Sadie continues, her hands tightening on her cup. “They died when the boys were fourteen. A drunk driver hit them head-on on their way home from a conference.”
My lungs constrict. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was the worst day of our lives.” Sadie stares into her cup. “One moment, I was a grandmother who spoiled these three on weekends. The next, I was raising teenage boys who’d lost everything.”
Ansel moves closer, sitting in the chair beside his grandmother. His hand covers hers briefly.
“They saved me as much as I saved them.” Sadie’s response is quiet. “After I lost my son, having them here gave me purpose. And watching them build what their father started…” She looks at each of them in turn. “Michael would be beside himself with pride.”
The room falls silent. I watch the triplets, seeing them differently now. Ansel carries the weight of being responsible. Enzo’s intensity covers deeper pain, and Breck masks all of histrue feelings with charisma. They learned early that the people you love can disappear in an instant.
Sadie clears her throat, breaking the moment. “But enough melancholy. I didn’t invite Remy here to make her sad.” She turns to me with a calculating gaze. “I wanted to get to know the woman who has my grandsons so thoroughly distracted.”
Breck straightens in his chair. “Gran.”
“Oh, please. I’ve known you three for your entire lives. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” She looks between them and me, amused.
My face flames. “Sadie, it’s not like that. We just work really well together.”
She pats my hand. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s rather sweet, actually. I haven’t seen them this invested in anything outside of work in years.”
I don’t know how to respond to that. Apparently, the triplets don’t, either, because not one of them says anything.
A few hours later, after a meal filled with more stories and laughter, Ansel stands and checks his watch. “We should probably head out. We have a long drive back to the city.”
Sadie walks us to the door, hugging each of her grandsons before turning to me. She cups my face the same way she did with Ansel earlier, her eyes searching mine. “You’re good for them, Remy. Don’t let anyone—including yourself—convince you otherwise.” Before I can respond, she releases me and steps back. “Now go. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
We’re halfway down the front steps when she calls after us.
Sadie’s eyes twinkle. “Take her for ice cream on the way. There’s a place in town that serves the most incredible salted caramel.”
Fifteen minutes later, we’re standing in an ice cream shop that looks like it hasn’t changed since the nineties. I’m holdinga cone of salted caramel that is, indeed, incredible, while the triplets crowd around a table with their own choices.
“I guess I didn’t have a reason to be nervous. Your grandmother isn’t terrifying at all.” I lick melted ice cream from my thumb. “She’s really wonderful.”
“She likes you,” says Enzo. “If she didn’t, you’d know.”
“How?”
“She’d be icily polite. Ask pointed questions about your intentions. Make you feel like you’re being interviewed for a position you didn’t apply for.” Breck grins. “The fact that she told embarrassing stories means you’re family now.”
Damon always made me feel like I had to earn my place. But these people? They just... made room for me. Like I was already supposed to be here.
CHAPTER 11
Ansel
The conference call with our Tokyo office is running long, and I’m only half-listening when my phone vibrates.
Remy:Can you come to my office? Right now, if you can.
No explanation. No context. Just an urgency that makes my pulse spike.
I cut off our Tokyo director mid-sentence. “Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies. We have an urgent security matter. Enzo will handle the rest of this call.”
Enzo’s head snaps up, but I’m already out the door.
I take the stairs because the elevator would be too slow, my mind cycling through possibilities. Another breach. A system failure. Something with Damon.
