin. So what’s the problem with the hot nanny?”
“People are starting to talk. After what you’ve done…” He hated to admit his part but added, “And the rumors surrounding my divorce, there’s been a lot of scandal associated with the Aylett name. It’s getting in the way of a merger?—”
“Oh, for—” Jaz cut himself off, probably keeping himself from uttering some foul curse. “You’re going to lose that woman for the sake of money?”
“One of us has to work. We both know it’s not going to be you.”
Something dark and brooding settled over Jasper’s features, out of place on his usually carefree face. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to make difficult choices? You think it hasn’t been killing me to be so far from my daughter?”
Noah stared at his brother, thrown by the intensity in his voice. This wasn’t the happy-go-lucky Jasper he’d known. There was something else there—something Noah couldn’t identify.
But at the end of the day, whatever choices Jasper thought he faced, he always chose wrong.
“I’m trying to save our family’s legacy.” Noah was too tired to have this argument again tonight. “I’m trying to save everything Dad worked for.”
“You have no idea what I’ve done to try to make up for Dad’s death.”
Jasper’s words deflated all of Noah’s righteous indignation. He took a step toward his brother. “Dad’s death wasn’t your fault. He should have been more careful.”
“That’s not what you said at the time.”
“I know.” At the time of the accident, he’d called his brother an irresponsible fool. Which, to be fair, Jasper had been. He’d also been a kid.
It wasn’t his fault Dad had barreled up from belowdecks when he’d felt how fast their yacht was going. It wasn’t Jasper’s fault that Dad hadn’t worn a life jacket. It wasn’t Jasper’s fault that Dad hadn’t heeded his own warnings, warnings he’d given the boys a thousand times, to pay attention when the ship was in full sail.
Dad had been too focused on getting to Jasper to ream him out.
Jaz had been fifteen years old. All the things Noah had said to Delaney came back to him now. He’d been a child. Yes, older than eight, but certainly not an adult. Somebody should have been watching out for Jasper.
Deep down, Noah had always thoughtheshould have been watchful. That he should have noticed the speed. He’d been too wrapped up in his date in her bikini to pay attention.
The wind picked up. The sailboat flew across the waves. Dad came upstairs…
It was an accident. Just an accident.
He took another step toward his brother. “I know,” he said again. “I did blame you, but I shouldn’t have. It wasn’t your fault. I know that now.”
